Leavening agents are things that are used in baking to make dough or batter rise. This is done by making carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough or batter to expand. This makes the dough or batters lighter and fluffier.
There are many different kinds of leavening agents, such as:
- Baking powder is a mix of baking soda, an acid, and a substance that soaks up moisture, like cornflour. When the acid and baking soda are mixed with a liquid, they react and make carbon dioxide gas.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is a base that makes carbon dioxide gas when mixed with an acid. It is often used in recipes with acidic ingredients like buttermilk, yoghurt, or vinegar.
- Yeast: Yeast is a single-celled organism that feeds on sugar and makes carbon dioxide gas a waste product. In bread recipes, it is often used to make the bread rise.
- Sour Dough Starter: A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that has been left to ferment over time, creating a natural yeast culture. It is what gives sourdough bread its rise.
Cakes, muffins, biscuits, bread, and pizza dough are all baked goods that need leavening agents.
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