| Term | Definition |
| Bench rest | Allowing bread dough, usually covered, to ferment in bulk on a worktable |
| Bran | The tough outer layer of a cereal grain and the part highest in fiber |
| Bread flour | Blended flour made from hard winter wheat with a protein content between
11.5 and 14% percent |
| Bun | Any of a variety of small, round yeast rolls; may be sweet or savory |
| Cake flour | A finely milled soft wheat flour with a protein content of less than 8 percent;
used to produce tender products |
| Develop | To mix dough to the point when the protein bond in the flour forms gluten and
the dough becomes smooth and elastic |
| Durum wheat | A species of very hard wheat with a particularly high amount of protein;
it is used to make couscous or milled into semolina, which is used for making pasta |
| Dusting | Lightly coating the surface of an unbaked dough product with a powdery
substance such as flour or cornmeal, usually to prevent sticking or to give the product a
decorative finish |
| Endosperm | The largest part of a cereal grain and a source of protein and carbohydrates
(starch); the part used primarily in milled products |
| Fermentation | The process by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon
dioxide; it also refers to the time that yeast dough is left to rise, that is, the time it takes
for carbon dioxide gas cells to form and become trapped in the gluten network |
| Fiber | Also known as dietary fiber; the indigestible carbohydrates found in grains, fruits
and vegetables; fiber aids digestion |
| Germ | The smallest portion of a cereal grain and the only part that contains fat |
| Gluten | An elastic network of proteins created when wheat flour is moistened and
manipulated; it gives structure and strength to baked goods and is responsible for their
volume, texture and appearance |
| Kneading | A mixing method in which dough is worked to develop gluten |
| Levain | The French term for “leavening”; it refers to a dough made from a
sourdough culture that forms the basis for French-style sourdough bread |
| Make-up | The cutting, shaping and forming of dough products before baking |
| Milling | The process by which grain is ground into flour or meal |
| Oven spring | The rapid rise of yeast goods when first placed in a hot oven; results from
the temporary increase in yeast activity and the expansion of trapped gases |
| Polish | French term for a yeast dough sponge fermented for a long period at cool
temperatures |
| Proof box | A heat and humidity-controlled cabinet in which yeast-leavened dough is
placed to rise immediately before baking |
| Proofing | The rise given to shaped yeast products just prior to baking |
| Punch | To fold dough after it has fermented and risen in order to relax the gluten,
reactivate the yeast and allow gases to escape |
| Retardation | Chilling a yeasted dough under refrigeration to slow yeast activity and to
extend fermentation or proofing time |
| Rounding | The process of shaping dough into smooth, round balls; used to stretch the
outside layer of gluten into a smooth coating |
| Score | To cut shallow gashes across the surface of a food before cooking |
| Sponge method | A yeast dough mixing method in which flour, water and sometimes
yeast are premixed and allowed to ferment; after the sponge has fermented, the remainder
of the formula ingredients are incorporated |
| Straight dough method | A mixing method for yeast breads in which all ingredients are
simply combined and mixed; also known as the direct method |
| Windowpane test | A procedure to check that yeast dough has been properly kneaded; a
piece of the kneaded dough is pulled apart to see if it stretches without breaking |
| Caramelization | The process of cooking sugars; the browning of sugar enhances the
flavour and appearance of foods |
| Carbohydrates | A group of compounds composed of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, the
human body’s primary source of energy (4 calories per gram); carbohydrates are
classified as simple (including certain sugars) and complex (including starches and fiber) |
| Egg wash | A mixture of beaten eggs (whole eggs, yolks or whites) and a liquid, usually
milk or water, used to coat dough’s before baking to add sheen |
| Emulsification | The process by which generally unmixable liquids, such as oil and
water, are forced into a uniform distribution |
| Emulsifier | A substance, natural or chemical, added to a mixture to assist in the binding
of unmixable liquids; lecithin found in egg yolks or mono- and diglycerides are
commonly used emulsifiers |
| Fats | (2) the general term for butter, lard, shortening, oil and margarine used as cooking media
or ingredients |
| Glucose | a thick, sweet syrup made from cornstarch, composed primarily of dextrose; light
corn syrup can usually be substituted for it in baked goods or candy making; also sold in
a powdered form |
| Hydrogenated fat | Unsaturated, liquid fats that are chemically altered to remain solid at
room temperature, such as solid shortening or margarine |
| Hydrogenation | The process used to harden oils; hydrogen atoms are added to
unsaturated fat molecules, making them partially or completely saturated and thus solid at
room temperature |
| Hygroscopic | Describes a food that readily absorbs moisture from the air |
| Isomalt | A type of sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute and in sugar work. It is a
disaccharide, composed of glucose and mannitol that is made from sugar beets |
| Lamination | Incorporating fat such as butter into a pastry dough, making a laminated
dough with hundreds of crisp layers, as for puff pastry and croissants |
| Maillard reaction | The process whereby sugar breaks down and darkens in the presence
of protein and heat; non enzymatic browning |
| Oil | A type of fat that remains liquid at room temperature |
| Pasteurization | The process of heating something to a prescribed temperature for a
specific period in order to destroy pathogenic bacteria |
| Pearl sugar | Large-grain sugar formed into opaque pellets for decorating cookies and
breads |
| Quick bread | A bread, including loaves and muffins, leavened by chemical leaveners or
steam rather than yeast |
| Rolled-in dough | A dough in which a fat is incorporated in many layers by using a
rolling and folding procedure; it is used for flaky baked goods such as croissants, puff
pastry and Danish pastry; also called laminated dough |
| Roll-in | (1) a shorthand expression for the butter or other fat used in layering laminated dough;
also referred to as lock-in fat;
(2) the procedure of incorporating fat such as butter into a pastry dough to create
hundreds of crisp layers |
| Saturated fats | Fats found mainly in animal products and tropical oils; usually solid at
room temperature; the body has more difficulty breaking down saturated fats than either
monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats |
| Scaling | Measuring ingredients or portions on a scale |
| Shortening | (1) a white, flavorless, solid fat formulated for baking or deep-frying;
(2) any fat used in baking to tenderize the product by shortening gluten strands |
| Simple syrup | A mixture of sugar dissolved in water; used in icings, mousses, frozen
desserts and confectionery |
| Smoke point | The temperature at which a fat begins to break down and smoke |
| Spread | The flattening of cookie dough when it heats and bakes, controlled by the
formula, ingredients (especially sugar and fat) and temperature |
| Sucrose | The chemical name for refined or table sugar; it is refined from the raw sugars
found in the large tropical grass called sugarcane and the root of the sugar beet; a
disaccharide composed of one molecule each of glucose and fructose |
| Sugar | A carbohydrate that provides the body with energy and gives a sweet taste to
foods |
| Sugar beet | A plant with a high concentration of sucrose in its root; a major source of
refined sugar |
| Sugarcane | A tropical grass native to Southeast Asia; the primary source of sugar |
| Unsaturated fats | Fats that are normally liquid (oils) at room temperature; they may be
monounsaturated (from plants such as olives and avocados) or polyunsaturated (from
grains and seeds such as corn, soybeans and safflower as well as from fish) |
| Whole butter | Butter that is not clarified, whipped or reduced in fat content; it may be
salted or unsalted |
| Yield | The total amount of a product produced by a formula expressed in total weight,
volume or number of units of the product |
| Whipping | A mixing method in which foods are vigorously beaten to incorporate air; a
whisk or electric mixer fitted with a whip is used |
| Turns | The number of times that laminated dough is rolled and folded |
| Stirring | A mixing method in which ingredients are gently mixed by hand until evenly
blended, usually with a spoon, whisk or rubber spatula |
| Specific gravity | The weight of an ingredient or a mixture in relation to the weight of
water |
| Pâte sucrée | A dough containing sugar that produces a very rich, crisp (not flaky) baked
product; also known as sweet dough, it is used for tart shells |
| Pâte brisée | A dough that produces a very flaky baked product containing little or no
sugar; flaky dough is used for prebaked pie shells or crusts; mealy dough is a less flaky
product used for custard, cream or fruit pie crusts |
| Parbaked | Describes bread that has been baked until the gluten structure is set and yeast
activity has stopped but without browning; a frequent procedure for preparing bread that
will be frozen for resale |
| Panettone | A sweet Italian yeast bread filled with raisins, candied fruits, anise seeds and
nuts; traditionally baked in a rounded cylindrical mold and served as a breakfast bread or
dessert during the Christmas holidays |
| Muffin method | A mixing method used to make quick-bread batters; it involves
combining liquid fat with other liquid ingredients before adding them to the dry
ingredients |
| Mise en place | French for “putting in place”; refers to the preparation and assembly of
all necessary ingredients and equipment before cooking begins |
| Lecithin | A natural emulsifier found in egg yolks and soybeans |
| Leavener | An ingredient or process that produces or incorporates gases in a baked
product in order to increase volume, provide structure and give texture |
| Kaiser roll | A large round yeast roll with a crisp crust and a curved pattern stamped on
the top; used primarily for sandwiches |
| Hotel pan | A rectangular, stainless steel pan with a lip allowing it to rest in a storage
shelf or steam table; available in several standard sizes |
| Glaze | (1) any shiny coating applied to food or created by browning;
(2) a thin, flavored coating poured or dripped onto a cake or pastry |
| Gelatinization | The process by which starch granules are cooked; they absorb moisture
when placed in a liquid and heated; as the moisture is absorbed, the product swells,
softens and clarifies slightly |
| Formula | A recipe; the term is most often used in the bakeshop |
| Folding | A mixing method in which light, airy ingredients are incorporated into heavier
ingredients by gently moving them from the bottom of the bowl up over the top in a
circular motion, usually with a rubber spatula |
| Evaporation | The process by which heated water molecules move faster and faster until
the water turns to a gas (steam) and vaporizes; evaporation is responsible for the drying
of foods during cooking |
| Éclair paste | Also known as pâte à choux or choux pastry; a soft dough that produces
hollow baked products with crisp exteriors; used for making éclairs, cream puffs and
savory products |
| Éclairs | baked fingers of éclair paste filled with pastry cream; the top is then
coated with chocolate glaze or fondant |
| Dough hook | A mixer attachment used when kneading bread dough or other heavy
mixtures |
| Dough | A mixture of flour and other ingredients used in baking; has a low moisture
content, with gluten forming the continuous medium into which other ingredients are
embedded; it is often stiff enough to cut into shapes |
| Docking | Pricking small holes in an unbaked dough or crust to allow steam to escape and
to prevent the dough from rising when baked |
| Docker | A hand tool designed to pierce holes in the surface of bread, cracker, pastry and
pizza dough before baking to release air bubbles so the product bakes evenly |
| Deck oven | An oven with stationary, individually heated shelves; products can be baked
on each deck’s floor (hearth) either in or out of pans |
| Cruller | A Dutch pastry in which a loop or strip of twisted éclair paste is deep-fried |
| Creaming | A mixing method in which softened fat and sugar are vigorously combined to
incorporate air |
| Coagulation | The irreversible transformation of proteins from a liquid or semiliquid state
to a drier, solid state; usually accomplished through the application of heat |
| Citric acid | An acid found in citrus fruit juice, used to enhance flavor in foods and to
prevent crystallization of sugar syrups; available in liquid or powdered form |
| Brioche | a rich yeast bread containing large amounts of eggs and butter |
| Blending | A mixing method in which two or more ingredients are combined just until
they are evenly distributed |
| Biscuit method | A mixing method used to make biscuits, scones and flaky dough’s; it
involves cutting cold fat into the flour and other dry ingredients before any liquid is
added |
| Beating | A mixing method in which foods are vigorously agitated to incorporate air or
develop gluten; a spoon or electric mixer fitted with a paddle is used |
| Baking soda | Sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline compound that releases carbon dioxide
gas when combined with an acid and moisture; used to leaven baked goods |
| Baking powder | A mixture of sodium bicarbonate and one or more acids, generally
cream of tartar and/or sodium aluminum sulfate, used to leaven baked goods; it releases
carbon dioxide gas if moisture is present in a formula |
| Baking | A dry-heat cooking method in which foods are surrounded by hot, dry air in a
closed environment; similar to roasting, the term baking is usually applied to breads,
pastries, vegetables and fish |
| Baker’s peel | A flat-handled paddle used to slide food, particularly bread and pizza, into
a deck oven |
| Bake-off | The procedure of cooking a prepared dough or other pastry item that has been
produced elsewhere and is merely finished on site |
| Bake blind | To bake a pie shell or tart shell unfilled using baking weights or beans to
support the crust as it bakes |
| Bacteria | Single-celled microorganisms, some of which can cause diseases, including
food-borne diseases |
| Baba | A small, light yeast cake soaked in rum syrup; traditionally baked in an individual
cylindrical mold, giving the finished product a mushroom shape |
| Artisan | A person who works in a skilled craft or trade; one who works with his or her
hands; applied to bread bakers and confectioners who prepare foods using traditional
methods. |
