Question 1

What is baking in simple words?

Accepted Answer

Baking is a way of cooking food using dry heat, usually in an oven. It's a bit like magic, where you mix different things together, and heat makes them change and taste yummy!

Question 2

Why do we use flour in baking?

Accepted Answer

Flour is like the building blocks for baked goods. It gives things like cookies, bread, and cakes their shape and strength, so they don't fall apart.

Question 3

What does sugar do in baking?

Accepted Answer

Sugar makes baked goods sweet. It also helps them turn golden brown when they’re baked and keeps them soft and moist.

Question 4

Why do we add eggs to recipes?

Accepted Answer

Eggs help to hold everything together. They can also make baked goods fluffy and add moisture, so they don’t dry out.

Question 5

What role does butter play in baking?

Accepted Answer

Butter adds a lot of yummy flavor to baked goods. It also makes them soft and flaky, like in cookies and pie crusts.

Question 6

Why do we use baking powder and baking soda?

Accepted Answer

Baking powder and baking soda make things rise, like magic! They create tiny bubbles in the batter, helping cakes and bread become light and fluffy.

Question 7

How does yeast work in bread?

Accepted Answer

Yeast is a tiny organism that helps bread rise by creating bubbles of air. When you give it warmth and food, like sugar, it makes dough expand and get fluffy.

Question 8

Why do recipes sometimes call for salt?

Accepted Answer

Salt makes the flavors in baked goods pop and taste better. It’s a small but important ingredient in many recipes.

Question 9

What happens if you bake things for too long?

Accepted Answer

If you bake things too long, they can burn and become too hard to eat. It’s important to bake just the right amount of time so they stay soft and tasty.

Question 10

Why does baking bread smell so good?

Accepted Answer

When bread bakes, the heat causes chemical changes that release delicious smells. These smells make our mouths water and our tummies rumble!

Question 11

Why does a cake rise in the oven?

Accepted Answer

A cake rises because of the bubbles made by baking soda or baking powder. Heat makes these bubbles expand, and that’s what makes the cake get bigger and fluffy.

Question 12

What is icing made of?

Accepted Answer

Icing is usually made of powdered sugar and a liquid like milk or water. It’s sweet and smooth, and often used to make cakes look and taste even better.

Question 13

Why is it important to measure ingredients?

Accepted Answer

Measuring helps make sure you have just the right amounts of each ingredient. Too much or too little of something can change how your baked goods turn out.

Question 14

What does kneading dough do?

Accepted Answer

Kneading dough helps mix everything evenly and makes the dough stretchy. This is important for bread and pizza crust so it bakes nicely.

Question 15

Why do some recipes need you to preheat the oven?

Accepted Answer

Preheating the oven makes sure it’s the right temperature before you put your food in. This helps baked goods cook evenly and properly.

Question 16

Can you bake without an oven?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can use things like a microwave or stovetop for certain recipes. But an oven is usually best for getting the right texture and flavor.

Question 17

What is the difference between baking and cooking?

Accepted Answer

Baking uses dry heat, usually in an oven, and is often for making things like cakes and bread. Cooking can use water, steam, or oil, and is for a wide variety of foods.

Question 18

Why do we let dough rise before baking?

Accepted Answer

Letting dough rise gives yeast time to make bubbles. This helps the bread become soft and fluffy when it's baked.

Question 19

What makes cookies crunchy or chewy?

Accepted Answer

Cookies are crunchy when baked longer or with more sugar and butter. They are chewier if you bake them a little less or add more brown sugar.

Question 20

Why is baking known as a science?

Accepted Answer

Baking is like a science experiment because it involves mixing ingredients and using heat to cause reactions. Just like real science, you need the right amounts and steps to get the perfect result.

The Chemistry of Baking: Ingredients, Reactions, and Techniques - 20 FAQs Explained Simply