Scientific Food Blogs by Dickinson Students
My name is Eleanor Nolan. I am a sophomore at Dickinson College majoring in English with a minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies. I work for the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections. I am a student senator and the Spring 2023 Associate News Editor for The Dickinsonian, the Dickinson College newspaper.
Baking Soda can form carbon dioxide by two different methods. The first is by thermal decomposition, which is what happened with these muffins. The draw back to this method is that the product is also base. Bases tend to have a bitter taste. In addition, upon basic conditions Maillard Browning is accelerated. Hence the dark …
Below is a photo of the results of the adapted muffins. From top to bottom: A – no leavening agent, B – baking soda, C – baking soda and cream of tartar, D – baking soda and vinegar, E – baking powder, F – twice the baking powder, G – yeast. Click here to return …
When no leavening agent is added, there is still water being converted to steam that will give some lift to the muffins. The batter tends to be a little runnier, since bubbles have the action of thickening a batter. The finish product is quite pale. The interior of the muffin is quite moist, if not …
Each ingredient in a recipe serves a purpose. Explained below is the role and purpose of each ingredient in the muffin recipe… Click here to return to the Muffins Recipe.
Even a simple muffin recipe has an enormous amount of science involved. Click here to learn the chemistry occurring in this muffin recipe. This recipe can be varied by using different leavening agents. Click here for a summary using different leavening agents. (Clicking this link leads to an external website. You will need to use …
Below is a Time and Activity Chart that summarizes the Muffin recipe. This recipe uses baking powder as the leavening agent. However, there are several choices you can use and each will have its own distinct flavor and texture. See Muffin Recipe for more detailed information. Muffin Time and Activity Chart Printable version
Food has always played an important part in my life, whether it be making it or eating it. I grew up in a household where we canned our own peaches, made our own applesauce, and froze fresh corn to be enjoyed throughout the year. Ice cream was not something purchased from the grocery store, but …
