Chemistry in the kitchen

More fun with baking soda

Sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical name of baking soda 1, the most common use of
which is as a raising agent for cake making.

A raising agent is the substance that causes cakes and breads to rise. It does this by
creating bubbles of gas within the cake mixture or dough. The formation of gas causes the
volume of the mixture to increase and as a result the density decreases (since the mass of gas
is small). A cake that does not rise properly is said to taste heavy or rather too solid.

The three most common raising agents are baking soda, yeast and whisked egg white.
Baking soda and yeast actively produce carbon dioxide via chemical reactions; whisking egg
white traps tiny bubbles of air within a concentrated protein solution. Gases expand when
heated, so that even more rising takes place during the cooking process.

Baking soda

There are two different chemical reactions by which baking soda can produce carbon
dioxide: (1) a neutralisation reaction with acids 2; (2) a thermal decomposition reaction that
taking place when baking soda is heated.

The following thermal decomposition reaction will be used in the following recipe to make
‘honeycomb candy’:

sodium hydrogen carbonate → sodium carbonate + water + carbon dioxide

2 NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

Baking soda produces sodium carbonate, water vapour (steam) and carbon dioxide. Both
the water vapour and carbon dioxide create bubbles that expand greatly at higher
temperature. Sodium carbonate, on the other hand is an alkaline solid with an unpleasant
taste – so it’s important just the right amount of baking soda and certainly not too much.

Honeycomb candy

Sugar ¾ cup 170 g

Clear honey or 2 tablespoons 60 g
maple syrup
Water 2 tablespoons 30 mL
Baking soda 1½ teaspoons 9g

You’ll also need a large steel saucepan, a baking tray and some non-stick baking paper.

1
or bicarbonate of soda
2
You can see this reaction by mixing some baking soda with vinegar (ethanoic acid).
It also takes place in “baking powder”, which contains tartaric acid.
Method
Adapted from http://www.playingwithfireandwater.com/foodplay/2008/02/honeycomb-candy.html

Because the final steps must be executed rapidly, it’s important to

have everything ready before you start heating the sugar.

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Make sure your
baking soda is measured out and doesn’t have any lumps.

Spread the sugar out in an even layer in the bottom of a large

saucepan. Drizzle the water and honey over the sugar and place
on a burner over moderate heat. Cook, without stirring, until it
reaches 148°C (300°F) 3. You will observe the sugar melting, then
the syrup forming small, tight bubbles, then the bubbles will
become larger and looser and finally, the syrup will begin to take
on an amber colour.

Once the syrup is a light caramel colour, immediately remove it from the heat. Quickly
add the baking soda and whisk just until the baking soda is mixed in evenly. In one quick
motion, dump the foaming syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Do not spread or disturb,
as this will cause it to deflate.

Let the candy stand until cool to the touch (about 10 minutes). Break or cut into pieces.
Transfer immediately to an airtight container to preserve the crispness (this candy easily
absorbs water from the atmosphere).

Find out more about the chemistry of caramel:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramel
http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/science_of_cooking/caramelization.htm

3
If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, then you’ll have to do this by eye.
Don’t let the caramel get too dark, or it will taste bitter.