Q: Can I use agave nectar in baked products, and how do I make the substitution?

Marie, via email

A: Agave nectar can be used in baking. Recommended use is three-quarters the amount of agave for the amount of sugar with a reduction of the liquid. When baking, the moisture retention of agave syrup is similar to honey and can be substituted in the same amount for either honey or maple syrup, making it ideal for cakes and breads. However, it may not be the best choice for crisp cookies or hard candy. Agave syrup can cause baked products to brown more quickly, so you may need to lower the oven temperature by 25°F.

Q: In baking, “to taste” is often used for vanilla and lemon flavor. How much should be added?

Ashley, via email

A: Different brands of the same flavor may vary greatly in strength, so it hard to give a starting percentage. To achieve consistency, weigh the amount of flavoring added to the product. Be sure to record the amount used. If you’re satisfied with the end product maintain these amounts; if not, make an adjustment until you do like the flavor of the finished product.

Q: How can I make a cake lighter/moister?

A.P., Bear Creek Estate, Ga.

A: If you want to make your cake lighter, reduce the amount of egg yolks because they make the cake much denser. Add additional liquid, fat or chemical leavener. However, you may need to adjust the other ingredients as well.

Q: What are phosphates used for in the food and
baking industry?

W.H., Reading Highlands, Mass.

A: Phosphoric acid acidifies and flavors cola beverages. Calcium and iron phosphates act as mineral supplements. Sodium aluminum phosphate is a leavening agent. Calcium and ammonium phosphates serve as food for yeast in baking. Sodium acid pyrophosphates aid in the coloring of potatoes and sugar syrups. Excessive consumption of phosphates can lead to dietary imbalances that might contribute to osteoporosis, but only a small fraction of the phosphates in the American diet comes from additives. Most comes from meat and dairy products. 

Q: How much vital wheat gluten do I need to add to any bread formula to increase the protein levels?

G.T., Hickman, Md.

A: Adding vital wheat gluten at 1 percent based on the flour weight increases the protein level up to 0.6 percent. This addition of gluten also requires 2.8 times more water in the formula.

Q: After our latest delivery of flour, our breads have been unequal in volume. We have checked the formula, makeup procedures and proofing times, but cannot pin point the problem. What do you think is happening?

C.P., Helena, Mont.

A: It could be starch damage in the flour. This causes the starch to gelatinize at different intervales and the bread will retain more water and caramelize faster. The finished loaves will have more volume, as the yeast has more sugars available to use and to convert into carbon dioxide; therefore loaves will be unequal in volume.

Q: Why do I need to be aware of the falling number system?

C.R., East Glen, La.

A: When it rains just before harvest, grain may start to germinate or sprout. The germination causes an increase in alpha amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch as well as enzymes that break down proteins. Of these, the starch-degrading enzyme has a greater effect on reducing the quality of flour. The longer the grain sprouts, the greater the amount of the alpha amylase formed. If badly sprouted grain is milled, the flour can cause problems in the finished baked product. The Falling Number System measures the alpha-amylase enzyme activity in grains and flour to detect sprout damage, optimize flour enzyme activity and guarantee soundness of milled grains. Alpha-amylase activity is crucial for product quality of bread, pasta, noodles and malt. Anyone handling wheat, barley, rye or sorghum intended for these applications will benefit from the Falling Number System to ensure finished product consistency.

Q: Where do cinnamon sticks come from?

A.P., Nanakuli, Hawaii

A: Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree harvested during the rainy season when the bark is most flexible and easiest to work with. The shoots are cut and the leaves and twigs are removed with the rough outer bark. The shoots are then beaten to soften the tissues of the inner bark and make it easier to peel in a complete strip. Once peeled, the bark is placed in overlapping, extended layers then rolled to form long canes or quills that are sun-dried. As the quills dry, the bark curls and becomes paper-like. These long canes are cut into cinnamon sticks. Flakes left over from this process, called featherings, are sold to make into ground cinnamon powder or to be distilled into cinnamon oil. Cinnamon trees can yield productive bark for about 45 years, after which they are replaced with a new seedling.

Q: What types of flour do you recommend for breads, cakes and cookies?

M.M., Olympia, Ore.

A: I determine what flour I use by the protein content. Every baker has his own preference, but below is my general guideline.

Item Protein percentage

Pasta 13 to 15

Bread 11 to 12

Pastries 10 to 11

Biscuits 8.5 to 10

Cakes 9 to 9.5

Pies 8 to 10

Cookies 8 to 9

Q: Why is dough fermentation so important in bread baking?

Veronica, via email

A: Fermentation is one of the critical and essential steps in bread baking. It is through the various complex biochemical reactions of yeast cells that achieves the following goals for the baker: improved dough handling characteristics, enhanced gas retention and finished product texture, and it provides desirable fermentation flavor and extends shelf-life of final product.

Q: How much bran can we add to our formula and what effect does it have on the mixes?

M.R., Bismarck N.D.

A: Dough with the addition of bran usually retains more water, and needs increased kneading time. The bread normally has less volume because the bran is not elastic or extensible. The color of the bread is darker because of the carotenes and xanthophylls the pigments contained in the bran. Therefore, bran should be used between 5 to 20 percent in a formula based on the total flour weight.

Q: What are the disadvantages of using frozen dough?

A.C., Wells, Nev.

A: The quality of frozen dough depends on the stability of the yeast (cryo-resistance) during storage. Storage costs for the frozen dough also should be taken into consideration. In frozen dough formulas, you need to use flour with higher protein content and more yeast and additives. Flavorlessness will be noticeable due to lack of fermentation and organic acids, which are responsible of flavor in the bread. Poor retention of carbon dioxide results from the gluten stress of the freezing process. The amylase and amyl pectin bind less water in their structure, creating weight loss.

Q: We have major problems with flies in our bakery; do you have any operational tips how to eliminate them?

R.G., Omaha, Neb.

A: I would not use fly swatters as these are containinated and spread insect carcasses and parts. One of the safest and most effective methods of fly control is the use of insect light traps. These use a high-voltage, low amperage current on a conducting grid placed in front of a quasi-ultraviolet irradiation source. The light source attracts the flies towards the light source, where they are electrocuted. Some light traps contain a “black light”, which is effective at night, and a “blue light”, which is effective in the daytime. Additionally you may want to take extra care of cleaning your bakery on a daily bases.