How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science [Paperback]

Paula I. Figoni (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2003

Accessible coverage of the science of baking
Underlying the artistic considerations involved in baking is science, and no other text offers as in-depth coverage of the "whys" of baking as How Baking Works. By helping bakers and pastry chefs better understand the major ingredient groups and reactions ingredients undergo during basic baking techniques, this insightful book is an essential key to mastering skills, effectively adapting to today's quickly evolving trends, and understanding a wide array of ingredients from different cultures.
In a clear, easy-to-understand format, How Baking Works explains how sweeteners, fats, leavening agents, and other ingredients work, as well as how to apply scientific knowledge to answer such questions as: By doubling the sugar in a pound cake, how does that affect the appearance, flavor, and texture of the end product? Each chapter concludes with helpful review exercises and lab experiments, making this book an engaging learning tool.
Complete with dozens of informative illustrations, How Baking Works is a versatile instructional book for students in culinary and baking programs and professional bakers and pastry chefs.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Accessible coverage of the science of baking

Underlying the artistic considerations involved in baking is science, and no other text offers as in-depth coverage of the "whys" of baking as How Baking Works. By helping bakers and pastry chefs better understand the major ingredient groups and reactions ingredients undergo during basic baking techniques, this insightful book is an essential key to mastering skills, effectively adapting to today?s quickly evolving trends, and understanding a wide array of ingredients from different cultures.

In a clear, easy-to-understand format, How Baking Works explains how sweeteners, fats, leavening agents, and other ingredients work, as well as how to apply scientific knowledge to answer such questions as: By doubling the sugar in a pound cake, how does that affect the appearance, flavor, and texture of the end product? Each chapter concludes with helpful review exercises and lab experiments, making this book an engaging learning tool.

Complete with dozens of informative illustrations, How Baking Works is a versatile instructional book for students in culinary and baking programs and professional bakers and pastry chefs.

About the Author

PAULA FIGONI is a food scientist and associate professor in the International Baking and Pastry Institute in the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. She also has more than ten years of experience in product development and food science at The Pillsbury Company and Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471268569
• ISBN-13: 978-0471268567
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,249,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful and clear work, November 24, 2004

By 

Elliot J. Marks (Paris, France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science (Paperback)

Like most young people who bake today at home, I did not grow up learning from my mother or grandmother what happened when I added more flour or orange juice to a cake recipe. Without this knowledge, changes to recipes produce difficult-to-predict results. Though Ms. Figoni writes more for the professional pastry chef, her clear explanations of the chemistry of baking should enlighten the home baker as well.

I have used this book recently as I have tried to modify my American recipes while living in France. Before coming to France, I always followed my recipes exactly with pleasing results, but that is impossible in a different country, as various products are not always available. While for my regular cooking, this has rarely proved to be a problem, in pastries and breads, there is a complicated chemistry (particularly with products that rise) which can simply fail. Ms. Figoni's book has proven to be extremely useful in trying to deal with differently milled flour, finding baking powder (knowing the chemical composition helped), and understanding substitutions of ingredients. More importantly, reading the book has given me a more profound understanding of baking, allowing me to improve recipes systematically rather than rather at random.

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy text book style reading, October 6, 2004

By 

Spiked Confections (Washougal, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science (Paperback)

This book is more like a text book with the questions at the end of each chapter and experiments to try. I got this book to actually learn from it and try and avoid the high cost of culinary school. I read each chapter, answered the questions and did the experiments. The book is a great way to go if you really want to learn about what goes into baking great tasting breads and pastries.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must" for everyone who bakes!!!!, December 26, 2003

By 

Megan M. Vahedi (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science (Paperback)

Truly a scientific vision on everything that you ever need to know about baking. The information covered in each chapter are essential knowledge for everyone, whether an experienced bake or someone who is just getting started. I have been baking for many years, but after reading this book, everything seems to make a lot more sense to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in baking whether professionally or just for fun.....