ACTO baking powder - anyone know where to get it ?

woolfemme, Nov 23, 4:15am
My Mum always used the Acto baking powder because it had a different raising agent, one that starts to work when heat is applied, not activated by moisture.

I want to use it to make a large batch of cookie dough, roll it into 'sausages' and freeze it, so I can just take out a roll, slice it into biscuits and cook when I need to.

Mum used to prepare 4 or 5 different baking items in advance then use the oven like a production line,
ie:Shortbread, then as a soon as that came out, Louise Cake in, then the next itemetc etc. This way the oven was only on for the cooking time and not sitting empty while she made the next item. (Frugal electricity use)
olwen, Nov 23, 1:40pm
The active ingredient in Acto was phosphate of some sort. I just googled phosphate baking powder and found a product called Hercules baking powder made by Bakels. I'm guessing it's a foodservice product. A friendly cake shop might sell you some if they use it. http://www.nzbakels.co.nz/products/product_specs. cfm? product
=2970
nanasee1, Nov 23, 4:15pm
Woolfemme I freeze uncooked biscuit dough, shortbread etc all the time. I use standard baking powder and they come out fine.
maxwell.inc, Nov 23, 4:25pm
umm. . baking powder is HEAT activated

Baking SODA is moister activated (for leavening)
uli, Nov 23, 4:51pm
Not so maxwell. inc - most of the household baking powders are activated by moisture. That is why the recipes say to mix the baking powder with the flour, fold in last and immediately bake. I sometimes leave the dough for a bit, as I want the flour (freshly milled whole grains) to absorb a bit of the moisture before baking and you can see the bubbles coming up.
So now i usually leave it standing in the mixing bowl and after half an hour mix in the baking powder and bake straight away after.
olwen, Nov 23, 5:12pm
Baking soda on it's own does not produce CO2. It requires an acid. Sometimes this is supplied in the form of an acid ingredient, but standard baking powder has cream of tartar and baking soda. Acid and baking soda in the presence of liquid produce the CO2 which makes your baking rise. Heat plays only a small part in this. Acid phosphate baking powder such as Acto requires heat to rise. I did notice when researching this answer that Edmonds Sure to Rise seems to be a mixture of the soda/acid components with some phosphates (all cunningly disguised as additive numbers at least on the website).
sissybel, Mar 15, 6:56pm
Toops sell it goodluck.
babytears, Mar 15, 7:24pm
Trents, or

Gilmours warehouses
jessie981, Mar 16, 12:43am
Try Johnston's Grocery 787 Colombo St (near Kilmore St) 3663027
cookessentials, Mar 17, 1:59am
Made by Edmonds and sold at Gilmours I understand.
guest-lyn, Dec 25, 11:48pm
Acto and 'normal' baking powder ARE different. You are correct, Acto is more activated by heat, 'normal' baking powder activation starts earlier with moisture. Acto (or Cake baking powder as was called for domestic size/use) was used in Fish and Chip shop batter as it would not activate after adding the liquid to mix. I also have been trying to find Acto thru normal supermarkets and can't find it. Not sure if Gilmores allow non business to buy.
guest-lyn, Dec 25, 11:51pm
A PS to my last entry, Acto was often used with golden syrup and milk to replace eggs in recipes