Structural modifications of biscuit doughs during baking - Role of ingredients

Nineteen different combinations of the following ingredients : flour, water , fats, sugars and chemical leaveners were used for obtention of short doug h-like samples. Their thermal behaviour were studied over a large temperatu re scale (20 degrees C to 160 degrees C). Thermal analysis of baking by thr ee different methods (DSC, DMTA and TGA) at the same heating rate (3 degree s C/min) provided informations about phase transitions, volume and mass cha nges of doughs during baking. Temperature ranges over which all ingredients react were identified. Melting transitions of fats occur between 10 degree s C and 55 degrees C. Sugars increase temperatures of starch transitions. C hemical leaveners decrease rise temperature. The texture of biscuits is gov erned by two phenomena: (i) gas production, function of temperature and wat er content and (ii) change of matrix viscoelastic properties, function of c omponents biochemical modifications. It results from strong interactions be tween ingredients; complete dough cannot thus be considered as merely simpl e addition of all components.