Baking

Baking is a technique of cooking food with dry hot air in the enclosed space of an oven, usually at a temperature of 150–250 °C. It is one of the cornerstone methods of cookery, underlying all bread-making, confectionery, and many hot dishes.

During baking the product is evenly surrounded on all sides by hot air, which slowly and deeply heats it through. In dough this process sets off a complex “magic”: yeast or raising agents release gases from which the item rises and becomes porous; moisture evaporates; starches and proteins change structure, “setting”; and on the surface, thanks to the Maillard reaction and caramelisation, a ruddy, aromatic, crisp crust forms. It is by baking that bread, palianytsia, pies, cakes, pastries, and biscuits are made, as well as meat, fish, vegetables, and bakes roasted. The success of baking depends on precision: the right temperature, time, and often exact proportions of ingredients, since confectionery is the most precise of the culinary disciplines. The aroma of fresh baking spreading through the home is one of the cosiest in the world. Baking is a combination of science, precision, and art, giving a boundless variety of dishes.