Cookies, and Pastries

Soft-wheat flours are sold for general family use, as biscuit or cake flours, and for the commercial production of crackers, pretzels, cakes, cookies, and pastry. The protein in soft wheat flour mns from 7 to 10%. There are differences in appearance, texture, and absorption capacity between hard- and soft-wheat flour subjected to the same milling procedures. Hard-wheat flour falls into separate particles if shaken in the hand whereas, soft-wheat flour tends to clump and hold its shape if pressed together. Hard-wheat flour feels slightly coarse and granular when mbbed between the fingers soft-wheat flour feels soft and smooth. Hard-wheat flour absorbs more Hquid than does soft-wheat flour. Consequently, many recipes recommend a variable measure of either flour or Hquid to achieve a desired consistency. 

Figure H3.1.7 The use of a mechanical frequency spectrum to distinguish between cookie and pastry shortenings. Although both shortenings have similar G" responses across different frequencies, their G responses differ significantly.

Butter is used in some, usually more expensive, bakery foods, and is prized for its flavor contribution. Fats are used in some products such as pie cmst, croissants, or puff pastry, up to 60%, based on flour. StabiHty of fats and oils in perishable items such as breads, cakes, or pastries is of no consequence because shelf life is so limited that rancidity does not occur. In cookies and crackers, however, stable fats must be used in the formula since prolonged shelf life could lead to product deterioration with fats that develop rancidity. 

Cereal grains ready to eat and processed cereal products except durum wheat products, bread, cookies and fine pastries 500 50... 

Tn the industrial production of dry cookies, calces, and pastries, the vanillin content ranges between 20 and 50 g per 100 kg of dough. Often, vanillin is added at the dry stage of dough preparation as the flour and sugar are being mixed. Tn fat-free recipes, it is possible to add and mix vanillin powder with eggs. 

Shortening is a 100% fat product formulated with animal and/or vegetable oil that has been processed for functionality. It is used as an ingredient in bakery products such as bread, cakes, cookies, short pastries, fillings, and icing. It is also used in frying. Anhydrous milk fat (AMF) is made from either butter or directly from milk cream or fresh cream. Traditionally, butter and lard have been the fats used in bakery products. Consumption patterns have shifted away from traditional animal-based fats to vegetable oils and fats due to economics and nutritional considerations. However, the buttery flavor of milk fat is still desirable. 

It is rather unfortunate that the term "cereals" has come to be associated with breakfast foods. The justification for this is that breakfast foods are products that are mostly made from cereals. However, products such as breads, cookies (biscuits), pastries, noodles, and pasta are usually not referred to as cereals. The more scientific definition of cereals is that they are cultivated grasses of the Gramineae family that include wheat, rice, maize (corn), barley, sorghum, oats, rye, millet, and triticale. The grain from these cereals provides a large proportion of the world s food. 

Buckwheat flour imparts an almost sourdough-like flavor and is beloved by many pancake fans. Interestingly enough, buckwheat is not actually wheat, it s a ground seed, and for pancakes it works best when mixed half and half with allpurpose flour. Whole-wheat flour also works best mixed with all-purpose, or the pancakes will be quite heavy and dense. To get more whole grains in your diet, however, there is another option Whole-wheat pastry flour is so finely milled that it can take the place of all-purpose flour in many baked goods, such as pancakes, piecrusts, cookies, and quick breads (though not most cakes or yeast breads). 

Arrowhead Mills I love their whole wheat pastry flour, which is finely ground with more nutrients than classic all-purpose flour. It has a lower gluten content than standard whole wheat flour, which means it provides a finer texture and a lighter consistency for cakes and cookies. This company also sells all kinds of alternative flours, such as spelt, barley, and oat, which I use for baking experiments, www. ar rowheadmills. com... 

There are many types of shortenings, each tailor-made for a particular application. There are also general-purpose shortenings that are used in the preparation of many foods in cooking and frying and in the manufacture of bakery products such as cakes, cookies, rusks, wafer, pastries, and bread (86, 87). 

---