Cardamom Quick Bread (Tasty Easy Recipe) - Heavenly Home Cooking (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to success when making quick breads? ›

Quick breads are typically mixed by hand, and it's important not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause the gluten in the flour to develop, resulting in a tough and chewy bread. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined, and then stop. If there are a few lumps in the batter, that's okay.

The possibilities are endless, but the common factor is the basic ingredients of fat, sugar, eggs, flour, liquid, leavening agent, and a flavoring ingredient.

Muffins, coffeecakes, scones, and pancakes are examples of quick breads, that like their name implies, can be prepared quickly in a kitchen.

Overmixing can cause quick breads to be tough, bake unevenly or cause elongated holes (or tunnels). Chopped nuts, fruit and other small "add in" ingredients may be combined with the dry ingredients or folded gently into the batter near the end of mixing.

TIPS FOR MAKING QUICK BREAD

Avoid overmixing the batter as it can lead to tough, dense quick bread that may sink in the middle. Dry baked goods are not enjoyable, so it's always important to closely monitor baking time to prevent overbaking.

Combining baking soda with an acid produces a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas which causes the food to expand and become fluffy.

But besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

The two main quick-acting leavening agents are baking powder and baking soda Salt: Used as a seasoning Liquid: Helps in the blending of dry ingredients and the formation of gluten. It triggers the leavening action of baking powder or baking soda. Sugar: Makes quick breads tender and adds flavor.

Almost all quick breads have the same basic ingredients: flour, leavening, eggs, fat (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil), and liquid such as milk. Ingredients beyond these basic constituents are added for variations in flavor and texture.

What does baking powder do in quick breads? ›

Baking soda and baking powder are more common in recipes for cookies, cakes, and quick breads, and they are responsible for giving baked goods the light, fluffy, porous structure that makes them delicious.

Next to its role in boosting the flavor of your bread, salt plays a role in tightening the gluten structure and adding strength to your dough. It helps the loaf to hold on to the carbon dioxide gas that is formed during fermentation, supporting good volume.

Overmixing is a common problem with quick breads and is certain to happen with an electric mixer. Use only 15 to 20 light hand strokes with a spoon when mixing the combined liquid and combined dry ingredients together. There should be some lumps in the batter. Overmixing is a common problem with quick breads.

There are three mixing methods used to prepare quick breads and batters, the stirring (muffin) method, the creaming method and the biscuit method.

To determine whether bread is of good quality, there are several factors and characteristics you can identify. For example the crust must be crisp and of a darker tone than the inside, a strong flavour and taste due to the flour, as well as a pleasant smell. What's also important is that the conservation is longer.

Fat or Shortening: Makes quick breads tender or "short". It gives them their fine texture, aids in browning and helps keep the finished product moist. Eggs: Binds the ingredients together. Beaten eggs act as a leavening agent by adding air.

As tempting as it is, resist the urge to cut into a loaf of quick bread right from the oven. Slicing warm quick bread will cause it to crumble and you won't get clean slices. Instead, wait until the bread has cooled, then slice with a sawing motion using a serrated knife.