Caramelisation occurs by heating sugars at a high temperature to remove water.  This produces a brown colour and a nutty flavour.

A shortening is defined as a fat, solid at room temperature, which can be used to give foods a crumbly and crisp texture such as pastry.  Examples of fat used as “shorteners” include butter, margarine, vegetable oils and lard.  It is also possible to buy shortening for use in baking.

Have you made cakes? Why do some recipes say to cream butter?

Fats can be spread, manipulated and shaped. Plasticity means the ability to be spread and shaped.

Have you ever made mayonnaise?  Mayonnaise is an example of an emulsion.

How can fungus blow up a balloon?

Can you imagine what a cake would taste and look like if it had no air in it?

Why do some recipes use chemical raising agents and how do they work?

Why does a banana go brown the older it gets or an apple go brown after being sliced?

Wheat and other related grains (including barley and rye) contain a mixture of two proteins glutenin and gliadin.  When flour made from grinding these grains is mixed with water the two proteins combine to form gluten. Without water, gluten is not formed.