11. SODA AND MOLASSES.--Although molasses, which is a product of sugar
cane, is sweet, it contains an acid that is formed by the fermentation
that continually occurs in it, an evidence of which is the tiny bubbles
that may be seen in molasses, especially when it is kept in a warm
place. Because of the presence of this acid, molasses may be used with
soda to form a chemical leavening agent, and when they are combined in
hot breads or cake, the chemical action of the two produces carbon
dioxide. However, accurate results cannot always be obtained when these
ingredients are used, for the degree of acidity in molasses is as
uncertain as it is in sour milk. Molasses that is old or has been kept
in a warm place will contain more acid than molasses that has been
manufactured only a short time or that has been kept cool to retard
fermentation.
The proportion of soda to molasses that can usually be relied on for hot
breads and cakes is _1 teaspoonful of soda to 1 cupful of molasses_, or
just twice the quantity of soda that is generally used with sour milk.
To produce the best results, the molasses should be mixed with the
liquid ingredients and the soda sifted in with the dry ones. As molasses
burns very quickly in a hot oven, all breads or cakes containing it as
an ingredient should be baked in an oven of moderate temperature.
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