Knowledge of Baking Terms

Baking Blind

This is the process of partially or completely baking a pastry case in the oven without filling. Line pie tins with pastry, cover with greaseproof paper, and weigh out with ceramic baked beans or dried chickpeas, beans or lentils. Baking blind is ideal if you have no-cook fillings that require very little cooking or is cooked at low temperatures. It ensures a crisp surface.

Beating

This is the rigorous mixing of ingredients using a wooden spoon, electric mixer, food mixer, or food processor. The goal is to thoroughly mix the ingredients and absorb the air, making the cake light and fluffy.

Creaming

This is the term used in baking to whip sugar and softened butter together to form an aerated mixture that is lighter in color. This is one of the ways to add brightness and volume to a cake.

Curdling

Curdling is when a food mixture separates into its component parts. If the eggs are added too quickly or are too cold, the creamed cake mixture may curdle. It can be brought back with the addition of one tbsp flour.

Dusting

This includes sprinkling sugar or spices on top of food as a garnish. Recipes may also call for you to "dust" the work surface with flour or powdered sugar to keep the dough or fondant icing from sticking together before kneading and rolling out. A tea strainer or fine sieve is suitable for dusting. You can also buy a shaker or dredge, which consists of a cup with a handle and a lid with holes.

Folding In

A technique used to lightly mix a light, airy ingredients like beaten egg whites with a heavier ingredients like cake mixture. Pour the lighter mixture on top of the heavier mixture in a large bowl. Starting at the back of the bowl, use a metal spoon to slice vertically down through both mixtures, across the bottom of the bowl and up the side. The bowl should be rotated slightly with each series of strokes. This up-and-down, criss-crossing motion gently combines the ingredients to create a light, fluffy consistency.

Icing

There are many different ways to ice a cake. Icing is a term used both for the act of covering a cake, and for the covering itself. Icing is sometimes called frosting, especially in American recipes.

Popular Icings Include:

• Glacé Icing (Icing Sugar and Water)
• Buttercream (Icing Sugar and Softened Butter)
• Cream Cheese Icing (Icing Sugar, Cream Cheese and Butter)
• Fondant Icing (Icing Sugar, Walter and Glucose)
• Royal Icing (icing Sugar and Egg Whites)

Sifting

This is the method of passing flour, cocoa or icing sugar through a sieve to remove lumps and aerate it. Most cake recipes will recommend you sift these ingredients for best results.

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