kohottaja

Kohottaja is a Finnish term that translates to "raiser" or "lifter" in English. It is primarily used in the context of baking, referring to ingredients that cause dough or batter to rise, making it lighter and airier. The most common kohottaja is yeast, known as hiiva in Finnish. Yeast ferments sugars in the dough, producing carbon dioxide gas that creates bubbles and causes the baked good to expand. Baking powder, leivinjauhe, and baking soda, ruokasooda, also function as kohottaja, acting as chemical leavening agents that react to produce carbon dioxide when exposed to moisture and/or heat. The choice of kohottaja can significantly impact the texture, flavor, and rise of baked goods, with yeast-based products often having a more complex flavor profile due to fermentation. In a broader sense, "kohottaja" can also refer to something that lifts or elevates physically, though its culinary application is its most prevalent meaning.