Baking Glossary

To incorporate an ingredient into a mixture.

To whip, sift or beat air between particles

A vegetable gelatin used for setting

In bread baking, combining flour and water before adding other ingredients and before kneading

A small yeast cake saturated in syrup

A water bath that prevents delicate desserts from curdling or overcooking

To cook with dry heat in an oven

A group of thirteen items

A way of writing recipes where ingredients are percentages of flour weight

Proofing baskets that give bread its shape and pattern

A type of cookie made by pressing dough into a pan, baking, then cutting into squares

To moisten food with fat or liquid during cooking

Mix ingredients vigorously with a spoon or mixer

A pre-ferment used in Italian bread making

A small, typically round cake of bread dough.

Having a sharp, pungent taste; not sweet.

To mix ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Type of baking where pastry is partially cooked first

Add hot liquid to gelatin to hydrate it

To heat liquid until bubbles form on surface

A round container used for mixing ingredients.

A rich, buttery bread or pastry dough

Cook with high heat from above

A small cake or bread roll.

A frosting made from butter, sugar, and flavorings

Fermented dairy product used for its acidity in baking

Sweet baked good made from a mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, and fat.

Heat sugar until it browns and develops complex flavors

Sweetened whipped cream with vanilla

Requiring prolonged chewing.

To lower the temperature of dough or ingredients in a refrigerator.

A conical sieve used to strain liquids or purees

A light pastry dough used for eclairs and cream puffs

A baking dome used to trap steam for crusty bread

A fruit dessert with a biscuit-like topping

Powder made from roasted and ground cacao beans

Having a low temperature.

Oven setting that uses a fan to circulate hot air

To bring to room temperature after baking

A linen cloth used to hold dough while proofing

The pattern of lines on the crust of certain breads

A thin, sweet, crisp dough placed on choux pastry before baking

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy

To seal the edges of two layers of dough with fork tines or fingertips

A baked fruit dessert with a crunchy topping

A flaky, buttery, crescent-shaped pastry

The pattern of air holes in the structure of a baked bread or cake

A dessert with a streusel-like topping

The outer layer of bread or pastry after baking

A unit of volume measurement or a small container.

When a mixture separates into its component parts

A dessert made from eggs, milk, and sugar

To divide ingredients with a knife or tool.

A sweet pastry with filling, often with fruit or cheese

To add decorative elements to baked goods.

Having parts closely compacted together.

To immerse briefly in a liquid or coating.

To work dough to release carbon dioxide bubbles

To prick the surface with a fork before baking

Method of measuring ingredients without liquid

Lightly coat with flour or sugar

An oblong pastry filled with cream and topped with icing

One of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat

An ancient wheat variety also known as farro

To combine two liquids that don't normally mix into a stable mixture

Concentrated flavoring used in baking

The percentage of flour obtained from milling grain

Biological process that produces bubbles in dough

Having a solid, unyielding texture.

Breaking easily into small, thin layers.

Bread made with flour, water, and salt, rolled flat.

To create decorative indentations on pie crust edges

A flat Italian bread topped with olive oil and herbs

Gently combine ingredients while maintaining air

A sweet icing that can be rolled and draped over cakes

An almond-flavored filling made from ground almonds, butter, and eggs

To cover a cake with frosting.

A free-form rustic tart

A filling made from a mixture of chocolate and heavy cream

To decorate food with edible items

Process where starch and water are heated, causing starch granules to swell

When starch absorbs water and swells when heated

A whole-egg sponge cake made with batter containing melted butter

Thin, glossy coating applied to baked goods

Protein in wheat that gives structure to baked goods

The edible seeds or fruits of grasses

To coat a pan with fat to prevent sticking

A network of lines forming squares, like on a cooling rack.

Solid and resistant to pressure; not soft.

The floor of a masonry oven where bread is baked

To raise the temperature of ingredients or an oven.

Having a high temperature.

The outer covering of a seed or fruit

To add liquid to a dry ingredient allowing it to absorb moisture

The ratio of water to flour in a dough

To coat with frosting or to chill ingredients

To steep ingredients to extract flavors into a liquid

Work dough with hands to develop gluten

A tool with a blade used for cutting.

A Breton cake made with bread dough, butter, and sugar

A special blade used to score bread dough

Fold butter between layers of dough for pastries

Rendered pork fat used in baking

Woven strips of dough used for pie tops

Containing little or no fat (often referring to dough).

Add ingredients to make dough rise

A fermented mixture of flour and water used as a starter

To make the surface of batter or dry ingredients flat.

Having little weight; not dense.

Paper or foil placed inside a baking pan.

A shaped mass of bread baked in one piece

A meringue-based sandwich cookie made with almond flour

A cookie primarily made of coconut

Grain that has been sprouted and dried

Creating a swirled pattern of different colored batters

A sweet paste made from ground almonds and sugar

A silicone or other surface used for rolling dough or lining pans.

To determine the quantity of an ingredient.

To turn a solid into liquid with heat

To cook food using high-frequency electromagnetic waves

A small-seeded grass used in gluten-free baking

A protective glove worn when handling hot pans.

To combine ingredients together

An electric appliance used for mixing ingredients.

Slightly wet; damp.

Shape mixture using a form or container

To process corn with an alkaline solution

A fat that is liquid at room temperature

An enclosed appliance used for baking with dry heat.

The increase in volume from whipping air into cream

A container used for baking

A sweet Italian bread typically served during holidays

To partially bake dough before adding toppings

To gently shape dough or batter with hands.

Stiff or soft points formed when whipping egg whites or cream

A flat tool used to transfer bread or pizza into an oven.

A small confection typically served with coffee

Baked dish with a filling encased in pastry.

A very small amount, about 1/16 teaspoon

Apply soft ingredients through a pastry bag

A wet pre-ferment used in bread making

To transfer liquid ingredients from one container to another.

To heat an oven to the required temperature before baking.

Allow dough to rise before baking

To turn a food processor on and off in short bursts

To deflate risen yeast dough gently.

A wire grid used for cooling baked goods.

A cooking technique to concentrate flavors by evaporation

Allow dough to sit for a period of time

Chilling dough to slow fermentation for increased flavor and color

The process of starch crystallization causing bread to stale

Having a high proportion of fat, butter, or eggs.

When dough increases in volume due to fermentation

To flatten dough with a rolling pin

A cooked mixture of fat and flour used to thicken

A hard, brittle icing used for decorating cakes and cookies

To integrate fat into flour using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs

A type of grain used in bread making

To heat a liquid such as milk to near boiling point

A device used to weigh ingredients accurately.

A small, lightly sweetened cake, often eaten with butter and jam.

Make shallow cuts on dough surface before baking

Coarse flour made from durum wheat

When a mixture becomes firm or solid

To form dough into a desired form before baking.

A machine that rolls dough to a consistent thickness

Any fat used in baking to create tenderness

When dough reduces in size during baking

Pass dry ingredients through a fine mesh

A tool used to pass dry ingredients through a mesh.

To test a liquid mixture in small amounts

To cut the top of bread dough before baking

To cut baked goods or dough into portions.

To spread a thin layer of butter in dough to create layers

Having a yielding texture; not firm.

Having an acidic taste like lemon or vinegar.

Bread made with a fermented culture of flour and water

A utensil with a broad, flat blade for mixing or spreading.

An ancient grain related to wheat

A utensil used for mixing or measuring.

To distribute a topping or batter evenly.

A pan with removable sides used for cheesecakes

To scatter small particles over a surface.

The process of bread becoming dry and hard

A fermented mixture used to leaven bread

A pattern used to create designs on baked goods

To mix ingredients with a circular motion.

A layered pastry with a sweet filling

Having the taste characteristic of sugar or honey.

To lightly hit a pan to remove air bubbles.

Having a sharp or sour taste.

Gradually bring ingredients to a specific temperature

To bring frozen ingredients to room temperature.

A device used to measure baking time.

Another term for a baking pan, often metal.

To add an ingredient to the surface of a baked good.

A dessert of sponge cake, fruit, custard, and cream

To employ an ingredient or tool in a recipe.

A small cut in pie crust to allow steam to escape

Having or giving off a moderate degree of heat.

To determine the mass of an ingredient using a scale.

Covered or saturated with liquid.

The liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained

Beat ingredients to incorporate air

To beat ingredients with a whisk to incorporate air or mix well.

A test for gluten development in bread dough

The quantity of a recipe that results from preparation

To heat briefly in a microwave

The colored outer portion of citrus fruit peel