Introduction and history of baking

Baking, also known as baking, refers to the process of dehydration, drying and hardening of materials through dry heat under the ignition point of materials. Baking is an indispensable step in the production of bread and cake. After baking, starch undergoes a series of chemical changes such as gelatinization and protein denaturation, which makes bread and cake mature. It can also change the taste of food.

Did the ancient Egyptians make us the first cake in history? The history of Rome and Greece also recorded the making of cakes, but according to the records of food historians, the first skilled baker should be the early Egyptian and the first nation to regard baking as an art.

They developed reliable cooking methods and early ovens, through which they made all kinds of bread, many of which were sweetened with honey as dessert. Although there is a lot of evidence from the pictures of the mausoleum to know the baking process, and even we can identify the raw materials found in the funerary objects, it is difficult to know exactly how the bread tasted at that time. In the long river of history, the so-called "cakes" of ancient Egyptians and medieval Europeans are not what they are today. The ancient Egyptians wouldn't even call it a cake. The word "cake" was adopted in Britain in the 3rd century/Kloc-A.D. It is a derivative of the old Norwegian word kaka.

Elaborate on baking history

The first cake in history

The first cake in history was very similar to bread. At that time, the Romans would add eggs or butter, knead it into sweet dough with honey, and sometimes add nuts or dried fruits to make cakes. At that time, only the rich could eat cakes, which was often an integral part of aristocratic banquets. /kloc-Chaucer, an English poet in the 4th century (1340- 1400), wrote: Huge cakes are made only on special occasions. According to his records, this big cake is made of 13 kg of flour, butter, whipped cream, eggs, spices, raisins and honey.

At that time, the main feature of the cake was its shape: round and flat shapes were made of relaxed and natural dough, and shapes were done by hand. In the17th century, cake hoops made of wood or tin were used to make cakes, thus ensuring that cakes could be kept neat and round.

Religious ceremony of cake

Around the world, cakes and circles symbolize the periodicity of seasons and life and play a central role in people's worship and ceremonies. There are many different versions of historical legends about food, and different cultures and legends have appeared in different periods of history. Bread and cakes in ancient times were mostly used for religious ceremonies. According to the regulations at that time, cakes were shaped into specific shapes by hand. The circle symbolizes the periodicity of life, and the sun or moon and round cakes express the worship of the moon goddess. On the first day of spring, the ancient Celts celebrated the sunshine in spring, hoping that life could keep spinning and rolling like the sun. They made a round cake and rolled down from the mountain, imitating the trajectory of the sun, hoping to keep the sun spinning. This activity has also become a form of divination. If the cake explodes at the foot of the mountain, the Celtics think that whoever it is will have bad luck. But if the cake is still intact, they believe they will get good luck for a year. Even today, cakes are still used in various ceremonial occasions, such as traditional festivals, birthdays, weddings, funerals and baptisms.

Huanyou cake world

French cream cake, which shows its lightness, often has cream filling and fruit, plus very beautiful decoration. Gateaux is a French word, which usually refers to exquisite cakes made of the best raw materials. Most of these French cakes are beautifully decorated mousse cakes, which are exquisite, romantic and tasteful. Whether it is red, white, pink, beige or brown, it is skillfully used by French bakers, reaching the extreme of art, and the decoration in style and details is extremely romantic.

In Britain, "home baking" is the label of precious cakes. Europeans call cakes cakes, which can be preserved for longer, and some fruit cakes can even be preserved for several years. Other European cakes usually have a similar form or taste.

Cake is called Torte in Germany, which has similar characteristics to Gateaux in France and Cake in England. The German Torte cake decorated with multiple layers and fruits is closer to the French Gateaux cake. The original SACHER-Torte cake is considered to be one of the most famous cakes in the world, and the secret recipe for making this cake has been preserved by SACHER Hotel in Vienna. These cakes are covered with almond paste and chocolate, just like 100 years ago. The Greeks called this kind of cake "plakous", which came from the word "flat". Their cakes are usually made of nuts and honey. These cakes are very unique and often use many ingredients, such as almonds, lemons, figs, honey and sweet oranges.

Changing trend of cake baking

Fortunately, baking soda first appeared in 65438+1940s, and soon baking powder followed. British chemist Alfred introduced an improved yeast bakingpowder, B.P., which is a white powder. It releases carbon dioxide gas through chemical reaction, which makes cakes or biscuits swell during baking and makes cakes more bulky. Coupled with the accuracy of temperature and the use of incubator, cake making has achieved a real take-off and promotion! It changed the making, shape and taste of the cake. The application of white flour, sugar and shortening greatly increased the popularity of cakes, and the appearance of oven with stable temperature control allowed ordinary housewives to bake complex cakes.

In the first half of the 20th century, being able to make the lightest or most delicious fruit sponge cake is a symbol of a good housewife's ability and one of the precious virtues. Baking cakes and making crisp dough have become the main tests for new housewives. Can she cook? Can she make soft chocolate dessert? ..... Will her family spend a lot of time buying bread in the bakery? The women's liberation brought by the 1960s ushered in a different era. At that time, European women left home to work, and because there was not much time, they reduced home baking.