Common Baking Terms – Decoded

Baking is all about precision and if you don’t know the tricks of the trade, all the dreams of ‘baking therapy’ could soon turn to stress. We put together an A- Z of all the important baking terms you should know about if you want to ace it in this department.

Bake – The basic definition is - A method of cooking food in an oven that surrounds the food with dry heat.

Blind Baking – the term given to the process whereby the pastry case is partially or completely pre-baked.  The pastry case is lined with greaseproof paper and weighted down with dried pulses to prevent the pastry from rising. This method is useful when a moist filling would prevent a raw crust from cooking thoroughly on the bottom and when the filling and the crust require different baking times.

Baking Soda – also known as bicarbonate of soda or sometimes simply as soda. When mixed with an acid ingredient and a liquid, it releases carbon dioxide, which causes a batter to rise.

Baking Powder – a mixture of baking soda and dry acid. When mixed with a liquid such as batter, the dry acid and baking soda react together to release carbon dioxide. Work quickly once you have added liquid to the dry ingredients, as carbon dioxide escapes quickly.

Baking Tray – baking tray is a flat tray which can withstand the heat of the oven and is used to bake biscuits, cookies etc.

Basting Brush – this is a kitchen brush that is used to apply a liquid (wash) over the top of any baked item, before, during, or after the baking process.

Beaters or Whisks – beaters are electric equipment used for beating, refining and mixing pulps. Whereas whisk is a tool with a multiple thin-wire base. Both are mixing tools designed such that its many strands of looped wire to make them more effective. 

Bloom – in bread baking the word bloom refers to the rising or yeast or doughs after they have been rested. Can also be the nice attractive brownish colour of the crust on a perfectly baked loaf of bread.

Butter Paper – generally used to line tins while baking ensures that the cake does not stick to tin.

Cake Boards – can be used as a separator plate between cake tiers instead of the usual plastic plates or as the board on which to decorate and serve your cake. Cake boards can be made of cardboard. They are cut to suit the shape of the cake and decorative gold or silver aluminum foils are used to cover the cardboard. They are readily available.

Crimp – to create ridges around the edges of pie by pressing with your fingers and tapping with the back of a knife blade or a fork.

Cutters (Cookie, Biscuit & Pastry Cutters) – these are available in different shapes and sizes and are used to make the above things.

Dough – a flour and water mixture, often with other ingredients, worked until it is firm enough to hold its shape but malleable enough to mould by hand.

Dropping consistency – the term used to describe the necessary consistency of a cake mixture before it is baked.

Fold - The process of blending a light ingredient, such as beaten egg whites, into a heavier ingredient by lifting from underneath with a spatula or spoon. In order to fold ingredients properly, the heavier ingredient is placed at the bottom of a bowl and the lighter above. A motion commonly used to fold the ingredients involves starting at one side of the bowl, moving downward and then across the bottom to the opposite side, enabling the ingredients on top to be brought down into and replacing the ingredients on the bottom. The bowl is then rotated a quarter turn and the motion is repeated. It is important not to completely blend the ingredients together. For example, if beaten egg whites are blended too thoroughly, the egg whites will lose their volume.

Grease - The process of applying grease to cooking vessels so that food will not stick when it is cooked.

Heat Oven – to turn the oven controls to the desired temperature, allowing the oven to heat thoroughly before placing food. Heating takes about ten minutes.

Icing Set - an icing set has a set of metal tubes and pipes with detachable numbered nozzles ranging from thin, plain writing nozzles to star or ribbon nozzles. Icing bags can be made at home with butter paper. This is convenient and less expensive.

Imbibe – to soak cake with a flavoured sugar syrup or liqueur usually applied with a pastry brush.

Knead - a method of mixing pliable dough by stretching, folding and pushing in order to activate the gluten present in the flour. The gluten is required for proper bread rising, as it forms elastic strands that keep the gases in the dough enabling the dough to rise. The process makes the mixture smoother and softer and develops the elasticity of the gluten. It also evenly incorporates air and any additional ingredients at the same time. Depending on the recipe (and your energy levels!) kneading usually takes about seven to ten minutes. Kneading is generally performed by hand, but can be accomplished by electric mixers and food processors that have the proper attachments.

Leaven – to cause batter or dough to rise, usually by means of a chemical leavening agent. This process may occur before or during baking.

Marble – to partly mix two different colors of cake batter or icing so that the colors are in decorative swirls.

Marzipan – sweetened almond paste made in confections.

Mixing Bowls - a variety of bowls that are usually used for kneading dough, whisking cream, eggs, mixing batter, etc.  They can be easily procured from the market.

Palette Knife – is an artist's knife with a thin, dull, flexible blade, used for mixing, scrapping or applying paint. It can be made of plastic or metal. In baking it is used to smoothen and spread icing evenly.

Pastry Brush – A pastry brush is one of those tools for which there is no substitute. If you need to brush an egg wash over a pie crust, a knife or spatula won't do. It should have soft, pliable boar bristles that are firmly anchored into the sturdy black nylon handle.  The handle has a small rest, which keeps the brush elevated so the bristles stay clean and untainted. Whatever kind of wash your recipe calls for, this brush will evenly paint your pastry or crust. It's also great for spreading marinades, glazes, or barbecue sauce on meat. 

Preheat - setting an oven or broiler to the desired cooking temperature in advance so that is has time to reach the desired temperature before putting the food in to be cooked.

Proof - the swelling and bubbling of yeast when mixed with warm water and set aside in a warm location. This proves that the yeast is active. Proof is also a term that references the swelling or rising of dough just before baking.

Rise - the process by which dough expands as a result of the carbon dioxide that is produced by the yeast or other leavening agent in the dough.

Rest - a term used to describe the process of letting pastry dough set for a period of time to prevent shrinkage. The ball of dough should be wrapped in plastic and placed in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. This will allow the elasticity, which was built up during mixing, to relax.

Rolling Pin – preferably a wooden one, it is used to roll out dough.

Self-Raising Flour – an all purpose flour with leavening and salt already added. Used for recipes where baking powder would be added, but not for yeast recipes such as bread.

Sift – the process of a dry ingredient, such as flour or sugar, passing through a mesh bottom sieve. This process combines air with the ingredient and makes it lighter and more uniform in texture.

Sifter – a fine meshed sifter that removes unwanted lumps or grains from any dry ingredient like sugar or flour.

Skewer – a thin long metal pin used to test if the cakes are baked completely.

Soften - to allow frozen food, such as butter, margarine or cream cheese, to stand at room temperature until they are no longer hard. Generally this will take thirty to sixty minutes.

Spatula – is a small implement with a broad, flat, flexible blade that is used to mix ingredients and also plasters and similar substances. A wooden spatula can be used to fold in ingredients while a plastic spatula can be used to mix butter, flour or to scrape the insides of a bowl while mixing. 

Steam Bake - to cook food in the oven, in a baking dish or pan that is placed in another pan containing water, which will create steam from the heat of the oven.

Stir – to combine ingredients with a circular or "figure 8" motion until they are of a uniform consistency.

Wire Rack – used for cooling baked goods, wire racks allow air to surround the food on all sides, making cooling quicker and preventing moisture build-up on the bottom of baked goods.