Baking Powder Biscuits - Tips For Perfect Scones Every Time

The following article is meant to help you understand a little bit about the science behind food and how understanding a little bit about this science can help your baking. There are specifically tips on making perfect baking powder biscuits (scones).

The trick to getting light fluffy flaky baking powder biscuits is to remember one very important thing: They use a chemical reaction to rise.

This is what the baking powder does. Baking powder is simply baking soda (a base) mixed with cream of tartar (an acid) and when it gets wet the acid and base mix together they produce a gas (carbon dioxide in this case). It is this gas that gets trapped in the layers of flour as the fat melts and leaves little pockets.

Why is it important to remember this? Three reasons

Reason One:

If you do not have enough chemicals for the amount of filler (flour) you are not going to have enough gas to get them to rise.

Reason Two:

Chemical reactions burn out as the chemicals concerned are consumed. If you over mix before putting it in the oven the gas will escape into the air instead of being trapped in those lovely little pockets made by the melting fat.

Reason Three:

The more pockets in your mix the more places for the gas to get trapped and make the biscuits fluffy. This is why you sift the flour. You put air in it and it makes lighter and the gas will find it easier to push the flour particles around.

Below are all things that have happened to me over the years and with the help of my domestic scientist mom I have been able to learn from my disasters.

As much as there is a science involved here I find that so much of baking is a bit of a black art. You get a feel for things. You know when the dough is mixed just enough but it is difficult to pass that on to someone else.

The more you do it the easier it gets.

The Problem: The biscuits did not rise or did not rise much.

The Solution: Classic symptom of over mixing and over kneading. Unfortunately once your biscuits are baked there is not much you can do about this except to slather them with butter and clotted cream and jam.

The Problem: The biscuits did rise but are quite heavy and/or hard.

The Solution: This is also a common symptom of over mixing.

Mix and kneading activate the gluten in the flour. Gluten is a protein and while it is important for a yeast dough, too much gluten will make your biscuits chewy and heavy. Just like a yeast bread can be!

Again after the biscuits are baked there is not much you can do but you can pre-empt disaster by using cake flour.

What is cake flour? It is a flour that has a low gluten content. You can make your own substitute cake flour by taking out a tablespoon of each cup of flour in the recipe and replacing it with cornstarch.

This is also one of the occasions where sifting does pay off. To be honest I just cannot be bothered most of the time but it does make a difference.

The Problem: The biscuits are brown on the outside but still uncooked in the middle after being in the oven for over half an hour

The Solution: Lower the temperature. Everyone's equipment works differently but an oven at 350 degrees should be optimum for golden brown well baked scones.

I hope this article has helped you understand some of the interesting science behind a really simple food and that it will help your scones and biscuits come out fluffy and light and yummy!

copyright clarissa hancock 2010

History of Reading

The first evidence for the existence of Reading noted that the eighth century, when the river Thames and Kennet convergence was established. The settlement was then known as Readingnum. There are two theories as to why he received this name. E 'is the Anglo-Saxon "Place of readdir popular" or Celtic Rhydd-Inge for Ford over the river. "

During 871, the Vikings have occupied the settlement after the Battle of Reading. The settlement grew to 600 people and has been identified asa city, after its 1086 Domesday Book listing.

In the Middle Ages the town became a pilgrimage site, especially in Reading Abbey. In 1253 the king gave Reading a charter at the request of the Merchant Guild local that is also able to negotiate a power-sharing with the Abbey. In 1542, when the abbey was dissolved, grated Henry VIII, the Merchant Guild a new charter, which the guild has a city Corporation, which ran the city.

Withmore than 3,000 residents, reading was the largest town in Berkshire at the end of the 16th Century. The city in medieval and Tudor prospered thanks to its successful commercial fabric, produced enormous fortunes for local merchants such as John Kendrick.

The reading has played a central role in the English Civil War and changed hands several times. A royalist garrison, which was built in the city in 1642, was the subject of a siege by parliamentary forces in 1643. TheInstalled and maintained by the parliamentary forces siege of power, but the fees charged to the new leadership badly damaged reading cloth trade, they would never recover.

More bloodshed would follow during the Revolution of 1688 in England, notably in the Battle of Reading.

Changing the textile industry, Iron Works in Reading would take a prominent early 18th Century. This period also saw the birth of the beer industry, which catapulted readingto the fore. Agriculture to flourish, as the surrounding areas continue to use reading as a market, especially during the famous Reading cheese fair. But now came the trade in a wider area.

great progress in the transport sector also serve the growing stature as a hub economy reading. Better definition of highways from reading a destination of choice and put them along the main routes from London to Oxford and coaching the West Country. RiverTransport is also well above the Thames and Kennet. This was especially true in 1723 when the River Kennet Navigation opened to ships from all over, despite strong opposition from locals. Once it became clear that the increase in river traffic will benefit domestic trade, local opposition stopped almost immediately. In this context, the opening of the Kennet and Avon Canal in 1810, another important development, especially as travel out of the barge from Reading to BristolChannel possible.

In terms of population, Reading had made about 9,400 inhabitants in 1801. The growth would be through the city's development as an industrial center in the 19th Century to be encouraged. The city was represented by two members of Parliament in this period. Meanwhile, the District was reformed as a local municipality by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835

The Reading Borough Police was established in 1836 The main rail lines would last the scene in a 15-year-oldstarting with the Great Western Railway in 1841, the South Eastern Railway in 1849, and the London and South Western Railway in 1856. The reading is also an important site for the development of photography in the creation of a reading device has become the first commercial photography studios in 1944. It 'been Nicolaas Henneman, a Dutchman who has worked once known as the waiter in the famous photograph pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot, whose book, The Pencil of servingNature is the first book illustrated with photographs, on many images that were printed in Reading.

Reading population rose to 21,500 in 1851 and replaced the town of Abingdon, as the county seat in 1867. It would also be a county under the Local Government Act 1888 has become.

The population will continue to increase to 59,000 in 1900. At that time, had biscuits reading a good reputation for its "three Bs - beer, onions e. TheSimonds brewery, who invented the India Pale Ale in Reading dominated by beer scene since 1785. Sutton Seeds produces bulbs in Reading 1807-1976. Huntley & Palmers Biscuits would do the same for 1822-1977. By 19 Century, the reading was also a producer of Reading sauce, Worcestershire sauce and similar content onions, spices and herbs recognized.

Reading The continued growth in the 20th Century, asAnnex Caversham in Oxfordshire in 1911. Miles Aircraft became another well-known local firms during 1930 to 1950. Founded In 1970, development in Lower Earley would rise to become the largest private residential complex in Europe, M4 Reading areas for urban expansion to the highway. Many other important settlements also be developed.