CAB CAB Artisan Baker Baking Science & Nutrition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does baker's percentage express?
- The percent of total dough weight each ingredient contributes
- The ratio of each ingredient relative to the total flour weight set at 100% (Correct answer)
- The hydration level of the finished loaf
- The percentage of protein in a blend of flours
Correct answer: The ratio of each ingredient relative to the total flour weight set at 100%
Baker's percentage expresses every ingredient as a percentage of total flour weight, making formulas easy to scale regardless of batch size.
Question 2: What happens to starch granules during the gelatinization phase of baking?
- They crystallize and harden
- They absorb water, swell, and form a gel that sets the crumb structure (Correct answer)
- They convert entirely to simple sugars
- They bond with gluten to make the dough extensible
Correct answer: They absorb water, swell, and form a gel that sets the crumb structure
Between approximately 140–160°F, starch granules absorb water, swell, and gelatinize, which sets the crumb as the bread bakes.
Question 3: Which type of fat has the greatest shortening effect on gluten strands, producing a tender crumb?
- Unsaturated liquid oil
- Solid saturated fat (butter, lard, shortening) (Correct answer)
- Water
- Milk
Correct answer: Solid saturated fat (butter, lard, shortening)
Solid saturated fats coat gluten strands and physically interrupt the network, producing a shorter, more tender crumb structure.
Question 4: What is the significance of the 'windowpane test' in bread baking?
- It checks whether the dough has proofed fully
- It verifies the dough has reached correct internal temperature
- It confirms sufficient gluten development to stretch thin without tearing (Correct answer)
- It measures hydration by transparency
Correct answer: It confirms sufficient gluten development to stretch thin without tearing
The windowpane test confirms that gluten is fully developed when a small piece of dough can be stretched thin enough to be nearly translucent without tearing.
Question 5: Which sugar is the primary food source for baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)?
- Lactose
- Sucrose broken down to glucose and fructose (Correct answer)
- Maltose only
- Cellulose
Correct answer: Sucrose broken down to glucose and fructose
Yeast secretes invertase to break sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are fermented to produce CO2 and ethanol.
Question 6: What role does salt play in yeast fermentation?
- It activates yeast and speeds fermentation
- It regulates fermentation by slowing yeast activity and strengthening gluten (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on yeast, only on flavor
- It converts starch to sugar for yeast consumption
Correct answer: It regulates fermentation by slowing yeast activity and strengthening gluten
Salt draws water away from yeast cells osmotically, slowing fermentation rate, while also tightening the gluten network for better dough strength.
CAB CAB Artisan Baker Baking Science & Nutrition 2
What does baker's percentage express?