Did you know...
Baking powder is an acidic compound while baking soda is a basic compound? This simply caught me off guard as my whole life I thought it was the other way around. Not that I have baking soda and baking powder on my mind often and I consciously think to myself "powder=base, soda=acid, powder=base...", and I chant these falsehoods over and over again... I just find myself surprised at this new knowledge. I feel like high school science failed me. Guess I missed the volcano day.
Pure truth:
1. Baking powder needs an acidic ingredient to make the rise happen and vice versa for baking soda (needs a base).
2. Baking powder is double acting. It releases carbon dioxide at low temperatures (while mixing) and at high temptures (while baking). This is why baking powder is mostly used in muffin and loaf recipes.
3. Recipes using baking soda should be baked right away as it is single acting and you don't want all the C02 getting away on you.
For some reason this simply fascinated me. And oh- cocoa is acidic and has the best reaction when used with baking powder unless it is "dutch processed" cocoa powder which adds an alkaline to the cocoa, then baking soda would be best!! Holy cow!!
...it's a whole new world ...
1 woot-woots!:
Good to know. Eden's 1st ever science project is actually going to be about baking powder. Making one batch of cookies with it, and one without. Now that you have done all the research, it should be a cinch!
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