TWL+Function+of+sugar+in+baked+product.


 * //__ FUNCTION OF SUGAR IN BAKED PRODUCT __//**

** 1. **** Tenderizer **  During the mixing process, sugar acts as a tenderizing agent by absorbing water and slowing gluten development. During the mixing of batters and dough, flour proteins are hydrated (surrounded with water) forming gluten strands. The gluten forms thousands of small, balloon-like pockets that trap the gases produced during leavening. These gluten strands are highly elastic and allow the batter to stretch under expansion of gases. However, if too much gluten develops, the dough or batter becomes rigid and tough.  ** 2. **** Leavening ** Sugar increases the effectiveness of yeast by providing an immediate, more utilizable source of nourishment for its growth. Under recipe conditions of moisture and warmth, sugar is broken down by the yeast cells, and carbon dioxide gas is released at a faster rate than if only the carbohydrates of flour were present. The leavening process is hastened and the dough rises at a faster and more consistent rate.  ** 3. **** Creaming ** Sugar crystals become interspersed among the shortening molecules when shortening and sugar are creamed together. In cookies, sugar helps promote lightness by incorporating air into the shortening. Air is trapped on the face of sugar's irregular crystals. When sugar is mixed with shortening, this air becomes incorporated as very small air cells. During baking, these air cells expand when filled with carbon dioxide and other gases from the leavening agent.  ** 4. **** Egg foaming **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sugar serves as a whipping aid to stabilize beaten egg foams. Sugar interacts with egg proteins to stabilize the whipped foam structure. In doing so, sugar makes the egg foam more elastic so that air cells can expand and take up gases from the leavening agent. <span style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5. **** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Caramelization ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sugar caramelizes when heated above its melting point, adding flavor and leading to surface browning which improves moisture retention in baked products. At about 175°C (or 347°F), melted dry sugar takes on an amber color and develops an appealing flavor and aroma. This amorphous substance resulting from the breakdown of sugar is known as caramel. In baking a batter or dough containing sugar, caramelization takes place under the influence of oven heat, and is one of two ways in which surface browning occurs. The golden-brown, flavorful and slightly crisp surface of cookies not only tastes good but helps retain moisture in the baked product. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">6. **** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maillard Reaction ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At oven temperatures, sugar chemically reacts with proteins in the baking product, contributing to the food's browned surface. These Maillard reactions are the second way in which cookies get their familiar brown surfaces. During baking of cookies, Maillard reactions occur among sugar and the amino acids, peptides or proteins from other ingredients in the baked products, causing browning. These reactions also result in the aroma associated with the baked good. The higher the sugar content of the baked good, the darker golden brown the surface appears. As described above, these browned surfaces not only taste good but help retain moisture in the baked product, prolonging freshness. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">7. **** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Surface Cracking ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sugar helps produce the desirable surface cracking of some cookies. Because of the relatively high concentration of sugar and the low water content in cookies, sugar crystallizes on the surface. As sugar crystallizes, it gives off heat that evaporates the water it absorbed during mixing and baking. At the same time, leavening gases expand and cause cracking of the dry surface. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;">** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">8. **** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gelatinization ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">During baking, sugar tenderizes by absorbing liquid and delaying gelatinization. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As more liquid is absorbed by the starch, the batter goes from a fluid to a solid state, “setting” the cookies. Sugar acts to slow gelatinization by competing with the starch for liquid. By absorbing part of the liquid, sugar maintains the viscosity of the batter. As a result, the temperature at which the cookies “sets” (turning from liquid to solid state) is delayed until the optimum amount of gases are produced by the leavening agents. Carbon dioxide, air and steam produced from leavening agents, heated water and air become entrapped and expand in the air cells. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;">** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">9. **** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gelling of the vanilla-flavoured cream ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sugar is essential in the gelling process to obtain the desired consistency and firmness. Sugar is essential because it attracts and holds water during the gelling process. In addition, acid must be present in the proper proportions. This optimum acidity is a pH between 3.0 and 3.5.