eli5 Why do we mix the liquid and the dry separate when we baking
In: 15
Two main reasons:
First, the liquid ingredients start chains of chemical reactions in the dry ingredients. You want to make sure all those reactions happen evenly, so it’s important to make sure that everything is mixed as much as possible before the wets and the drys go together.
Second, gluten. Gluten is the protein found in wheat flour. As the name implies, it’s gluey. Water activates the gluten and starts a process where strands of protein start to stick to each other. When you’re making sandwich bread, that’s great. The gluten is what holds the gasses produced by the yeast in place so the bread rises, and also gives bread that slightly chewy texture. That same texture is not so good for cake or brownies, though, so you want to move the flour around as little as possible after the liquids go in.
Try it out sometime. Make two batches of any basic pancake recipe. For one batch stir the wets and the drys separately before combining. For the other dump everything into a bowl as you measure it, then mix it all together until it’s evenly combined. You should be able to tell which is easier to mix, and which tastes better at the end.
Latest Answers