Having limited kidney function, I am on a diet aimed at limiting phosphorus, sodium, and potassium limitation consumed in foods. I love my baked goods, however, and many don't "fit" simply because of ingredients needed to make dough tenable, light, risen, soft. These involve sodium invariably, as Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate), or Baking Powder (sodium bicarbonate/sodium carbonate). Only other "riser" common is yeast, more unpredictable, more effective, MAYBE more sodium (I dunno). Rising dough requires CO2 gas be produced within it, which expands as it escapes,, puffing up the mix. So, I started thinking: most all mixes require a bit of liquid mixed into the dough to make it workable: water, milk, etc. WHAT IF seltzer water were used instead to provide the CO2, with no need for any acid/alkaline reaction like lemon juice for example and Baking Soda? Would it puff up the dough? I plan to try this: far more diet-conscious, if it works, seltzer has virtually no taste left after it's CO2 gas "passes", so no typical acid/sour lingering flavor later. What do you think? Frank EDIT: Left out Cream of Tartar as a possible dough-riser, not sure, though.
I'm not a bread baker, but the internet says: If you add carbonated water to the dough, you create more air bubbles that the yeast can enlarge. This should have no dramatic effect on the rising time; temperature and yeast amount will matter much more.
@Frank Sanoica: How about sourdough bread? Home made sourdough starter (just water and flour). Save some starter for next time. I think some people use milk and flour, instead of water and flour. Or you can buy starter online, but it probably contains yeast.
@Beth Gallagher I avoid yeast when uncertain of it's quality: old, dead, but never know until after mixing and waiting an hour or so. Big let-down if it fails to rise. What then? Add some new? Increase "yeasty" smell & taste by doing so? Still, my grandma's fresh yeast rye bread was the best I ever tasted! As a kid, DRY yeast was mostly unknown. My Ma bought cakes of moist, refrigerated yeast about 2 oz. each, they seemed infallible. Frank
@Von Jones I am undecided about "organic" anything. The "certification" and "guarantees" offered by accreditation concerns trouble me, like does suspected other B.S. on the Net. My neighbor in MO raised "ground-fed" "organic" chickens. They ran loose, OK, feeding on shit and drinking water exclusively from the cistern below his house, in which collected ALL their human waste which ran down the hill from their house above. He sold them in town obscenely expensively to unsuspecting folks who "believe". Frank
Frank--I always make sure my yeast is within the "use by" date to help insure that it will perform as expected. Nothing smells as good as yeast bread baking!
I should've added words to my post. I only posted that the seltzer water would work, but would upset the yeast deal. I'm glad you pointed it out before Frank turned his kitchen into a bakery.
Haha, I think he should experiment and let us know how it turns out!! All this bread talk made me go downstairs and dump French bread ingredients into my Breadman machine. It won't be done until 9 p.m. but the house will smell good at bedtime!! (And my husband is out of town so it will be me alone with fresh bread. )