30.8 Flavorings: extracts, zest, spice

Flavorings are not a basic ingredient of baked goods the way flour is, but they make the difference in a really good one. Bakers have four main kinds.

• extracts, also called essences
• emulsions
• aromas
• spices

Salt counts as a flavoring too, because it makes other flavors stronger, and chocolate is another.

Extracts and essences

Extracts, essences, emulsions and aromas are all flavor carried in a liquid, very often ethyl alcohol.

The flavor in an extract or essence is an essential oil drawn from a fruit, herb or vegetable, or an imitation of one. Fruit flavors often come from a particular part of the fruit: the rind (zest) of lemons and oranges, for example, or the outer flesh of apricots and peaches. Some have artificial flavor added to boost the taste, or artificial color for looks; food regulators limit these additives. Flavors may be sealed inside corn syrup and emulsifiers, or coated in gum, which protects them and helps the product keep longer. Many popular essences mix natural and artificial sources and still taste true.

Aromas

Aromas carry their flavor in oil rather than alcohol. They cost much more than alcohol extracts, but their scent is purer and finer. Use them in delicate creams, sauces and ice creams.

Emulsions

A flavor emulsion is aromatic oil and water blended smooth and held together with a stabilizer, such as a vegetable gum. Emulsions are stronger than extracts and lose less flavor in the oven, so a smaller amount does the job.

Zest and spice

Rubbing citrus zest with sugar to draw out its oil is covered with fruit. see chapter 18: Citrus

Vanilla, cinnamon sugar and the other baking spices, and how to keep them, are covered with herbs and spices. see chapter 20: Handling spices well