~Substitute for baking powder~

[cinders]

;DI really like to share things when I discover them and in all the oodles of books that I read, I saw somewhere that you can use the white ashes from hardwood for baking powder and you know what? LOL I haven't tried it yet! But i will let you know when I do...or maybe someone else may be in the position to try it sooner and let me know...One teaspoon equals one teaspoon ETC...ETC... Cinders

[cinders]

LOL That is supposed to be One teaspoon equals one teaspoon or just the same equal measure...Sorry I did not proof read!

[cinders]

Ok....This thing is messed up...I proofread that last time!

[Jenny]

Thanks for the reminder! I read something about that a long time ago, and wanted to try it. I suppose it might work with birch ashes. We usually burn a combination of birch and spruce, but during good cold spells, it's mostly birch. I try to remember to save the ashes and make a small batch of biscuits. I'd think the wood would have to be really clean without lots of dirt. That would be gritty. Then sift it through cheesecloth or something to get rid of all the chunks of charcoal. That would be great if it really works. Another freebie ;D

I try not to use baking powder much because of the aluminum. Instead, in most recipes I substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar for each teaspoon of baking powder called for in a recipe. Doesn't work quite as good, and biscuits and cornbread come out a little darker, but you're not getting that aluminum so it's worth it.

Jenny

[Jenny]

Cinders, you're right ! ! ! What's with the "teasthingy" everytime the word " t-e-a-s-p-o-o-n" is written. I did that in a post when we first started this forum, but thought I'd just gotten distracted while I was writing. Then somebody joked about it. I never gave it another thought until now. Hummm. I just found out that it does the same thing when you write the word "s-p-o-o-n" if you write it without the dashes. See: "spoon". Wonder why it does that. Maybe it's a banned word or something. I'll check on it. ODD

Jenny

[wolfwoman]

OK test.... I am typing the follwing PROPERLY!!! I promise!!! lol


Teaspoon = t e a s p o o n
Tablespoon = t a b l e s p o o n
Spoon = s p o o n
poon = p o o n
Tsp
Tbl
Noon
boon
coon
doon
foon
goon
hoon
joon
koon
loon
moon
noon
poon = should be p o o n
qoon
roon
soon
toon
voon
woon
yoon
zoon



I DON'T GET IT!!!! This site doesn't like the word "P O O N" whatever it is!!! ROFL!!!!

Wolfie

[Jenny]

OK. I showed this post to Chuck. ;DIt was in the dirty word file on the site :-[and automatically changed it to "thingy". So, since none of we ladies here know what that is, and won't be using the dirty word (except in words like teaspoon or tablespoon) we deleted it from the censored list. Chuck said he hasn't heard the word since the 60's. Oh Well. Now we can write recipes ;D

Jenny

[wolfwoman]

OMG!!! NOW I know, and those of you that have ever watched WWF wrestling should know too!!! Not something that you hear in everyday use....ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cinders]

Yeah I saw it in the soap making recipe since too... spoon!!!! LOL And Thanks for the vinegar hint Jenny! Cinders

[lacyj]

Aren't wood ashes, lye? Wouldn't that be worse???
This is the one that I have heard of:
HOMEMADE SUBSTITUTE FOR BAKING POWDER

2 tbsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Sift together. Store in airtight container. One teaspoon of this is equal to 1 teaspoon store bought baking powder.

Here are some others I came across:
Sub. for 1 teaspoon Baking powder...
1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 5/8 tsp. cream of tartar
or
1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (decrease liquid by 1/2 cup)
or
1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup molasses
or
1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice used with sweet milk to make 1/2 cup liquid (decrease liquid by 1/2 cup)

Had to check it out. It would seem that the wood ash used with vinager or lemon juice, would Neutralize it. And, make it safer...

Can You Substitute Baking Powder for Baking Soda?

How much baking powder do I have to substitute for baking soda?
Baking soda is four times as strong as baking powder — so if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, you would need four teaspoons of baking powder to produce the same amount of lift. Unfortunately, though, it’s not that simple.

Baking powder is made of baking soda and exactly the right amount of acid to react with the soda (it also includes corn starch to keep the ingredients from prematurely reacting in the privacy of their container). So if your recipe already has acidic ingredients that were going to neutralize the baking soda called for, you are adding other ingredients that may not sit well with them.

Substituting for a lack of baking powder is very easy: 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (ignoring the cornstarch) for each teaspoon of baking powder required.

We’ve looked in dozens of books to be sure, but no one provides information for the reverse procedure — substituting baking powder when you don’t have soda on hand. To do so, you would have to consider the acidic ingredients in the recipe, and perhaps reengineer the recipe to replace them with more neutral ingredients (using whole milk instead of buttermilk, perhaps). But at that point, you would see, it would be easier and probably a lot more successful to pick up a box of baking soda.


lacyj

[Jenny]

Hi lacyj. Welcome to the forum and glad you joined us! ;D

Wow! that was lots of good information. Guess I've never been without baking soda because we use it for soooo many things ---- great for getting burned stuff out of pans (put about a tsp. or Tbsp. in the pan with some water and boil for a few minutes. The yukky stuff usually wipes out easily with a scrubber pad. Sometimes I do it twice) We also use it for brushing our teeth, and sometimes add it to wash or rinse water for laundry. And, of course, I cook with it.

All by itself, wood ashes aren't the same as lye. You couldn't just sprinkle it down a clogged drain or add it to a soap recipe. You have to pour water through to leach out the lye ---- not quite that simple, but that's the general idea. And it's in a different form than the lye you buy in the store.

For me anyway, the BIG reason not to use baking powder is the aluminum. Aluminum is a dangerous heavy metal associated with lots of diseases, including cancer and alzimers (ok, my spelling is horrible ) Also, as you mentioned, baking powder has corn starch. We recently learned that next to soy and peanuts, corn is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world, and the majority of the corn, either purchased as corn or to make corn products, is genetically modifided (GMO), which can be very dangerous. In the U.S. our beloved FDA has determined that consumers have no right to know if what they are eating is GMO, although I believe most other countries require labeling. Many countries won't even import U.S. food anymore because of the pestisides, herbisides, and GMO crops. They have determined that U.S. crops are potentially unsafe. Imagine that! ! !

OOPS! I took a rabbit trail leading to my soap box again. Sorry. Anyway, all that to say that I think baking powder is dangerous, so I avoid it. Didn't mean to come on so strong, lacyj. That wasn't an attack on you at all. Sorry if it sounded that way. I'm just really down on our FDA and big manufacturing companies for all the dangerous junk they're pouring onto the market, and marketing it to the public as wonderful, delicious and safe.

Jenny

[lacyj]

No offense taken...
Probably should have introduced myself...
I've been around a few homestead boards and your site has come up a few times. My step son lived in Bethel for a long time. He died in a house fire, last Easter. My Grandson as still up there with his other grandma. I don't think that the tribal elders will let him stay with us. I am hopeing that he will be able to visit, when her gets older. I've been interested in simple living and try to learn as much as I can... I think I will learn alot here...Hope you don't mind me joining...
lacyj

[Jenny]

lacyj, of course we don't mind you joining! ! ! We very glad to have you join us. I hope to hear lots from you around here

I'm so sorry to hear about the tragedy of losing your step son. It must be very difficult for you, especially with not being able to spend the time with your grandson that you'd like. Unless you're trying to adopt him, it seems like where he lives would be between you and his other family, wouldn't it? I'm sure it greatly depends on the particulars of your situation, though. I pray he's in a good home.

Jenny

[lacyj]

I just saw Rumford baking powder at the store that didn't have aluminum in it...It looked like the regular red/silver/black can...