Archaeologists recently found remnants of an unbaked loaf of yeast bread from 6600 B.C. Thousands of years later, home cooks still bake bread using the techniques of our ancestors. But, thanks to the discovery and invention of chemical leaveners such as baking soda and baking powder in the 1800s, we also have the option to whip up a delicious loaf in mere minutes. These chemicals revolutionized baking then and can shake up your baking at home now.
Baking soda is 100% sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline salt compound that creates carbon dioxide gas when mixed with an acid, which is why many recipes that use baking soda call for yogurt or buttermilk. Baking powder is a mixture that includes baking soda and cream of tartar. It requires moisture and heat to activate. There were precursors to the 19th-century discoveries, but they were not reliable, often involving partial purification of potash from wood ashes. And, while both leaveners are similar, it is important to note that they are not interchangeable.
Unlike yeast breads, which rely on yeast, a living organism, to rise, chemically induced breads do not require extensive kneading and rising time. Instead, the chemicals react, producing carbon dioxide gas, which fills the dough with thousands of balloon-like bubbles, causing the bread to rise. Because the process occurs faster than in a yeast-based recipe, we call them “quick breads.”
Quick breads are great for busy modern life. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make yeast breads, you can still have fresh, homemade bread on the table in less than an hour.
RECIPES
This trio of recipes shows a range of applications for quick breads, from easy to complex. Starting with the most simple application, Beer Bread is a batter bread and has a crumb similar to a sandwich-style loaf. The Savory Yogurt Loaf is an example of a quick bread utilizing an acid to instigate carbon dioxide production. The Quick Bread Focaccia, which is given a brief knead, is no less addictive than its more authentic, yeast-risen older brother. Undoubtedly, yeast breads will always have a place in the baker’s kitchen, but adding quick breads to your repertoire is revolutionary.
To increase the nutritional density, these recipes call for white wheat flour. If you are unable to find white wheat, regular all-purpose flour can be substituted.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Beer Bread
This bread is baked in a regular-size loaf pan, but it’s short in stature, resulting in a demi-loaf or half-size. A “small bake” is helpful as many quick breads typically are best eaten on the day they are baked and for preventing food waste.
The lager gives the beer a mild yeasty flavor and aroma. You can intensify the taste with a hoppy beer such as an India pale ale or stout, especially welcome in the fall and winter to accompany more hearty meals.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Savory Yogurt Loaf
Far lesser known than the baguette, this modern French quick bread is known as “un cake salé,” meaning “salty cake.” You may wonder about the name because the bread is neither salty nor cake. However, this is effectively a recipe for yellow cake, without the sugar. Cakes are quick breads, too!
The French are famous for their aperitifs before dinner, and this is a popular homemade cocktail nibble.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Quick Bread Focaccia
This bread tastes like the marriage of a big crispy biscuit and the famed Italian flatbread. Using best-quality extra-virgin olive oil is key to achieving the flavor of the more authentic yeasted version. When picking the rosemary, pinch off 3 to 4 connected leaves to form a snippet.
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