Gluten: The Protein That Makes Baking Work
Master the science of gluten to control texture in your baked goods. Learn when to develop it for chewy breads and when to minimize it for tender cakes. Essential knowledge for every home baker.
Learning Objectives
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why pizza dough can be stretched into a paper-thin circle without breaking, while pie crust shatters at the slightest touch? The secret lies in the well known protein with a bad reputation, gluten.
Understanding gluten is like having a superpower in the kitchen. You will inherently know the secret behind chewy bagels and tender cakes, and why pizza dough stretches while pie crust shatters. More importantly, you will understand how to control these outcomes through your choice of ingredients and techniques. Whether you're making a crusty sourdough or a tender cake, success depends on how you manage gluten development.
In this lesson, we will learn to understand gluten and how to control it in your baked goods. This lesson is split to four sections:
How gluten is formed
How to control gluten development
Common gluten development mistakes
Advanced gluten development techniques
Finally, you'll be introduced to further lessons that make you a better baker and some recipes that let you apply your newly acquired knowledge.
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