[Sca-cooks] baking soda vs. baking powder

[Terry Decker]

Double action baking powder (most modern bp's are) aerates first while the
batter is being mixed then again at around 140 degrees F.  Single action
baking powder and baking soda only aerate during the mixing.  The second
aeration makes the cookie lighter.

Bear

>Maire commented:
>> The very first time I ever did a recipe "all by myself" (okay, so I was
>> seven) was snickerdoodles.  I put the wrong leavening in (can't
>> remember
>> if it was baking soda instead of baking powder or t'other way around).
>> They were perfectly shaped, perfectly baked, and perfectly inedible.
>> <g>
>Okay you food chemists out there, *why* would one of these work in this
>recipe but the other wouldn't and yet both seemed to give the same rise
>to this food. Maybe this depends upon what "snickerdoodles" are?
>Stefan