[newbiechef]

i am looking for a book that explains how different ingredients affect baked goods... like a food science book, one that can tell me how different things affect what it is i am baking or cooking. i want to learn how all this stuff works. is there a good like food science book, or a book that tells me how different baked good or dishes are affected by certain ingredients? like how eggs affect a custard, or how salt in EVERYTHINg affects dishes and baked goods. and can even dive into the science and chemistry behind why it works, like baking soda and baking powder, why both? that is the kind of book im looking to find, does anyone have a good suggestion of a book of this kind? thankyou.

[mikescookin]

Take a look at "On Food And Cooking-The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" by
Harold Mcgee. It seems to be the bible of Kitchen science.
You might also ask the question in the baking forum at eGullet Society
eG Forums (The eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters)

Good luck,

Mike

[castironchef]

Though I dearly love On Food And Cooking, I think that Shirley O. Corriher's Cookwise will better meet your needs. She has extensive coverage, along with sample recipes, showing the effects of various ingredients and methods in baking.

They're both great books, so your best bet is to use Nicko's Amazon link and buy both.

[Suzanne]

If you can hold out, Shirley Corriher is finally coming out with Bakewise! Don't quite know how soon, but it's a lot closer than it was 5 years ago.

In the meantime, have a look at Understanding Baking by Joseph Amendola and Nicole Rees. Lots of science, pretty easy to digest.