Over mixing is a big no-no when it comes to making cake batter that contains wheat flour. Home bakers are often directed to add the flour last and "stir until just combined," followed by an admonishment not to over mix -- which will transform what should be a delicate and airy cake into something dense and tough. It turns out that over mixing is not as much a concern for gluten-free bakes -- especially those meant to support additives like fruit, as it can give the finished product more structure.
The difference is obvious: thestrands of gluten proteinfound in wheat flour provide the structure in a batter for, let's say, a classic buttermilk vanilla cake.Over-developing them through vigorous mixing (or, really, much mixing at all) will turn the outcome chewy -- that's great for a baguette, but murder for angel food cake. All you need to do is incorporate the flour into the rest of the batter ingredients, and let the gluten do the rest. Gluten-free cake batters have to rely on something else to provide their structure, and that something typically takes the form of xanthan gum.
Two types of gum are typically used in gluten-free baking: xanthan and guar.Both of them functionally do the same job that gluten does -- hold the batter together and thicken it. Sometimes you'll see them together in a box of pre-made gluten-free flour or cake mix (or recipe); sometimes they appear separately. As a general rule of thumb, guar gum does its best work in cold stuff like ice cream, while xanthan gum is better suited for hot stuff like baked goods and gluten-free yeasted breads.
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Xanthan gum is derived from a bacterium called Xanthom*onas campestris.Technically known as a water-soluble exo-polysaccharide, what gums like xanthan are great at doing is binding with water and other organic materials. Xanthan gum's inclusion in a gluten-free cake batter means everybody will stick together, transforming disparate parts into a whole. Without it, your gluten-free cakes and muffins are virtually guaranteed to be crumbly.
Over Mixing Might Be A Relative Term, But It's Still A No-No
So, is it possible to over mix a gluten-free cake batter? The short answer is no and the long answer is yes. If you're following the directions for a wheat flour recipe but substituting gluten-free flour, then the red-flashing warning signs of over mixing won't apply. However, you can actually mix a batter containing xanthan and/or guar gum to a point of diminishing returns.You can overwork the gums and end up with a stringy cake batter or rubbery cookie dough.(Having said that, doing this takes some work. Just don't take your aggressions out on a gluten-free cake batter.)
Just remember that the key difference between wheat flour and gluten-free flour is the gluten and what that does for doughs and batters. What will very quickly lead to flat, tough glutinous cakes won't make that much of a difference in their gluten-free counterpart, and may in fact help create a more robust structure to hold those incoming blueberries.
Gluten is formed in baking when flour is mixed with a liquid. As you mix, the gluten strands stretch and organize into a network. The more you mix, the stronger the gluten structure becomes.
The second problem revolves around gluten development: Mixing flour with liquids activates the gluten proteins that give baked goods their structure. Over-mixing, therefore, can lead to cookies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, and breads that are tough, gummy, or unpleasantly chewy.
As you mix your cake ingredients together, the flour's gluten strengthens and aligns itself into an elastic web that will support the cake as it rises.
2. Mix Batters Longer. While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear.
Recipes for cornbread and pancakes often warn you not to mix the batter too much. For these breads, overmixing can make the gluten too strong, which makes for a tough, chewy finished product.
Wheat and other related grains (including barley, and rye) contain a mixture of two proteins glutenin and gliadin. When flour made from grinding these grains is mixed with water the two proteins combine and form gluten. Without water, gluten is not formed. The more the dough is mixed, the more gluten is developed.
The point of kneading dough is to help strengthen the gluten in it. Gluten is what gives your bread; it's structure and texture. Gluten that is not strong enough results from under kneaded dough, whereas gluten that is too tight results from over kneaded dough.
Unlike bread systems where dough development is the main objective, the goal in batter mixing is to form a stable and viscous oil/water emulsion that incorporates air in the form of finely dispersed gas cells.
“Mixing is the first and most important process because it sets the chemical formula of the bread and other baked products,” Mr. Zunino said. “If we miss at the right grade of gentleness, hydration and temperature, we have done more than half of the work because we have a very good dough.
Boxed cakes often call for water, but swapping it out for equal amounts of milk, coffee, or even soda will give you a moister, more tender, and flavorful cake.
What is overmixing, actually? Overmixing is exactly what it sounds like: the process by which a dough or batter gets mixed too much, typically yielding dense, tough, or deflated baked goods. Overmixed doughs and batters may have an unappealing look or feel, which remain just as unappealing when they're baked.
If your batter is too thick, you can add a bit more liquid to achieve a smoother consistency. Also, you can add a tablespoon of milk, water, or another appropriate liquid at a time until the batter reaches the desired consistency. 2.) Double-check your recipe and ensure you have measured your ingredients correctly.
Similar to creaming, the whisking method aims to introduce air into the cake batter. However, in this approach, the entire wet mixture is whisked to add both air and body. The dry ingredients are gently folded in to prevent over mixing.
Typically, cake mix should be stirred for about 2-3 minutes until the batter is smooth and well combined. Over-stirring can result in a tough, dense cake, so it is important to mix just until the ingredients are combined.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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