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What are the constituents of baking powder.?

(15 Posts)
jollyg Sun 22-Mar-15 10:10:02

Watching Sunday Brunch last week Simon Rimmer was asked what makes baking powder? He was making a no yeast bread.

I have never heard such b*llshit explanations before, total nonsense. He had not a clue.

It transpires he has opened a posh new caff in Dubai. Thats why he gave the spiel

The reviews were dire with jaw dropping prices.

At least he is not is standing for parliament.

Guess the caff in Dubai will disappear down the pan soon.

Tim , by contrast listens and learns, and his cooking skills are better than mine

TriciaF Sun 22-Mar-15 10:33:31

I thought bp was made from bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar.
Don't know the proportions though.
You can use bicarb diluted with orange juice as a raising agent - I've got a recipe for gingerbread using that. It foams up so you add it to the batter at the last minute.
Supposed to be good to drink if you've got cystitis (tastes better than that horrible pot. cit.)

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 22-Mar-15 10:45:35

I think jollyg probably know what baking powder is made up from. The question was rhetorical.

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 22-Mar-15 10:46:37

Makes you wonder how much of the basics of cooking these "chefs' really know. hmm

rosequartz Sun 22-Mar-15 11:13:01

I have never heard of him or Tim, and although I was going to Dubai my plans have changed!
So I can't let you know if his caff is open or not grin

TriciaF Sun 22-Mar-15 11:34:12

Jings thanks for putting me right wink
I've never heard of Simon R either.

jollyg Sun 22-Mar-15 11:50:30

JBF got it in one.

Sunday BRUNCH is the key to the conundrum

Have a ba heid and wave your hands, and speak fast.. Destined for tv glory..


Its a mix of acid and alkali, hence Tricias correct interpreation..

I make American pancakes, the usual egg flour milk mix , let it stand then add a good dollop of Yog, and some bicarb. I dont use sugar,, soon the mix will have bubbled, into a hot pan. I serve with butter and date syrup.

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 22-Mar-15 12:40:06

Those pancakes sound good. I didn't actually know about the acid and alkaline thing. Knew the constituents but not the science! grin

whenim64 Sun 22-Mar-15 12:40:39

Simon Rimmer is a great chef, so don't know what that was about. He has a lovely veggie restaurant here in South Manchester - Greens - which has been around for about 15 years or so and is renowned for his lovely food, baking included. Were he and Tim having a wind-up? They are known for their tall tales hmm

janerowena Sun 22-Mar-15 12:46:30

I had kept on coming across references to gluten-free baking powder, so wondered where on earth the gluten could come in. Not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free. Baking powder is made from baking soda, cream of tartar (a by-product of wine-making) and a moisture-absorbing agent, which is often flour, which is often wheat. So it's yet another minefield for me in cooking. Some use cornflour, others, potato but wheat is the most common.

annodomini Sun 22-Mar-15 13:17:05

He probably buys baking powder already made up as the rest of us do. I have no idea why I have a tin of cream of tartar in my cupboard - I certainly had no plan to make my own baking powder! We were told at school what the constituents were. Can't remember the proportions though.

loopylou Sun 22-Mar-15 13:27:43

Baking powder is 2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar + 1 teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda. It tends to go clumpy so you can add a teaspoon of Cornflour which helps.
Just buy a tub of the ready-made stuff smile

JessM Sun 22-Mar-15 13:33:44

Add an acid to bicarbonate of soda and you get carbon dioxide gas given off - whether it's tartaric acid, orange juice or whatever. Any of these combinations could act as a raising agent.
Scones contain rather a lot of baking powder I think and sometimes have a bitter taste?

rosequartz Sun 22-Mar-15 16:09:08

I remember visiting my DA once and she was in a spin because she was going to bake scones for our tea but had no cream of tartar!
So no scones.

rosequartz Sun 22-Mar-15 16:10:31

Perhaps we could send Simon this link:

www.science-sparks.com/2014/04/30/amazing-baking-soda-experiments/