In Unit 2 of Food, we studied cooking and the chemical reactions that take place, the 5 essential ingredients used in cooking, and converting measurements of the ingredients from US system to metric. We also watched King Of Pastry, which talks about how France has a competition every year for the best pastry chef. For the action project we had to submit a cupcake recipe to a magazine. In the action project we baked a control group of cupcake where we followed the recipe, and an experimental group where we created our own leavening agents using the pH levels and an acid base reaction. How an acid base reaction works is that when they react, they neutralize each other, and release CO2, creating air pockets in the dough making the cupcakes rise. The purpose of this was to see how we could make our own leavening agent using ingredients that would make an acid base reaction. What I learned was that it helps to know what an acid base reaction is as it can help determine if what you're cooking will rise.
The New Leavening Agent:
Introduction:
In this experiment, my group made 6 cupcake following the normal recipe. Then we baked 6 cupcakes without baking powder which is the leavening agent. We substituted baking powder for an acid base ingredient that could substitute the baking powder.The reason why we need to create an acid base reaction is that the air pockets that are created when they react, release the CO2. In the control group uses baking powder which has a pH of 8.5. In the experimental group I will be using Lemon juice which as a pH of 2.2 and egg whites which has a pH of 9.This means the average pH is about 5.5. The way I determined the height was by putting a tooth pick in the center of the cupcake and marking it where the top was at.
Research Question:
Will using lemon juice and egg whites work as a leavening agent?
Hypothesis:
If I use lemon juice and egg whites as a leavening agent, then the acid base reaction should help the cupcakes rise just as high as if I were to use baking powder
Materials:
½ cups of Sugar
¼ cups of butter
1 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
¾ cups of flour
¼ cups of milk
⅞ cups of baking powder
lemon juice
egg whites.
Procedure
For Control Group:
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F
2. Grease the pan
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the ½ cups of sugar and ¼ cups of butter
4. Beat in the 1 egg, one at a time, then stir in 1 tsp of vanilla
5. Combine ¾ cups of flour and ⅞ cups of baking powder
6. Mix everything and mix well
7. Add ¼ cups of milk and stir until batter is smooth
8. Pour batter in the pan
9. Bake cupcakes for 20 mins in oven
For Experimental Group:
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F
2. Grease the pan
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the ½ cups of sugar and ¼ cups of butter
4. Beat in the 1 egg, one at a time, then stir in 1 tsp. of vanilla
5. Combine ¾ cups of flour
6. Mix well
7. Add ¼ cups of milk and stir until batter is smooth
8. Pour batter in the pan
9. Add the needed amount of lemon juice and egg whites into each cupcake batter
10. Bake cupcakes for 20 mins in oven
Data
Cupcakes
|
Amount of Lemon Juice (TSP)
|
Amount of Egg Whites (TSP)
|
Height of Cupcakes
|
1
|
1/8
|
0
|
3.9 cm
|
2
|
0
|
1/8
|
3.5 cm
|
3
|
1/32
|
1/32
|
3.5 cm
|
4
|
1/16
|
1/16
|
4 cm
|
5
|
1/64
|
7/64
|
3.1 cm
|
6
|
7/64
|
1/64
|
3 cm
|
Average of Control group
|
Control: 4.7 cm
| ||
Average of Experimental group
|
Experimental: 3.5 cm
|
Graph:
This graph shows the heights of all 6 cupcakes in the experimental group and the average of the control group.
.png)
NVA, "Experimental vs. Controlled Heights" 2014, Chicago: GCE
Ingredient
|
Amount in Cups/Tsp.
|
Amount in mL
|
Sugar
|
1/12 cups
|
20 mL
|
Butter
|
1/24 cups
|
10 mL
|
Egg
|
⅙ tsp.
|
1/6
|
Vanilla Extract
|
⅙ tsp.
|
0.81 mL
|
Flour
|
3/24 cups
|
30 mL
|
Milk
|
1/24
|
10 mL
|
Lemon Juice
|
1/16 tsp.
|
0.30 mL
|
Egg White
|
1/16 tsp.
|
0.30 mL
|
In conclusion, my hypothesis was proven incorrect because the average height of the controlled group cupcakes is 4.7 cm and the average height of the experimental group cupcakes is 3.5 cm. I think the main reason the cupcakes in the experimental group didn’t rise as high is because the pH of baking powder is 8.5, while the average pH of lemon juice and egg whites is 5.5. This means that the reaction wasn’t strong enough to release all the CO2 in the dough. What I could improve next time is using larger amounts of the lemon juice and the egg whites. Also what I could try is using different ingredients were the average pH is closer to 8.5. The cupcake I would submit, would be the 4th cupcake trail, because that one tasted very sweet and like normal cupcake, even better than the control group. Also besides the taste the outside wasn’t too rough and the inside was very soft. I feel that many people would love the 4th cupcake.
.JPG)
GS," Experimental Cupcakes" 2014. Chicago: GCE
No comments:
Post a Comment