Baking Powder forms less than two parts in a hundred
of the bread or pastry in which it is used and part of this small
amount is dissipated in the form of gas during the process of
baking. Food prepared with baking powder forms a small por-.
tion only of an ordinary meal, so that the actual amount of bak-
ing powder residue taken into the system is so small that it can
scarcely be computed.
The only questions of real interest and importance to the
housewife and the cook with reference to baking powders are
those of cost and efficiency, and any discussion concerning the
wholesomeness of the various powders is of value only for ad-
vertising purposes. The consumer is interested in the ingredi-
ents of the baking powder only to the extent of learning which
type of baking powder will logically give the best results in
baking, and for that reason a brief description of the constituent
elements of Crescent Baking Powder will prove of value.
The sole purpose of a baking powder is to raise the dough
—to aerate the food and make it light and wholesome and di-
gestible. The dough is raised by the liberation of carbonic acid
gas contained in soda bicarbonate. To liberate this gas an acid
of some sort must be used. Sour milk is effective as an acid,
but always inconvenient, often unobtainable and its degree of
acidity so variable that uniformity of results is impossible.
Hence the necessity of baking powders.
[PAGE THREE ]
WHAT BAKING POWDER REALLY IS
The nature of the acid ingredient of a baking powder de-
termines its efficiency and value to the consumer. The determ-
ination of the best acid ingredient for baking powders is a prob-
lem for chemists and manufacturers to solve. An immense
amount of research work has been devoted to this determination
and the accumulated results of this research work have been
freely used by the chemists of the Crescent Manufacturing Com-
pany in developing and perfecting what we believe to be the
most modern and nearest perfect type of baking powder yet
offered to the public.
THE FINAL FACTS
We want to tell you in plain language what Crescent
Baking Powder is composed of.
(1) Sodium Bicarbonate—containing the carbonic acid
gas or leavening agent.
(2) Calcium Acid Phosphate—an acid salt.
(3) Sodium Aluminium Sulphate—an acid salt.
(4) Egg Albumen—whites of eggs.
(5) Corn Starch—used to absorb moisture.
Of the ingredients composing Crescent Baking Powder
no part of the Soda Bicarbonate (1), Calcium Acid Phosphate
(2), Sodium Aluminium Sulphate (3) ever reaches the stomach
in their original form. The chemical reaction which occurs in
the baking destroys both the soda and the acid compounds and
results in the formation of (a) carbonic acid gas which escapes
after having performed its function of raising the dough, and
(b) the following residual products which remain in the food:
(1) Calcium Phosphate’ ~ 5.15 per cent.
(2) Sodium Phosphate 3.10 per cent.
(3) Sodium Sulphate 38.12 per cent. 3:
(4) Aluminium Hydroxide 5.25 per cent.
[PAGE Four]
Of the nature of these residual products it may be said
(1) Calcium Phosphate is not only free from harmful effects,
but is prescribed by physicians in cases of malnutrition, show-
ing that it is a useful and necessary constituent of the tissues
of the body; (2) Sodium Phosphate and (3) Sodium Sulphate
are mild laxatives when administered in sufficient quantities;
(4) Aluminium Hydroxide is held by many able chemists and
physiologists to be insoluble in the gastric juices of the stomach
and that it therefore has no effect upon the system.
Page 1
Presented as published in 1920. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Baking Powder forms less than two parts in a hundred of the bread or pastry in which it is used and part of this small amount is dissipated in the form of gas during the process of baking. Food prepared with baking powder forms a small portion. tion only of an ordinary meal, so that the actual amount of baking powder residue taken into the system is so small that it can scarcely be computed.
The only questions of real interest and importance to the housewife and the cook with reference to baking powders are those of cost and efficiency, and any discussion concerning the wholesomeness of the various powders is of value only for advertising purposes. The consumer is interested in the ingredients of the baking powder only to the extent of learning which type of baking powder will logically give the best results in baking, and for that reason a brief description of the constituent elements of Crescent Baking Powder will prove of value.
The sole purpose of a baking powder is to raise the dough —to aerate the food and make it light and wholesome and digestible. The dough is raised by the liberation of carbonic acid gas contained in soda bicarbonate. To liberate this gas an acid of some sort must be used. Sour milk is effective as an acid, but always inconvenient, often unobtainable and its degree of acidity so variable that uniformity of results is impossible. Hence the necessity of baking powders.
[PAGE THREE]
WHAT BAKING POWDER REALLY IS
The nature of the acid ingredient of a baking powder determines its efficiency and value to the consumer. The determination of the best acid ingredient for baking powders is a problem for chemists and manufacturers to solve. An immense amount of research work has been devoted to this determination and the accumulated results of this research work have been freely used by the chemists of the Crescent Manufacturing Company in developing and perfecting what we believe to be the most modern and nearest perfect type of baking powder yet offered to the public.
THE FINAL FACTS
We want to tell you in plain language what Crescent Baking Powder is composed of.
(1) Sodium Bicarbonate—containing the carbonic acid gas or leavening agent.
(2) Calcium Acid Phosphate—an acid salt.
(3) Sodium Aluminium Sulphate—an acid salt.
(4) Egg Albumen—whites of eggs.
(5) Corn Starch—used to absorb moisture.
Of the ingredients composing Crescent Baking Powder no part of the Soda Bicarbonate (1), Calcium Acid Phosphate (2), Sodium Aluminium Sulphate (3) ever reaches the stomach in their original form. The chemical reaction which occurs in the baking destroys both the soda and the acid compounds and results in the formation of (a) carbonic acid gas which escapes after having performed its function of raising the dough, and (b) the following residual products which remain in the food:
(1) Calcium Phosphate 5.15 per cent. (2) Sodium Phosphate 3.10 per cent. (3) Sodium Sulphate 38.12 per cent. (4) Aluminium Hydroxide 5.25 per cent.
[PAGE FOUR]
Of the nature of these residual products it may be said (1) Calcium Phosphate is not only free from harmful effects, but is prescribed by physicians in cases of malnutrition, showing that it is a useful and necessary constituent of the tissues of the body; (2) Sodium Phosphate and (3) Sodium Sulphate are mild laxatives when administered in sufficient quantities; (4) Aluminium Hydroxide is held by many able chemists and physiologists to be insoluble in the gastric juices of the stomach and that it therefore has no effect upon the system.