With the holidays just around the corner, in addition to gift idea planning, your food menus will become just as important. I can remember my grandmother having discussions about the Thanksgiving table spreads starting in late October. Much thought goes into this process because it’s a lot of involved work, and folks take pride in what they’re preparing. Particularly if your cooking will serve family AND friends. Preparing a holiday dinner is no easy feat. Your family knows about your delicious cornbread and stuffing, but your newly invited neighbors don’t so that pride thingy will kick in.

One of the most eagerly anticipated food items on anyone’s holiday menu are baked desserts. There will be the usual cookies, pies and cakes but this area of the menu can certainly be expanded to introduce new, exciting selections. Many of us have our usual favorites and perhaps know the recipes by memory. Most though follow recipes. Baking for sure is a science. An exact science? In most cases yes as I’ve come to learn in my long journey into the chef world.

When you’re reading a recipe for a cake as one example, you will more than likely see baking powder and/or baking soda listed as ingredients. Do you know why? What’s the science behind the usage of these two profoundly important elements in your desserts? I would guess most may not know or may not care if you’re not a trained pastry chef and simply follow the directions. If you’re a seasoned home cook baker you probably do know the science but if not, I would say it’s something important to know.

What is the difference between baking powder and baking soda? Without being overly complex in defining, simply, both are leavening agents but work differently. Baking powder consists of two ingredients…baking soda and a secondary acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar or sodium aluminum sulfate. Since the acid in baking powder is dry, it doesn’t react until introduced to a liquid. Even the names baking powder and baking soda can be confusing because of being similarly titled. Baking soda is one single ingredient, sodium bicarbonate, and doesn’t have an acidic element like baking powder. It needs acidic ingredients such as buttermilk, lemon juice or vinegar to create carbon dioxide gas bubbles to rise when baking. Remember the old high school volcano experiment with baking soda and vinegar? The most common form of baking powder that is sold in grocery stores is double acting. It rises first when the powder gets wet, and the second rise happens when heated. Single acting powder is used mostly by professional pastry chefs.

When do you use baking powder or baking soda? Remember baking powder contains an acidic ingredient so you use it in foods that don’t have the acid such as simple biscuits, cornbread or non-buttermilk pancakes. Use baking soda when there is an acidic ingredient added to the recipe such as lemon juice or vinegar. Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder too, so you must be very careful in how much you use. Too much baking soda can alter the taste of your food--in a bad way. You use both baking powder and soda if there aren’t enough acidic ingredients to create the desired leavening. Baking powder will help in this situation. Also, check the shelf life of each to make sure they’re both fresh. Test baking powder by adding a little powder with hot water and soda by adding a little vinegar. If both bubble up, they are good. The shelf life for both is about two years unopened and about six months if they’ve been opened.

Happy baking!!!

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