ammoniaca

[alc]

An old recipe (una ricette per biscotti) mentions (20 g. di ammoniaca)

What is the translation in English of "ammoniaca" to cook?

200 g. di zucchero

50 g. di miele

20 g. di ammoniaca

75 g. di burro morbido

300 g. circa di latte

 

[winnie]

ammoniaca = ammonia

you never use ammonia like rising agent. you have to use an ammonia salt called ammonium acid carbonate (NH4HCO3). as temperature rises in the oven this salt decompounds to three gases: ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).
IMO it can be replaced by baking soda.

 

[walnut]

"Ammoniaca per dolci" is and old type of baking powder (Bicarbonato d'ammonio). It could be "Ammonium bicarbonate", but better wait for other suggestions.
Ciao
Walnut

EDIT I agree with Winnie: baking soda seems to be a good substitute.

 

[winnie]

"Ammoniaca per dolci" is and old type of baking powder (Bicarbonato d'ammonio). It could be "Ammonium bicarbonate", but better wait for other suggestions.
Ciao
Walnut

EDIT I agree with Winnie: baking soda seems to be a good substitute.

bicarbonato d'ammonio and carbonato acido d'ammonio are synonimous. one can call it idrogeno carbonato d'ammonio or sale monoammonico dell'acido carbonico as well.

upon heating it undergoes thermal decomposition at 35 °C releasing ammonia gas.

 

[CookedGoat]

I'm translating an old recipe for "Paste con mandorle.". It call for "30 grammi d'ammoniaca." This is probably a reference to Ammonium carbonate, still used in Scandinavian countries to make cookies crisp. It's also known as ammonia powder or Hartshorne.

 

[Lucy Van Pelt]

I don't know the chemical composition of "ammoniaca per dolci", but I can tell you that in Italy it is sold in many supermarkets or big food stores.

I never bought it because not required by the recipes I use, but if necessary I can read the composition on the packing!

In any case, I think that it is different from simple ammoniaca that is used for cleaning, disinfecting or other purposes.

 

[Einstein]

Ammonia for the household is ammonia gas NH3 dissolved in water to become NH4OH.
For the powder winnie's formula NH4HCO3 is correct (all numbers below the line!).