A substance that causes dough to rise. This happens when a substance creates gas (CO2), and this most typically occurs when yeast metabolizes sugars. It can also happen when baking soda contacts acids in a dough or when there is added baking powder. These latter powders are known as ‘leavening agents’ and are typically found in ‘self-rising flour’. This is different from Levain which is almost always a sourdough starter made up of bacteria and wild yeast.
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