With the rising cost of food, consumers request for classes on preparing food at home has increased, specifically in the area of home baking.  To meet the requests, a series of classes on Home Baking was offered to the public and met great success!  The series focused on the science behind home baking.  Topics such as proper measurement using a scale as well as tradition methods were covered.  Types of flour, leavening agents, liquids, temperature, storage, and food safety was also covered in the three part series.  The first class in the series focused on measuring and understating baking powder and baking soda.  Three session were held reaching 47 participants.  Participants worked in groups to make biscuits using a variety of recipes using different types of flour and liquids. Once baked the participates evaluated the biscuits for rise, texture, and overall taste.  A recipes on scones as also demonstrated to the participants to focus on the importance of cutting and timely baking. 

The second class in the series focused on types of flours, origin and protein levels as well as the leavening agent, yeast. Two sessions were held reaching 32 participants. Temperature is important to successful baking with yeast so participants used food thermometers to measure for proper temperature to activate the yeast as well as how to regulate rise through refrigeration or warm temps.  Each participant/family made a refrigerated yeast roll recipe to take home and prepare the following day.  Based on the comments and pictures, it was a huge hit and many indicated they would be making and freezing extra to have on hand in the future. 

The final class focused on the leavening agents of sourdough and steam.  Participant learned about wild yeast and the fermentation process to create a leavening agent as well has how to feed, use discard and how to recognize mold and other spoilage.  To better understand the process, each participant/family made a starter using pumpernickel or wheat flour and water.  They then used the feed and discard process over the next seven days to create their own starter.  About 25 percent were successful.  The remainder decided it was too expensive and time consuming to feed and maintain the starter as well as make the bread.  Three sessions were held reaching 48 people.

The series will resume in the fall with more classes including pastry, pasta and cakes.