What is a leavening methods?

There are actually several methods of leavening that will cause a baked product to rise. They include organic,chemical,mechanical,and physical as the most commonly employed methods to create 'lift' in baked goods.

An organic leavener is typically an active yeast or a sour starter that is normally used in the production of breads and rolls. Chemical leaveners such as baking powder and baking soda are used in cakes,quick breads,muffins,and biscuits. Mechanical leavening refers to, as an example, the method of creaming butter/shortening, sugar and eggs in the mixing of certain types of cake batter. Physical leavening is the method used in making puff pastry where the dough is rolled and folded repeatedly, enveloping many layers of hydrogenated fat or butter which when heated in the oven release steam causing the dough to rise or 'puff'.

Sometimes these methods are used in combination. For example , a cake batter often has a chemical leavener as well as using the mechanical or creaming method to produce lift. Croissants and Danish pastry combine the organic leavener of yeast with the physical method of repeated folding and rolling of the dough to produce light and flaky pastries.

Answer

Leavening are the items put into the mix that make the dough rise, without leavening bread would be tough, more like a brick.

First answer by Gouch53. Last edit by Flanko. Contributor trust: 10 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 36 [recommend question]