Baking agents are substances or substance mixtures which loosen and enlarge the volume of dough and other masses. They free gases (mostly carbon dioxide) trapped in the dough. These are then stored in the dough in differently sized bubbles and have the effect of leavening it.

There are two different kinds of baking agents: biological (yeast, sour dough, baking enzyme) and chemical (baking powder, potash, baker’s salt). Biological leavening, also called fermentation, mainly works during the time that dough is left to stand before it is baked. Chemical leavening agents free gases during the rise in temperature in the initial phase of the baking process. The gases formed by the baking agent also physically expand in the heat created when baking. As the dough continues to be baked, the gas becomes trapped by the solidifying dough, which prevents the dough from collapsing after baking has finished.

We use potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) as baking agents for the shortbread biscuits in our RITTER SPORT Butter Biscuit. These fine white powders are more commonly known as potash (K2CO3) and sodium carbonate, bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda (NaHCO3).