[Pete]

Quick question, my wife is making an old hungarian recipe and it calls for ammonium carbonate (bicarbonate?). What can she use a substitution for it as she hasn't been able to locate here in Wisconsin? I need an answer rather quickly from any of you more knowledgeable in pastry land than me. Thanks

[phatch]

I don't think there is one. Harold McGee touched on this in his forum. Check his book to see if there's a sub? I think if there were one, he would have mentioned it.

Baking soda is bicarbonate of sodium, which is a good replacement for bicarbonate of potash (potassium). Hirschhorn is hartshorn, so called because it was made from the antlers of deer. The modern equivalent is ammonium carbonate, which does indeed have unusual properties (it doesn’t release any moisture, and it does release ammonia; see page 532 of my book). It’s available from baking supply companies.

Phil

[panini]

Phil,
I bag up quite a bit of it for customers this time of year.
You might be able to get some from local bakery or in the Pharmacy Store.
I have to add a quick note. This is sooo wrong but we used to get an apprentice and ask him to smell the container to see if it was good. Most dropped to the floor.
pan

[ksy]

I was looking for this stuff too and i finally found some at a chinese grocery store. They came in tiny little bottles, like 15g or so. Try searching at international grocery stores.

[Pete]

Wanda finally found a bakery that was willing to part with a little. The other bakeries that had it wouldn't sell any to her. Thanks for the help.

[OzarkRose]

I'm pretty sure The Baker's Catalog carries it (King Arthur Flour).