| October 30th — National Breadsticks Day
|
| |
Breadsticks may feel like a modern appetizer, but they’ve been on the table since the 14th-century in Italy, where bakers in the Piedmont region first shaped grissini to meet the local demand for light, dry, shelf-stable bread. Their name comes from the word grissa, meaning “loaf." |
| |
|
Your Crispy, Crunchy Breadsticks Guide |
Breadsticks are yeast-leavened dry breads known for their crispy, crunchy texture. Made from a lean dough, often without sugar or honey, they rely on carefully balanced fermentation, strong flours, and extended baking times to deliver their signature bite.
In industrial production, dough is mixed to full gluten development, fermented, scaled, and formed into long, narrow pieces. After a high-temperature bake at 250°C, the sticks are cooled to 32°C before packaging. A key challenge is maintaining dough consistency, which requires balancing the amylase activity in the flour by supplementing with diastatic malt or fungal alpha-amylase. With moisture content under 10% and a specific volume of 1.3–2.5 mL/g, these sturdy snacks are built to last and to satisfy. Learn more in the full BAKERpedia article on breadsticks. |
|
|
Whole wheat bread accounts for just 5% of U.S. breads and buns, despite growing consumer demand for healthier options. Join two experts as they explore the science and art of whole wheat baking, offering practical strategies to improve dough handling, texture, and flavor. Gain the skills and insights needed to bring nutritious, delicious whole-grain products to your bakery.
Speakers: Richard Charpentier, CMB, and Dr. Elizabeth Arndt. Webinar length: 60 minutes Cost: $0 Members/$99 Non-Members |
| Master the essential steps that turn dough into perfectly baked bread with this Baking & Cooling online course. Learn how ovens, heat transfer, and baking parameters impact your product, and discover techniques like thermal profiling and proper cooling to improve efficiency and quality. Certificate: Upon passing final test Course length: 30 minutes Cost: $150 for Members / $250 Non-Members
Get group pricing for your team of 3 or more members! Email [email protected] for details. |
|
|
| Ask Our Dough Technologist |
|
|
Q: Can you mess up sourdough starter?
What are the common pitfalls? |
Yes, sourdough starters can easily turn bad in a large-scale commercial setting if you are not consistent. One of the biggest issues we see is pH balance, either too low or too high. The pH range for liquid sourdough should be around 4-4.5, usually beginning at >5 pH when freshly fed and ending as low as 3.5 pH in the final loaf.
A sourdough culture is a balance of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast. The yeast produces ethanol (and CO2) and the bacteria produces acid. The ethanol keeps the bacteria in check, and the acid keeps the yeast in check. So, a shift in pH could be signs that one side is ‘winning.’ If it slides too far in one direction, your yeast or bacteria population could be killed off entirely.
To combat this, you need to keep your feeding times consistent, and your storage temperature regulated. It’s all about replicating the exact same environment every day to promote the flavors you want to have in your bread. That means no skipping a feeding on sanitation day or chilling your starter over a long holiday weekend.
Commercially, a lot of our customers purchase ready-to-use, liquid sourdough starters from a yeast ingredient manufacturer or supplier to avoid all the risk with home-made starters. These can be more stable and consistent, designed to stay viable for longer without regular feeding. This method allows the bakery to regularly buy as much liquid starter as they are going to use without having to cultivate/maintain a sourdough starter of their own. When handled properly, these manufactured sourdough starters can be very consistent and yield nice sourdough products.
Have a Dough Question? Email [email protected]! |
|
|
Webinar: Consumer Insights on Grain Foods |
What role do consumers see grain foods playing in their health, convenience, and daily meals? Join the Grain Foods Research Institute in this free webinar exploring the shifting perceptions of grain foods, uncovering opportunities to reconnect with younger buyers, highlight nutrition, and drive innovation across the category. Learn how understanding today’s consumers can unlock new ways to position grain foods as staples for well-being and affordability. October 23 | 11:00 AM ET Register Today |
|
|
Webinar: Egg Replacement Strategies |
Discover practical solutions for today’s evolving baking needs in this webinar on Egg Replacement Strategies in Baking. Led by Alex Pena of Bellarise, this session will break down egg functionality across fresh, frozen, and dry formats and explore ingredient options and strategies for effective egg substitution. Perfect for R&D professionals, product developers, and commercial bakers, you’ll leave with actionable insights to meet cost, supply, and allergen-free goals. October 28 | 11:00 AM ET Register Today |
|
|
American Society of Baking | 1415 Shelby Street, Suite A | Indianapolis, IN 46203 US
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe and never miss an update! |
|
|
|
