Baking is something that everyone can enjoy, at any stage of life.
Baking as we know it today has roots that go back longer than most people would imagine.
Who invented baking, and are there any similarities between the past and present?
As you continue your journey as a home baker, it can be insightful to learn a little about the history of baking.
Baking Probably Originated in Ancient Egypt
Baking was becoming more commonplace throughout Europe around 2000 years ago, but the origins are slightly older.
According to some food historians, baking in fired ovens probably originated in Egypt around 2600 BC.
The Egyptians would make bread, which would have been comparable to what we make today.
The Egyptians had access to and understood the properties of yeast.
In addition to using it to help bread rise, the Ancient Egyptians also made beer with it.
The Roman Empire continued the tradition of baking.
At some time around 300 BC, baking became commonplace throughout the Empire, which spanned much of Europe.
It wasn’t just bread.
By this point, our ancestors had learned to make pastry, and baking was considered to be a prestigious profession in Rome.
Bakers were artisans that could produce intricate varieties of bread, sweet cakes, pastries, and even pretzels.
Grain mills became fairly commonplace throughout Europe.
Farmers used them to grind grain into flour, making it much easier for professional bakers and people in their homes to prepare baked goods.
When Did Modern Baking Evolve?
While the Egyptians definitely invented some form of baking, if you wanted to know who invented baking in a modern sense, you’d have to fast-forward to the 15th century.
In the 1400s, spices became more widely available in Britain.
This allowed bakers to experiment with new recipes.
Gingerbread, sweet buns and baked pies all became commonplace after the 15th century.
By the 17th century, sweet desserts became common in Europe.
Sugar was more widely available, which changed the way that people looked at baking.
No longer limited to bread-based goods and pies, bakers could now make sweet treats like tarts, biscuits (cookies), muffins, and more.
Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie?
In Britain, biscuits have been popular since the 1800s.
In America, where biscuits are more commonly called cookies, it is the chocolate chip variety that is the most popular.
Chocolate chip cookies are so popular that it’s almost a rite of passage for home bakers to make them.
While exploring the origins of baking, it’s impossible to ignore the chocolate chip cookie.
Although there are some conflicting accounts, the most established narrative is that Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie.
Wakefield wasn’t just a home baker.
She was a chef and had a formal college education.
As a dietician, she looked at more than just the baking of food.
She was also concerned with the nutritional value of all of her recipes.
Wakefield invented the cookie along with Sue brides in 1938.
At the time, it was known as the Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie, named after the Inn that Wakefield owned in Massachusetts.
The recipe was sold to Nestlé and eventually became an American tradition.
Today, chocolate chip cookies are known around the world.
Wakefield sold her recipe to Nestlé and was given a lifetime supply of chocolate from the company in return.
The original recipe was a little different from what most people use today.
The key differences were the use of shortening rather than butter, and the addition of brown sugar as well as white sugar.
Two Great Books to Learn More About the History of Baking
If you’re interested in the history of modern baking, you can take a journey that includes making some of the tastiest recipes from the past.
British baking has had a vast influence on Europe and North America. The British Baking Book by Regula Ysewijn covers both savory and sweet recipes. It’s a great introduction to early-modern recipes, all of which can still be enjoyed in the modern era.
If you’re interested in going deep into the past, consider Six Thousand Years of Bread, by H. E. Jacob. This book covers recipes and styles from before the Ancient Egyptians learned to bake. Some of the oldest recipes will surprise you with their simplicity and how different they are from modern baking.
The history of baking is a global journey.
When asking who invented baking, it’s important to understand that the techniques used today have developed through different regions and cultures.
There’s no single inventor of baking because it has been a global journey.
It’s a journey that still continues today, with every loaf of bread, cake, and sweet treat that you make in your home.
Baking is one of the most rewarding ways to cook.
Exploring its history can inspire you to try new things in your kitchen.
