What is a Leavening Agent

   

   If you like to spend some time in the kitchen, you definitely heard of leavening agents. Leavening is what makes cakes (cookies, bread) to rise, resulting in that chewy texture that we all love. There are multiple types of leavening agents, and they are used for different types of baked goods. In this article, I want to introduce you to all the types of leavening agents and also explain how each of then works.



   Why leaving your baked goods?

   Without leavening agents, we would only have flat loaves of bread and generally flat baked goods. There is a chemical reaction happening while using a leavening agent, but I will not bore you with the whole story. I will tell you the short version: a leavening agent makes baked goods to rise by causing a foaming action that traps air bubbles in the batter as it bakes. That trapped air gives your baked good volume, light and fluffy texture. 



   How many types of leavening agents are there?

   There are 3 types of leavening agents:
   1. Biological (yeast)
   2. Chemical (Baking Soda, Baking Powder)
   3. Physical (Air, Steam)

   1. Biological Leavening Agent

   The main biological leavening agent is yeast. Yeast plays an important role in our lives, not only in baking. It is used to making beer, wine, and of course delicious bread and baked goods.   
   Yeast is responsible for the process of fermentation. During the fermentation, yeast uses sugar to produce CO2 gases that are useful for our baked goods. These gases are bubbles that form in the dough and they help us bake our perfect bread.  Sometimes, yeast has to be "activated" in order to make sure that it's good. 
   For more help, you can check out this article on How to prepare and work with yeast.

   Yeast comes in different varieties. I really recommend using the type of yeast the recipe requires, and of course, to stick with the quantities.

    The main types of yeast are:
   Active dry yeast which is most of what recipes call for. It's a dry type of yeast, mostly sold in packets or jars. Before you use it, you have to activate it by dissolving it in warm water or milk.
   Instant dry yeast can also be found in packets or jars. But it's already activated, so you just have to add it to your batter.
   Fresh yeast can be found in bake shops. It comes in bricks, and it doesn't need to be activated.

   If you haven't worked with yeast before, don't be shy. Just give it a try, it's not that hard. I have some recipes that require yeast and they are quite easy to make: Homemade Apple Cake, Caraway Cheese Breadsticks, Crescent Cheese Rolls.

   
   2. Chemical Leavening Agents

   Chemical leavening also releases gas to provide volume for the baked goods. When you add a chemical leavening agent, it produces various reactions, meaning that it produces gases; which are responsible for the expansion of your baked good.
   There are 2 types of chemical leavening agents: Baking Soda and Baking Powder.

   Baking Soda is a white powder which when combined with an acidic ingredient produces a chemical reaction that results in the releasing of CO2. Backing soda acts more quickly than any kind of yeast. 
   Baking Powder consists of baking soda and some other acidic component and cornstarch. As long as the baking powder is dry, it's not active. It activates once moistened. Unlike baking soda, baking powder is double acting. This means that it reacts once it's added to the batter and once again when it's heated.



   These been said, you should know that Baking Soda and Baking Powder are two different things, and you can't substitute one with another. If you want to know more about these 2 chemical leavening agents, make sure you read The difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder.


If you want to try to bake something using baking powder, I have lots of easy recipes involving it, such as Gluten Free Waffles Strawberry Muffins  Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Cake.

   3.Physical Leavening Agents

   Physical leavening basically means forcing air into a dough or batter. This process can happen in 2 situations: using air, and using steam.
   You can use air as a leavening agent by creaming together butter and sugar, by sifting dry ingredients, by incorporating whipped egg whites, or by folding or kneading a dough. In this way, there are created little air pockets which will give your baked good volume.
   You can also use steam as a leavening agent. When water converts to steam, the volume increases many more times its original size. So, when moist batters are introduced to high temperatures, the liquid ingredient transforms into steam. This produced steam becomes trapped in the batter, which solidifies as it's baked. You can find this technique used in recipes for cream puffs, eclairs or pie crusts. 


   I really hope that I helped you understand what is a leavening agent, and which are they. I can't say which one is better because they all have their own specific roles. Each leavening agent is required for a specific recipe. So please make sure that you always follow your chosen recipe, and don't try to mix or change the leavening agent. Don't forget that after all, you're baking, not cooking. And baking is all about some specific reactions.
   If you have any questions, don't hesitate to use the comments sections. Don't forget to share this with your family and friends!
   Happy Baking!