Baking+Powder

====is a dry chemical leavening agent used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods such as muffins, cakes,scones and American-style biscuits. Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture. It is used instead of yeast for end-products where fermentation flavors would be undesirable or where the batter lacks the elastic structure to hold gas bubbles for more than a few minutes. Because carbon dioxide is released at a faster rate through the acid-base reaction than through fermentation, breads made by chemical leavening are called quick breads .====

====Baking powder is a sodium bicarbonate, acidifying agent and and drying agent, which makes it different from baking soda. There are two different types of baking powder, single acting and double acting. Single acting baking powder reacts with moisture, so when baking the product must be cooked immediately or else the product will become flat. The reason for making sure to cook the product fast is because as soon as you add moisture to the baking powder it starts releasing carbon dioxide immediately. Double acting baking powder can be left uncooked for a longer period of time then single acting baking soda because baking powder releases gases once heat is applied, which allows products that have dough to rise. When the sodium bicarbonate and cream of tarter (found in baking powder) react together they form this chemical reaction: NaHCO 3 + KHC 4 H 4 O 6 → KNaC 4 H 4 O 6 + H 2 O + CO 2 ====

Teeth Whitening Process

 * 1) ====Wet brush with water and dip into baking soda. Cover all of the bristles so they are white.====
 * 2) ====Brush for 2 minutes.====
 * 3) ====Spit out baking soda and rinse. WARNING: do not let baking soda stay in mouth.====
 * 4) ====Continue process twice a day for the best results.====

Using this in baking helps alot in higher altitudes and makes the baked good more fluffy.

History

====Early chemical leavening was accomplished by activating baking soda in the presence of liquid(s) and an acid such as sour milk, vinegar, lemon juice, or cream of tartar. These acidulants all react with baking soda quickly, meaning that the retention of gas bubbles was dependent on batter viscosity and that it was critical for the batter to be baked before the gas escaped. The development of baking powder created a system where the gas-producing reactions could be delayed until needed. While various baking powders were sold in the first half of the 19th century, our modern variants were discovered by Alfred Bird in 1843. August Oetker, a German pharmacist, made baking powder very popular when he began selling his mixture to housewives. The recipe he created in 1891 is still sold as //Backin// in Germany. Oetker started the mass production of baking powder in 1898 and patented his technique in 1903.====

====Following the American Civil War Joseph and Cornelius Hoagland developed a baking powder with the help of an employee, and their formula became known as Royal Baking Powder. The small company eventually moved to New York in the 1890s and became the largest manufacturer of baking powder Eben Norton Horsford student of Justus Von Liebig, who began his studies on baking powder in 1856, eventually developed a variety he named in honor of Count Rumford. By the mid-1860s "Horsford's Yeast Powder" was on the market as an already-mixed leavening agent, distinct from separate packages of calcium acid phosphate and sodium bicarbonate. This was packaged in bottles, but Horsford was interested in using metal cans for packing; this meant the mixture had to be more moisture resistant. This was accomplished by the addition of corn starch, and in 1869 Rumford began the manufacture of what can truly be considered baking powder. During World War II, Byron H. Smith, an inventor in Bangor, Maine, created a substitute product for American housewives, who were unable to obtain cream of tartar or baking powder due to war food shortages. Under the name "Bakewell", Smith marketed a mixture of sodium pyrophosphate mixed with corn starch to replace the acid cream of tartar component of baking powder. When mixed with baking soda, the product behaved like a single-acting baking powder, the only difference being that the acid is sodium pyrophosphate. He named the product "Bakewell" and the product is still part of regional culinary history. In 2006 the development of Rumford Baking Powder was designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark in recognition of its significance for making baking easier, quicker, and more reliable."====

** Use **
Generally one teaspoon (5 ml) of baking powder is used to raise a mixture of one cup (200-250 ml) of flour, one cup of liquid, and one egg. However, if the mixture is acidic, baking powder's additional acids will remain unconsumed in the chemical reaction and often lend an unpleasant chemical taste to food. High acidity can be caused by ingredients like buttermilk, lemon , yogurt , citrus , or honey. When excessive acidity is present, some of the baking powder is replaced with baking soda. For example, one cup of flour, one egg, and one cup of buttermilk requires only ½ teaspoon of baking powder—the remaining leavening is caused by buttermilk acids reacting with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.The opposite is sometimes true, too. In baking powders that contain sodium acid pyrophosphate, excess alkaline substances can sometimes deprotonate the acid in two steps instead of the one that normally occurs, resulting in an offensive bitter taste to baked goods. Calcium compounds and aluminum compounds do not have that problem though, since calcium compounds that deprotonate twice are insoluble and aluminum compounds do not deprotonate in that fashion.Moisture and heat can cause baking powder to lose its effectiveness over time, and commercial varieties have a somewhat arbitrary expiration date printed on the container. Regardless of the expiration date, the effectiveness can be tested by placing a teaspoon of the powder into a small container of hot water. If it fizzes energetically, it is still active and usable.

** Usage of aluminum compounds **
Baking powders are available both with and without aluminum compounds.Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminum because they believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste, and because of speculations on the connection between aluminum intake and diseases such as Alzheimer's disease 

__**How to Make Baking Powder**__ Baking powder is a key ingredient in many cake, cookie and bread recipes; but that doesn't mean you have to pay someone else to make it. Here's how to make your own baking powder:

Ingredients:

 * 1 teaspoon baking soda
 * 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
 * 1 teaspoon corn starch (optional)

Preparation:
 Mix the baking soda and cream of tartar together until well combined. Use immediately.  Yield: One tablespoon of baking powder.  []