Urgent need to rewrite cookbook cookies section

Press, 20 March 1982, Page 10

Urgent need to rewrite cookbook cookies section

Good eating

Janice Bremer

DIETITIAN

What is the place for homemade cookies and cakes in the new healthy life-styles that call for less’sugar, less fat, and more fibre? Our old basic cookbooks urgently need revamping if we are to comply with these concepts. New recipe books in the shops are full of inspiring ideas for wholegrain baking. But most of the recipes are high in sugar (or honey) and fats (or oils) just like the “goodies” that “Granny” used to bake. The results of the National Diet Survey in 1977 suggested that about 12 per cent of our daily calories are eaten as baked goods (apart from bread). More than 15 per cent of our carbohydrate,

was from baked products. This was at least as much as from bread! If we are changing to wholegrain breads, then what is the case for other wholegrain baked goods? Let us first consider what comprises “baked” goods. Baked goods There is little doubt that the first baked cereal foods used by man were either thin cakes of gruel cooked on flat stone surfaces, or lumps of similar material baked in hot ashes. Primitive man ultimately developed raising methods for breads, possibly after the fermentative activity of yeasts and bacteria had puffed up these “products” to form a -less dense mixture with an improved texture. Such breads appear to also have better nutritional value. Nowadays several methods are used for the “leavening” or “raising” effect in bakery foods. Carbon dioxide gas is produced by the addition of chemicals, such as baking powder or baking soda, or by the fermentation of yeast. Lightness is also produced by air incorporation during the sifting of flour; the beating of fat, sugar and eggs; or by whisking. When heated, the air expands and lightens the mixture. Air and steam (especially in products with a high percentage of water) are the raising agents in true sponges, Yorkshire puddings and meringues. Baked goods are made from the basic ingredients of flour, liquid, and a raising agent. Flour contains the proteins glutenin and gliadin, which when moistened and beaten form gluten, which is elastic and so helps to hold air and the gas carbon dioxide in the mixture to make it light. In bread making the-elas-ticity of gluten is developed by kneading. This forms a fine network which stretches as the gases expand during baking and then sets to give rigidity or substance. The more air and gas that is produced and trapped as little “bubbles” in the dough, the more “spongy” or “fluffy” the final product. The bran in wholegrain flours weakens the dough structure so products made from wholegrains may be very dense because the mixture around the air bubbles, does not "set" before the gas “escapes.” Rye flour, in * particular gives “dense” products. One hundred per cent wholegrain breads may appear to be quite dry and crumbly. Bran absorbs a lot of water so

extra must be added for a moist mixture. Many people prefer breads made from white flours because they are light, moist, and soft (many commercial varieties have added gluten for an even lighter product). The very soft rolls that stay fresh up -to a full week usually have added sugar, fat, and/or milk. For these reasons, most of us find that commerciallymade breads are more consistent in quality than our laborious homemade efforts. Our supermarkets stock a good range of wholegrain or part-wholegrain breads. Bread continues as the mainstay of bakery products within oiir diets and the most convenient nutritional alternative to calorie-loaded cookies. Cakes and biscuits Sugar and fat. as well as the basic ingredients for baking — flour, liquid and raising agent — are essential to achieve the texture and flavour of cakes and biscuits. Sugar has a tenderizing effect. In mixing, it competes with gluten for water* and raises the temperature at which the structural “setting" takes place (reducing rubberiness). Fat is also-a tenderizer, and because it'is insoluble in water it interferes with the cohesiveness (stickiness) of flour, reducing toughness. In cakes, fat traps air (beating gives volume) and ensures a soft crumb texture. Fat and sugar also reduce the staling process. Eggs are used in cakes and some sweet biscuits to give a finer structure to the gluten network which is weakened by sugar and fat. Egg also gives volume when beaten. What happens if we eliminate the sugar in cakes and sweet biscuits? The mixture becomes more doughy, it loses the sweet taste; biscuits lose crispness.

And if we reduce the fat?

Cakes are less rich, do not rise well, do not keep well, and are solid. If the sugar and fat are reduced dramatically, the addition of egg and/or skim milk powder can preserve the quality of some varieties of baked products. Let's face it, a cake is not a cake with less than a third of a cup of sugar for one cup of flour. Cakes and biscuits can be made with wholemeal flour (or Vi cup of bran can replace one-fifth cup of flour for each one cup oi flour in a recipe). Until our technologists and home economists have come up with some new formulations we are best to look to recipes that have an acceptable level of fat and sugar, whilst being pleasant to eat. Quick breads Scones, muffins, fruit and nut loaves, and pikelets are excellent substitutes for bread. All of these can be made with wholegrain flours. Additional fibrous foods can be added for variety or texture: kibbled wheat or rye, cornmeal, sesame or poppy seeds, rolled oats, chopped oatmeal, nuts or dried fruit, grated apple or carrot. Spices improve flavours. Mashed vegetables such as potato or pumpkin can replace some of the flour. The liquids used can be

• have 1-2 teaspoons of baking powder. »* has 0-*2 teaspoon of baking powder.

varied from water or milk, to fruit juice, coffee or vegetable juice. One cup of mashed banana can replace Vs cup of liquid. Other crushed and well drained fruits can be added to the dry ingredients. For those who find wholegrain products dry because they cannot produce sufficient saliva, the liquid can be increased in the recipes. The addition of water-containing fruits and vegetables ensures moistness. The following table represents the normal range for ingredient proportions for an acceptable product. Try the lowest range for fat and sugar proportions for the first five products. It can be seen that sweet biscuits, sponges, pastries and cakes have a high content of sugar and fat. Salt is necessary for bread making, but is not essential for baking powder cookery. (Baking powder and soda supply sufficient amounts of sodium.) The table is presented as a range of calories per serving with the lowest at the top. The baking of caloriedense. high-fat, sugary cakes and biscuits, is best kept for those who are highly, active and need calories quickly; or as an occasional “treat" for those of us who are sedentary.

Table: FOR ONE CUP OF FLOUR (use mainly wholemeal):PRODUCT CUPS OF LIQUID TABLESP OF FAT TABLESP OF SUGAR EGGS Yeast bread 0-1 0-'i> o ■ Scones * *2 1-2 — — Muffins ‘ 1-2 1-2 >2 Pikelets * >2 2 2 1 Fruit'Nut Loaf * >2 1-2 1-4 *2 Sweet Biscuits *’ 0->8 4-6 3-6 0-1 Sponge 0 0-4 10-16 3-4 Pastry (no filling) >/8-V, 4-6 0 0 Cake * >8-1-4 4-7 5-10 1-2