American Baker in Germany

This post came about after a very angry comment on my video about the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Evidently, there is a difference between German and American baking powder that I neglected to discuss. So, I did some research, and what we're really talking about is the difference between single and double-acting baking powder. American baking powder is almost 100% double-acting. Here in Germany, baking powder is single-acting. So, how can you convert one to the other. The answer will probably surprise you. *photo credit: Aubrey Rogers So, first of all, what is the difference? Baking powder contains a thickener, such as cornstarch, and at least one acid and one base in powdered form. Most commonly, the base is sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda. The acid can vary.   In Germany, the acid used is typically dinatrium hydrogen diphosphate, which is a weak acid that begins working when the mixture becomes wet and continues working with the application of...

 It can be confusing. Baking powder. Baking soda. They sound similar. Seem to be used in similar amounts in baking recipes and seem to be used for the same general reason. They even look kind of similar. So, what's the difference?  Let's start with baking soda. Baking soda is a single chemical. It's called sodium bicarbonate, which is a base. If you don't remember what that means, it's basically the opposite of an acid, which means it will react with acids. Baking soda is called for in recipes when there is also an acid in the recipe somewhere. Examples of acids are: lemon juice, citric acid, cream of tartar, vinegar, buttermilk, molasses or even brown sugar. Baking soda makes the batter or dough swell up by reacting to the acid in the recipe.  Now let's look at baking powder. Baking powder typically contains three ingredients: a base such as sodium bicarbonate or sodium biphosphate, an acid such as cream of tartar, and corn starch. Because baking...