"Bobo Bonobo®" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Oct 5, 1:27 pm, "Paul M. Cook" >
> wrote:
> > "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> >
> > . ..
> >
> >
> >
> > > I noticed there was a thread about putting vinegar in pie crust.
> >
> > > The latest Cook's Illustrated addresses that practice. In a
> > > nutshell:
> >
> > > Apparently if you put enough water* into the dough to roll it
> > > out easily, it baked up tough, too much gluten was forming.
> > > They needed a way to tenderize the finished crust without
> > > reducing the amount of water.
> >
> > > *8 tablespoons
> >
> > > The article said the many recipes say that a teaspoon of
> > > vinegar or lemon juice (in other words, acid) can tenderize
> > > the dough, claiming the gluten formation is inhibited at lower
> > > pH values. However, their science editor says that isn't
> > > true until the pH drops below 5. Accomplishing that led to
> > > an incredibly sour crust.
> >
> > > So what they needed was something that is not water but is
> > > still wet, to replace some of the water. Answer: Vodka.
> > > 4 tablespoons each water and vodka.
> >
> > Vodka is acid? Alcohol is a weak acid and as far as I know a pH of 5.5.
80
> > proof vodka is 60% water so you aren't getting much acid. OK, I think
if
> > you add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide you'd get a real acid
response.
> > Lots of CO2 as well so it would almost be like adding yeast to the pie
> > dough. I'm also thinking some aluminum chloride would help.
>
> So, where how exactly do you get carbon dioxide out of hydrogen
> peroxide?


OK, high school chemistry here so if I recall correctly ethanol is C2H5OH,
hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. Put them together and you get CO2 among other
things.

Paul