Introduction to Baking and Pastry - Unit 1

Introduction to Baking and Pastry

• Mastery of basic baking skills and knowledge is vital for pastry chefs.
• Familiarity with common baking terms enhances communication and understanding of processes.
• Mise en place, which refers to "everything in its place," is crucial for efficiency in baking.
• Knowing the correct tools and equipment is essential for effective and precise baking.
• Understanding various ingredients and their specific functions in recipes is fundamental for successful baking.

Baking Terminologies

• Alternately add: Technique of incorporating dry and wet ingredients in small batches, beginning and ending with dry.
• Bain marie: A baking method using a water bath to gently cook food for even heating.
• Bake blind/blind baking: Cooking a pastry crust without filling, typically weighed down with dry beans to keep its shape.
• Batter: Mixture of dry and wet ingredients, characterized by a pourable consistency.
• Bavarian cream: A gelatin-enriched custard mixed with whipped cream, often flavored and molded.
• Bavarois: A cold dessert made with gelatin and whipped cream, usually served chilled.
• Caramelize: The process of melting sugar to create a rich, golden-brown color and flavor.
• Choux pastry (pâte à choux): A cooked batter made from liquid, fat, flour, and eggs, piped into shapes, expands when baked.
• Cream: Combining fat and sugar to achieve a smooth mixture while incorporating air.
• Crèmeux: A creamy dessert made by combining crème anglaise with chocolate.
• Crème Chantilly: Sweetened whipped cream, enhanced with flavors.
• Crème Anglaise: Light pouring custard sauce, known as "English cream" in French cuisine.
• Crème Pâtissière: Egg custard used as filling for pastries; also known as pastry cream.
• Cut in: Incorporating fat into flour until pea-sized crumbs form, a method often using a pastry blender or knives.
• Dacquoise: A layered dessert made with meringue and ground nuts, filled with cream or ganache.
• Diplomat cream (crème diplomate): A mixture of vanilla pastry cream and whipped cream, used as a filling.
• Dredge: Coating a surface with dry ingredients such as flour.
• Drizzle: Sprinkling a liquid, like syrup, over a dish.
• Dust: Lightly covering a surface with flour or sugar.
• Egg wash: Mixture of egg yolk and milk brushed on pastry for a shiny finish; variations in ingredient ratios can be applied for different results.
• Entremet: A sophisticated French dessert featuring multiple layers of cake and pastry creams.