Well first of all I would like to congratulate you on succussfully completing your first lesson, there is only 17 left before your final exam!!

What we learnt (hopefully)

This weeks lesson focused on the production of emulsified and conventional sponges. We talked in class about the differences in their production and the advantages or disadvantages of each type of product. These included:

The level of skill required in the production process.

The differences in the batter stability and handling properties.

The variations in the recipe formulas.

A Commercial sponge uses the All in method of production with the addition of stabilising or emulsifiying agents. This enables the normally incompatible ingredients to combine and aerate to form a stable foam.

The Conventional or Traditional sponge is made using eggs, sugar and flour, baking powder is sometimes used to open the texture and assist aeration of the product. When melted butter is incorporated into a conventional sponge it's purpose is to:

• Close the texture of the sponge by removing some of the aeration resulting in denser crumb. This is useful when the sponge is to be soaked as it will more readily absorb the syrup with out falling apart.
• The melted butter also enriches the sponge enhancing the eating qualities.
• The addition of melted butter will also help extend the shelf life of the sponge.

This information can also be found on pages 45-47 of your text books, it