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10 Baking Quality Methods​

​10-05.01 Guidelines for Measurement of Volume by Rapeseed Displacement

This guideline gives general information on the rapeseed displacement method of measuring volume. Volume measurements can be performed for breads, cakes and most baked goods. The idea of displacement has been around since a human first sat in a tub of water. Similarly, baked product can be measured using rapeseed instead of water. Most volume apparatuses have some calibration scale (cubic centimeters, cubic inches, etc.) for quantifying the volume of baked products. This allows for independent and unbiased measurement of volume and discrimination between relatively small differences that might not be observed with other methods.

10-09.01 Basic Straight-Dough Bread-Baking Method—Long Fermentation​

This method provides a basic baking test for evaluating bread wheat flour quality by a straight-dough process that employs a long fermentation. The method is intended primarily for laboratory assessment of flour quality under vigorous fermentation conditions. The effects of ingredients and processing conditions can also be assessed. The method may be used to make pup loaves based upon 100 or 200 g flour per loaf. Alternatively, larger doughs may be mixed and scaled to desired weight.

10-10.03 Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Baking Method

This method provides an optimized bread-baking test for evaluating wheat flour quality and various dough ingredients using a straight-dough method. All ingredients are incorporated in the initial mixing step, and mixing time, oxidation level, fermentation time, and water absorption are optimized and balanced. Fermentation time may vary from 70 to 180 min, and proof time may vary from 24 to 60 min. A 90-min fermentation and a 33-min proof are recommended. The method is applied to determine the effect of environment, variety, dough ingredients, wheat flour protein, other components, and baking techniques on bread.

10-11.01 Baking Quality of Bread Flour—Sponge-Dough, Pound-Loaf Method

This method provides a bread-baking test for assessing the quality of wheat flour by a sponge-dough method. It involves a two-step process. In the first step, the sponge is made by mixing part of the total flour with water, yeast, and yeast food. The sponge is allowed to ferment 4 hr. In the second step, the sponge is incorporated with the rest of the flour, water, and other ingredients to make dough. This method may also be used for wheat-based composite flours and for other ingredients that may affect loaf characteristics.

10-12.01 Baking Guidelines for Scoring Experimental Bread

These guidelines were developed to assist test bakers in scoring experimental white pan bread produced by using Methods 10-09.01 and 10-10.03 or other experimental baking procedures. The quality characteristics considered are loaf appearance, crust color, crumb structure, and crumb color. Descriptors and images are provided to illustrate a wide range of quality outcomes. Quality parameters such as flavor, mouthfeel, and tactile crumb texture are left to the discretion of the baker/evaluator, taking into consideration the objective of the bake test.

10-14.01 Determination of Bread Volume by Laser Topography: BVM Methods

Volume is an important measure of fermented bread quality that has traditionally been determined by seed displacement methods (1,3). In this method, laser topography is used to digitally model a sample and determine its volume (2). The method is applicable to round, elongated, and rectangular leavened bread products with volumes of 200–2,800 mL. It overcomes the limitations identified in the earlier methods.

10-15.01 Baking Quality of Angel-Cake Flour

To evaluate soft wheat cake flour as used in foam-type cakes. Cake flours, appropriate for producing high-ratio layer cakes often receive postmilling treatment to reduce flour particle size and are pretreated with chlorine gas to about 4.8 pH. Steps 2-5 of the method may be used to determine whipping quality (foam specific gravity) of dried egg albumen.

10-16.01 Baking Volumetric and Dimensional Profile of Baked Products by Laser Topography—VolScan Profiler Method

Laser topography is used in the VolScan Profiler to digitally model the dimensions of a test sample. Laser topography involves the use of a low-frequency, high-precision laser to reproduce a digital image of the test sample. The laser-scanned data is captured and then analyzed by instrument-based software, which measures the test sample volume. Compared with rapeseed displacement methods, the VolScan Profiler allows for improved volumetric and dimensional measurements of many different baked samples, especially those with challenging shapes or surface textures. The method is applicable to a variety of baked products, including various styles of bread (tin loaf and round loaf), rolls (seeded and nonseeded), baguettes, muffins, and cakes. The method applies to samples up to 30 (height) × 19 cm (width) with model VSP300 and up to 60 × 38 cm with model VSP600. This method is not suitable for products with voids, such as bagels, croissants, and doughnuts, because of the nature of laser measurement and its difficulty with void detection.

10-18.01 Baking Measurement of Crumb Structure of Baked Products by C-Cell

Crumb structure characteristics of bread and other baked products are traditionally measured subjectively. In this method the C-Cell imaging system uses image analysis software to measure crumb structure characteristics of baked products such as breads, buns, cakes, and pastries, with or without inclusions like fruits or seeds. The C-Cell is available in monochrome and color models. The monochrome system takes a side-lit image in 256 grayscale and applies software algorithms to determine the internal crumb structure parameters. The color system takes two color images (one side lit and one top lit). The side-lit color image is converted to 256 grayscale, and crumb structure parameters are determined using the same software algorithms used in the monochrome system. The top-lit image is used to determine color attributes of the slice. In addition to the visual information provided by the processed images, 48 values relating to color, dimension, brightness, shape, and cell properties (size, elongation, and orientation) are generated. Users select the parameters (typically five to eight) that are most applicable to the baked product being evaluated and the type of information desired.

10-31.03 Baking Quality of Biscuit Flour

To evaluate soft wheat flour when used to produce chemically leavened (bread type) biscuits. In the United States, "biscuit" refers to small chemically leavened breads, sometimes known as "baking powder biscuits," the flour for which may be pretreated with specific leavening agents. Portions (milling streams) of soft wheat flours for use in baking chemically leavened biscuits are often treated with chlorine gas to improve biscuit thickness and control spreading during baking. Self-rising flours containing chemical leavening agents can be evaluated by omitting leavening ingredients and salt. The method is not applicable to cookies.

10-50.05 Baking Quality of Cookie Flour

In North America, "cookie" is a product similar to what is internationally known as "biscuit." Cookie quality is determined (in six cookies) by width (W), thickness (T), and W/T ratio (cookie spread factor), with adjustments to constant atmospheric pressure and conditions. The formulation uses 225 g of flour, a mixing bowl and paddle, and a fixed amount of water added to dough. Dextrose is used to aid in developing brown color. This method predicts the general quality of soft wheat flour for production of contemporary cookie and pastry products (except cake and crackers). High quality of pastry flour is usually associated with larger sugar-snap cookie diameter. The method is also useful to evaluate other flour types, various flour treatments, and other factors, such as ingredients, that affect cookie geometry.

10-52.02 Baking Quality of Cookie Flour—Micro Method

In North America, "cookie" is a product similar to what is internationally known as "biscuit." Cookie quality is determined (in two sugar-snap cookies) by width (W) and thickness (T), with adjustments to constant atmospheric pressure and conditions. The formulation uses 40 g of flour, in a small pin mixer, and a variable amount of water added to dough. Nonfat dried milk is used to aid in developing brown color. This method predicts the general quality of soft wheat flour for production of contemporary cookie and pastry products (except cake and crackers). High quality of pastry flours is usually associated with larger sugar-snap cookie diameter. The method is also useful to evaluate other flour types, various flour treatments, and other factors, such as ingredients, that affect cookie geometry.

10-53.01 Baking Quality of Cookie Flour—Macro Wire-Cut Formulation

To evaluate soft wheat flour cookie baking quality to produce wire-cut formulation cookies. In North America, "cookie" is a product similar to what is internationally known as "biscuit." Cookie quality is determined (in eight cookies) by width (W) and thickness (T). The formulation uses 225 g of flour, with a mixing bowl and paddle and a fixed amount of water added to dough. Ingredients are the same as those used in commercial wire-cut cookie formulations and are critical to the success of method. This method predicts the quality of soft wheat flours for production of contemporary wire-cut formulation cookies, such as chocolate-chip based cookie. High quality of cookie flour is usually associated with larger diameter, lower thickness, and more tender wire-cut formulation cookies. The hardness of wire-cut cookies produces relative textures that rank the above flour types, treatments, or ingredients in an order more like that of commercial products than do the harder sugar-snap cookies produced by Methods 10-50.05 and 10-52.01. The method is also useful to evaluate other flour types, various flour treatments, and other factors, such as ingredients, that affect cookie geometry.

10-54.01 Baking Quality of Cookie Flour—Micro Wire-Cut Formulation

To evaluate soft wheat flour cookie baking quality to produce wire-cut formulation cookies. In North America, "cookie" is a product similar to what is internationally known as "biscuit." Cookie quality is determined (in eight cookies) by width (W) and thickness (T). The formulation uses 40 g of flour, with a small pin mixer and a variable amount of water added to dough. Ingredients are the same as those used in commercial wire-cut cookie formulations, and are critical to the success of the method. This method predicts the quality of soft wheat flours for production of contemporary wire-cut formulation cookies, such as chocolate-chip based cookies. High quality of cookie flour is usually associated with larger diameter, lower thickness, and more tender wire-cut formulation cookies. The hardness of wire-cut cookies produces relative textures that rank the above four types, treatments, or ingredients in an order more like that of commercial products than do the harder sugar-snap cookies produced by Methods 10-50.05 and 10-52.01. The method is also useful to evaluate other flour types, various flour treatments, and other factors, such as ingredients, that affect cookie geometry.

10-80.01 Baking Flour Quality in a Pancake-Making Method

This method measures the performance characteristics of flours in pancake batters and pancakes. It is intended to evaluate the quality of the flour and its general ability to perform in batter-based product applications. The pancake formula used is simplified to eliminate many common “biological” ingredients, such as soy flour, buttermilk, nonfat dry milk, and egg, to reduce the variability regularly found in those ingredients. Increasing the proportion of flour in the batter emphasizes flour quality and aids in determining the suitability of the flour in a pancake, cake, or other batter-based application. The pancake method offers benefits over layer cake methods in that it does not constrain flow and is unaffected by altitude.

10-90.01 Baking Quality of Cake Flour

To evaluate cake-baking quality of soft wheat short milling extraction (patent) flour. The method utilizes a high-ratio (more sugar than flour) white layer cake formulation. Cake flours appropriate for producing high-ratio layer cakes often receive postmilling treatment to reduce flour particle size and are pretreated with chlorine gas to about 4.8 pH. The formulation uses variable water level that is optimized based on cake contour. Higher cake-baking quality is indicated by larger cake volume at the proper cake contour.

10-91.01 Use of Layer Cake Measuring Template

To obtain indices for cake volume, symmetry, and uniformity of 20-cm (8-in.) diameter layer cake, using plastic measuring template. Method 10-90.01 produces 20-cm (8-in.) layer cakes, for which volume is a primary quality measurement. The liquid level is optimized to produce good symmetry, i.e., not peaked nor dipped in the center.