Normal Hard Biscuits & Soda Biscuits (Cream Crackers)
Normal Hard Biscuits: Generally the surface of the Normal Hard Biscuit has pin holes which are used for releasing the air from the dough during baking (it makes sure that the surface and bottom of the biscuit is smooth and flat). Its press pattern is clear and contains layers in the section structure. This type of biscuit is crisp and chewy.
Production Process: Row material preprocessing—Dough handling—Gauging—Forming—Baking—Cooling—Stacking—Packing—End Products
Soda Biscuits: A unique characteristic of the Soda Biscuit is that a certain amount of yeast and sodium bicarbonate been added in the flour. After first mixing the dough it is fermented before adding an additional amount of flour and mixing again. After a short period of time for fermentation, the dough can be used for making Soda Biscuits.
The Commercial Production of Hard Biscuits & Soda Biscuits
When most of us grab a box of biscuits or soda biscuits at the store, we really don’t give much thought as to how they are produced commercially. Perhaps the thought of watching our mother or grandmother make some of this comfort food may cross our mind from time to time but the process that is used in the commercial production of biscuits is quite different. Then again, there are also some things that are very similar, as the basic recipe and mixing of ingredients must take place, regardless of where the biscuit is made.
The following are the basic steps that take place during the commercial production of hard biscuits and soda biscuits:
Making and Mixing the Dough – During this first stage of the process, all of the ingredients are brought together and mixed in order to prepare the biscuits for baking. Every part of the process is carefully monitored during this process, including the temperature of the room and the dough and the consistency. Typically, a commercial dough mixer is used to automate the process. There are many different types of mixers, including some that operate in both a vertical and horizontal position.
Starting the Fermentation – Some type of rising agent must be used at this point in the manufacturing process. Typically, this will be yeast and it will be mixed into the dough, typically using the same large mixer that was used in the first step. After the yeast has been added, the dough will be set aside to allow the fermentation to take place. This may take up to 24 hours or slightly longer, depending on the type of biscuits being made and the conditions in the room where it is taking place.
Shaping the Biscuits – After the fermentation has taken place, it is necessary to form the biscuits. They are put onto dough sheets and then formed using rollers. They are also compressed during this time. The process also allows for adding any additional toppings or flavorings that might be added to the biscuits. They are then passed under a rotary cutter that will stamp out the biscuits into the proper shape. All of this takes place automatically, which is why you are able to get such uniform shapes and sizes when buying commercially made biscuits. In addition, ensuring they are the same size allows the baking to be properly regulated.
The biscuits are now run through the oven and baked until they are done. After coming out of the oven, they are allowed to cool before testing takes place. A series of tests may occur on each batch, including taking an internal temperature, checking for firmness and sometimes, even a taste test. All of this must take place to ensure that they are ready to ship to the stores.
After everything has been tested, the biscuits are packaged, labeled and boxed for shipping. It may not exactly be like your mom used to make them but when you taste them, they sure are good.
Using high-quality equipment from Apex ensures that each step of the process will run efficiently, and as expected – producing a superior product at a reasonable cost that will bring your customers back again and again.
Interesting Healthy Biscuit information from the US National Library of Medicin