CAB Artisan Baker Baking Science & Nutrition Flashcards

What does baker's percentage express?

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.

What happens to starch granules during the gelatinization phase of baking?

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.

Which type of fat has the greatest shortening effect on gluten strands, producing a tender crumb?

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.

What is the significance of the 'windowpane test' in bread baking?

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.

Which sugar is the primary food source for baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)?

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.

What role does salt play in yeast fermentation?

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.