Can you inject carbon dioxide/nitrogen into a dough/batter to provide leavening? Or use dry ice/liquid nitrogen?
Can you use carbon dioxide/nitrogen directly to provide leavening? It's known that vegetable shortening is actually pumped with nitrogen bubbles to aerate it, so maybe there's a way you could use them like this in baking? The two options I see are either injecting them in or using them as solids or liquids. Thoughts on this please, thanks.
Best Answer
It is not uncommon to use an ISI whipper for this purpose. For example, tempura batter can be placed in a whipper, and it can be charged with CO2. I'm not sure if that is more advantageous than simply mixing rice flour with seltzer water, but it is done. Liquid nitrogen would freeze your batter, as would dry ice. Dry ice would leave your batter somewhat carbonated upon thawing. Your approach likely depends on what you are trying to accomplish. I don't think this would be an effective approach dough, and for baking. It might make sense for some batters.
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How is carbon dioxide used in baking?
For example, when leavening agents such as baker's yeast or baking soda are added to bread dough, they release CO2 which forms bubbles to give the dough the perfect consistency and structure for it to rise. Creating goods that are light and fluffy, by lifting the batter as it bakes.How does carbon dioxide make dough rise?
In bread making (or special yeasted cakes), the yeast organisms expel carbon dioxide as they feed off of sugars. As the dough rises and proofs, carbon dioxide is formed; this is why the dough volume increases. The carbon dioxide expands and moves as the bread dough warms and bakes in the oven. The bread rises and sets.How does leaven work in dough?
A leavening agent is a substance that causes dough to expand by releasing gas once mixed with liquid, acid or heat. Rising agents give baked goods optimal volume, texture and crumb and can include baking soda, baking powder, whipped egg whites or cream, active or instant dry yeast, and even steam.What is physical leavening agent?
leavening agent, substance causing expansion of doughs and batters by the release of gases within such mixtures, producing baked products with porous structure. Such agents include air, steam, yeast, baking powder, and baking soda.Dry Ice vs. Liquid Nitrogen
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