Elements / One ingredient, one dish

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Yeast breads get their fluffy texture from little gas bubbles that live yeast generates in the dough. It can take hours for those microorganisms to do their work, though. That’s why bakers in a hurry often turn to baking powder.

It’s a mixture of baking soda, which is a base on the pH scale; anacid— usually cream of tartar—and cornstarch or other filler. When it meets liquid, a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide bubbles, just like yeast does—only faster.

The bubbles won’t last long, though, so whatever it is used in ought to head for the oven swiftly. That’s one reason many recipes using baking powder have you mix all the dry ingredients together, combine the wet ingredients in a second bowl, and combine them in one dash. That’s to cut down on the time between the powder activation and the oven.

Baking powder is characteristically used in a class of baked goods, including most banana breads, appropriately labeled “quick breads.” Muffins and scones usually get their rise from the powder.

Double bubbles: There’s two kinds of baking powder. Single-acting powder is formulated to react when it gets wet. Double-acting baking powder produces a second round of bubbles when it’s heated. Most supermarket brands are double-acting.

Rising expectations: Baking powder was first developed by English chemist Alfred Bird in the late 1800s. Bird developed the formula on behalf of his wife, who was allergic to yeast.

Baking powder put the puff in the biscuits that ring this simple version of chicken pot pie. Recipe adapted from the Los Angeles Times.

Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

1 carrot, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Place carrot in a small saucepan; add water to cover. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until just tender, 8 minutes. Remove from heat, drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion; cook over medium heat until tender, 5 minutes. Combine flour, salt and pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill

For the biscuits:

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small chunks

3 to 4 tablespoons milk to taste in a small bowl or plastic bag. Add chicken chunks; toss to coat chicken.

Add chicken chunks to skillet, reserving leftover flour. Brown chicken over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Stir 1ø tablespoons of the leftover flour into skillet; cook 1 minute. Gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add dill, frozen peas and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste; adjust salt. Spoon chicken mixture, carrots and peas into a deep 9-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 425 degrees. For the biscuits, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir well. Cut in butter to form small chunks. Stir in enough milk to form a wet batter.

Drop biscuits by the rounded tablespoon into a circle on the inside rim of the dish. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Elements: Baking powder chicken pot pie

agalarneau@buffnews.com

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