Over the last few days my bakes haven't risen properly. Soda bread, sponge pudding and new mini cake recipe all flat. Then I looked at the best before dates of my raising agents - out of date!
Searched the internet and found that these products do in fact lose their effectiveness over time. If you want to check if they are still good here's how.
Baking Powder
Put a few tablespoons of warm water into a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. Should fizz moderately if fresh enough to use. No reaction - buy a new canister.
Bicarbonate of Soda
Put a few tablespoons of white distilled vinegar into a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. If fresh enough to use, should fizz and bubble furiously. Not a strong reaction - replace for cooking purposes, but you can still use it for cleaning pots and pans.
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