Ammonium bicarbonate

Bicarbonate d’ammonium

What it is

Bakers called it hartshorn because it was once distilled from shavings of deer antler, and German recipes still say Hirschhornsalz. It breaks down completely into ammonia, carbon dioxide and water, so alone among chemical leaveners it leaves no salt behind to taste.

In the kitchen

Thin dry biscuits only, under about 7 mm: in anything moist or tall the ammonia is trapped and the crumb keeps its smell. Use 5 g per kilo of flour, dissolved first in a spoonful of the recipe's liquid, and expect the oven to smell alarming for a minute.

Goes with

T45 flour Butter White sugar Egg Almond Cinnamon Clove Cardamom

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