Ammonium bicarbonate offers a quick and regular nucleation to regulate the size of the waffle or bread pores and to increase the top lift of batter-based waffles. Ammonium bicarbonate is a chemical leavening agent that is considered "the precursor of today's baking powder and baking soda."
These are all important for obtaining a flawless mould fill and a soft texture. Ammonium bicarbonate reacts during batter mixing.
Ammonium bicarbonate decomposes during baking fully at 60°C into the gases NH3, CO2 and H2O without reacting with a leavening acid.
All three of these products act as leaveners. Because ammonia gas dissolves in water, it can be retained in moist products, giving them a sharp, pungent odor and rendering them inedible.
Ammonium bicarbonate is commercially available as a chemical, the ammonium salt of a carbonic acid ((NH4)2CO3). It is available either as lumps or powder. If it comes in lumps, it should be crushed into a very fine powder before using in any formula.
Ammonium bicarbonate as leavening agent
