Easy Baking Powder Substitution for Cooking

Easy Baking Powder Substitution for Cooking Are you doing any baking? If you find yourself having only baking soda and a recipe that calls for baking powder, or vice versa, do you know enough about cooking chemistry to make a substitution? All you need is a bit of cooking chemistry to save the day. Using Baking Powder When the Recipe Calls for Baking Soda You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda, though you will need a bit more baking powder, because it contains additional ingredients. If the recipe calls for baking soda, use 2-4 times more baking powder. So, if the recipe uses 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, use at least 1 teaspoon baking powder. Another suggestion is to replace an acidic liquid in the recipe with a non-acidic one. For example, if you are doing a substitution and the recipe calls for buttermilk, youll get better results if you change to regular milk. Using Baking Soda When the Recipe Calls for Baking Powder You cant directly substitute baking soda if you are out of baking powder. However, you can make your own baking powder, using two parts cream of tartar and one part baking soda. It can get a bit tricky to get the measurements right if you only need 1 teaspoon of baking powder, so what you might want to do is mix up a small batch of homemade baking powder and save the rest for later (stored in a sealed container to keep moisture away). Mix together 1 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons cream of tartar. Then measure the amount of baking powder that you need from that mixture. Another variation on this recipe is to mix 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon corn starch, and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. This yields 1 teaspoon of baking powder, which also acts as a double-acting baking powder. Youll get the best results with this version if you use 1 teaspoon of the homemade baking powder for every 1 cup of flour in the recipe. If you use homemade baking powder, be sure to bake your recipe right away after mixing the ingredients. There are commercial baking powders that will allow you to let a recipe sit for a while before baking, but its generally a good plan to start heating the food immediately, since the reaction that causes baked goods to rise starts as soon as the wet ingredients are added. Notes About Baking Substitutions Substituting leavening agents such as baking powder and baking soda doesnt usually have a huge impact on flavor because these ingredients are present in fairly small amounts. However, you might notice a flavor or texture difference. It wont necessarily be bad. In fact, you might discover a new favorite recipe!

Itch vs. Scratch

Itch vs. Scratch Itch vs. Scratch Itch vs. Scratch By Maeve Maddox Confusion as to whether to use scratch or itch is evident on the web. For example, the video of a cat scratching its own back has the label, â€Å"Cat itches his own back.† A pet care site features the question, â€Å"If a dog is uncontrollably itching an area to the point of bleeding, what can you do to stop it?† Some people are concerned enough about the difference between scratch and itch as to ask about it at answering sites: Can itch be used as a verb? My girlfriend and I have been going rounds about this. She says you can itch an itch, but I say you scratch an itch. Ive read its a transitive verb, whatever that is. Let’s start with â€Å"whatever a transitive verb is.† A transitive verb takes an object. That means the action of a verb has a receiver. In the sentence, The man sang a song, the action is â€Å"sang† and the receiver is â€Å"a song.† Many verbs can be transitive or intransitive, depending upon whether or not there is a receiver of the action. In the sentence, The man sang, the action is â€Å"sang,† but there is no receiver. The verb is intransitive. The verb itch can be used transitively or intransitively, but saying â€Å"I’m itching these bites on my arm† is not standard usage. So, if a person can’t â€Å"itch something,† when is itch transitive? Itch is transitive when something itches a person: The label in this tee shirt itches the back of my neck. As a noun, itch means the feeling on the skin that produces the urge to scratch. Used figuratively, itch means desire: She has an itch to travel. He has an itch for power. The verb scratch has more than one meaning, but the one that goes with itch is this one: scratch: transitive verb. to rub or scrape lightly with the finger-nails or claws to relieve itching. In standard English, itch can be used as a transitive verb, but not by the person who itches. So, scratch that itch, and cut out the T-shirt labels that itch your neck. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Does [sic] Mean?Time Words: Era, Epoch, and EonWhat the Heck are "Peeps"?