Baking & Snack - May 2005 - 75

ANALYSIS, CALCIUM, CARAMEL

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Specific gravity is a measurement of air incorporated
into a cake batter during mixing. This air (along with
baking powder gasses released during baking)
determines the cake texture and volume. Cake mixes
are formulated to work best when mixed in such a
way to incorporate the proper amount of air to give
the proper specific gravity.
Specific gravity is figured by dividing the weight
of a volume of cake batter by the weight of the same
volume of water. Take any cup that can be filled to
an exact volume, and follow these steps:
1-
2-
3-
4-
5-
6-
7-
8-

Weigh the cup.
Fill the cup with water.
Weigh the cup and water.
Subtract the cup weight.
Fill the cup with batter.
Weigh the cup and batter.
Subtract the cup weight.
Divide the batter weight by the water weight
to determine specific gravity.

Specific gravity formula
Constants
E = weight of empty cup
W = weight of cup full
of water
Variable
B = weight of cup full
of batter
Specific gravity
= (B - E) ÷ (W - E)

WHITE BREAD TRENDS
FORMULATION

SPONGE-AND-DOUGH PROCESS
1965

1990

1965
1990
Sponge
Sponge mix time
4 min.
4 min.
Flour
70.0%
70.0%
Sponge set temp.
75°F (24°C)
78°F (26°C)
Water
58.0%
56.0%
Fermentation time
4.5 hours
4 hours
Yeast
2.5%
2.0%
Sponge return temp.
85°F (29°C)
88°F (31°C)
Yeast food
0.625%
0.625%
Dough mix time
12.5 min.
9.5 min.
Fungal protease
1 tablet
1 tablet
Finished dough temp.
79°F (26°C)
77°F (25°C)
Vegetable
Floor time
30 to 40 min.
15 to 20 min.
shortening or lard 4.0%
-
Divider speed
45 to 50 per min.
120+ per min.
Soy oil
-
4.0%
Intermediate proofing
10 to 15 min.
3 to 6 min.
Dough
Moulder speed
45 to 55 per min. 60 to 70 per min.
Flour
30.0%
30.0%
Proofing time
60 to 65 min.
55 to 60 min.
Water
6.0%
6.0%
Proofing temp., wet bulb
97°F (36°C)
98°F (37°C)
Salt
2.25%
2.0%
Proofing temp., dry bulb
105°F (41°C)
110+°F (43+°C)
Non-fat
Bake time
20 min.
17.5 min.
dry milk
4.0%
-
Bake temp.
400°F (204°C)
430°F (221°C)
Whey
-
2.0%
Cooling time
60 min.
60 min.
Sugar
8.0%
8.0%
Wrap temperature
95°F (35°C)
95°F (35°C)
Sodium
W.C. Zimmerman, American Society of Bakery Engineers, 1991
stearoyl lactilate 0.25%
0.5%
Mold inhibitor
0.187%
0.197%
Emulsifier
0.5%
1.0%
Many bakers are now reformulating to cut or eliminate bromate and other dough additives. Over the years, rising demand for more products on shorter schedules prompted many changes in processing and in formulating.
Additives made many of these processing improvements possible.
So what happens when an additive as valuable as bromate must be taken out of a formula? There are no
one-for-one substitutions. An understanding of how formulas and processes have changed may help bakers
adapt their methods to meet new needs.

CALCIUM ENRICHMENT SOURCES
Ingredient

Calcium carbonate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate
Calcium sulfate, anhydrous
Calcium sulfate, dihydrate
Calcium propionate
Dried whey
Non-fat dry milk
Monocalcium phosphate
White flour
Yeast foods
Calcium sulfate type, single strength
Monocalcium phosphate type

Calcium
content
(%)
40.0
4.7
29.0
23.0
21.5
0.64
1.31
17.1
0.011
7.4
8.5

Increments
of use
(% of flour
weight)

Contribution
of calcium
(mg/lb of
bread)

*
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
1.0
1.0
*
100.0

113.4
13.3
82.2
65.2
60.9
18.1
37.1
48.4
31.1

0.1
0.1

21.0
24.1

*Usage level increments are in the 0.1% range, but calcium carbonate and monocalcium phosphate interfere
with fermentation and dough pH and are, thus, not recommended for calcium fortification of yeast-raised
products. The most frequently used form of calcium chosen in the wholesale baking industry for calcium supplementation is calcium sulfate in dihydrate form.
S.S. Jackel, American Society of Bakery Engineers, 1987

80 / BAKERS PRODUCTION MANUAL / May 2005

CARAMEL AND
CRUST COLOR
Crust browning in baked foods is caused by the
Maillard reaction, but brown colors are also added
deliberately to baked foods in the form of caramel.
Caramel. This useful colorant is formed by heating sugar to about 165°C to 176°C (330°F to 350°F)
or boiling corn syrup or liquid sugar to a constant
temperature above 121°C (250°F). In its natural state,
caramel is an amorphous brown material. Processors
offer caramel in a spectrum of shades, from pale
yellow and dark brown, with flavors that range from
nearly tasteless to pleasant and eventually to acrid
and bitter. It comes in both liquid and powdered
forms. It is readily dispersible in water and dough
systems. Caramel is an exempt color and produces
rich brown shades, often difficult to achieve with
conventional food dyes. Other names for caramel
include burnt sugar and caramelized sugar.
Maillard reaction. Also known as the browning
reaction, this chemical change in the crust results in
both color and flavor development. When heated, the
amino acids of protein react with free reducing sugars
to form melanoidins, which are the major flavor and
aromatic compounds of bread crust. Recently, a
food ingredients manufacturer developed browning
reaction accelerators. Derived from cellulose and
dextrose, they take their coloring action from the
Maillard reaction and develop an attractive brown
color when heated, including in microwave ovens.

Baking & Snack - May 2005

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