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Ever wondered why some recipes call for baking powder, others use bicarbonate of soda, and some use both?

They’re both raising agents, but they’re not doing quite the same job. And the difference goes well beyond how much your cakes and cookies rise.

In this episode of Baking Perfect, we’re getting wonderfully nerdy about the science of chemical leavening. We’ll talk about acids, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, the Maillard reaction and why the wrong raising agent can change everything from the colour of your bake to its flavour and texture.

We’ll also look at when to use baking powder, when to reach for bicarb, why some recipes need both and what happens when you leave them out altogether.

A little bit of chemistry, a lot of cake, and hopefully a few more things that make sense the next time you open a recipe.

❤️ A little about Baking Perfect

Baking Perfect is a Brown Butter Bakes podcast hosted by Ruby, a home baker and bakery owner based in Yorkshire, England.

From baking science and recipe development to the darker corners of culinary history, starting and running a home bakery, and all the wonderfully messy bits in between, Baking Perfect explores food from every angle, one curious story at a time.

Because I don’t believe there’s such a thing as the perfect baker, the perfect recipe or the perfect business. But I do think there’s an awful lot of joy to be found in trying to get better.

🍪 Find Brown Butter Bakes

Website & bakery shop:

https://www.brownbutterbakes.uk

Shop my postal bakes, home bakery business tools, digital guides and resources. The bakery restocks every Sunday at 10am!

Substack — Brown Butter Bakes:

https://brownbutterbakes.substack.com

Longer reads, recipes, baking science experiments, recipe development, behind-the-scenes stories and extra resources for paid subscribers.

Instagram — @brownbutterbake:

https://www.instagram.com/brownbutterbake/

Bakery life, recipes, new bakes and behind-the-scenes updates.

TikTok — @brownbutterbakesleeds:

https://www.tiktok.com/@brownbutterbakesleeds

Baking science, ingredient experiments, baking tips and honest chats about running a home bakery.

YouTube — Brown Butter Bakes

https://youtube.com/@brownbutterbakesleeds?si=t3PeRd1Q_iSP3B27

Watch Baking Science Explained, my recipe experiments, Baking Perfect series and longer baking videos.

Podcast — Baking Perfect:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/baking-perfect-a-brown-butter-bakes-podcast/id6820645425

Listen to more episodes covering baking science, food history and starting a home bakery

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