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Double Acting Baking Powder

18 years ago

I'm almost out of baking powder but I have a lot of double acting baking powder. Can I substitute the double acting baking powder for regular? Is it a straight substitute?

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Comments (6)

miles661
18 years ago
No- double acting means using half the amount. I usually use half plus a smidge more when using dbl-acting.
lindac
18 years ago
Almost all baking powder is double acting. That means it reacts when you add the liquid to the recipe and again when the heat of the oven hits it.
Single action BP is cream of tartar and it will "do it's thing" when the liquid is added and if not baked very very quickly will fall. Double acting baking powder contains bicarb of soda, sodium aluminum phosphate nd mono calcium phosphate.
Any recipe I know uses double acting....it doesn't act twice as much but doesn't allow the batter to fall as soon as you add the liquid.
You will be fine.
Linda c
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Here's an almond anise one I've used for years Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Christmas Cookies Anise-Almond Biscotti (bon AppÃ©tit : December 1999) ================================================ Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/3 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups sugar 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons aniseed, ground 1 cup whole almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped 1 large egg white . PreparationPosition rack in center of oven and preheat to 350Â°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract and ground aniseed in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds. Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log. Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely on sheet on rack, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.) From the looks of things your recipe has a bit flour-- more eggs---( but then again no melted butter) so maybe that amt of nuts is needed to take up some of the wetness. I'd try it-- maybe use only 1 c nuts --add ground anise seed , maybe 2 1/2 tsp. As much baking as you do ,Linda you'll be able to "feel" if the dough's ok . Let me know when they're cool-- I'll bring the wine !
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annie1992
18 years ago
Like LindaC, I've only had double acting baking powder for years now and I use it at the amounts called for in all recipes, regardless of whether it calls for "baking powder" or "double acting baking powder".

It works for me but since I'm cheap, I might try using half as much. Well, not in biscuits, but maybe something else...

Annie
cooksnsews
18 years ago
When I lived in England 18-20 yrs ago, I got the feeling that a lot of their bp was single acting. At least, when comparing to some of my own recipes, the quantities seemed to be double. Also, a few of the brands in the grocery were marked "double acting", which implied to me that you had to know what you were dealing with.

Here in Canada, I'm pretty sure all the bp is double acting, and has been at least since I've been doing my own baking and grocery shopping.
acey
18 years ago
Funny to see this thread here today. I was doing a search on roast chicken (always looking for a new way!) and I read that if you take a chicken, really dry the skin well, then place a rub of salt, pepper, and baking powder on it, let it dry in the fridge for a day, you'll get a very crispy skin!

Well, I had my chicken all brined (I love to brine to get a moist breast), so I removed it from the brine, rinsed, and dried the bird well. I used just a spoonful of baking powder and plenty of pepper to dust it all over, figuring there was enough salt from the brine. I paid special attention to getting it under the thighs where I've always had soggy skin. I could only fridge the bird for an hour before I had to roast it.

To say the least, I was AMAZED. My chicken had the loveliest, most delicious, crispy skin I've ever gotten on a roast chicken!! I could eat the skin as a real treat from anywhere on the bird!!!!

Anyone else tried this trick? It will be my way to ensure a crisp skin from now on!!!
kandm
18 years ago
I've read that tip in Cooks Illustrated but I've never tried it. I get a pretty crispy skin from just salting the bird, leaving it in the fridge then patting it dry. The salt pulls up proteins from the meat which help it get crusty. I also turn up the heat towards the end of cooking.

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