Baker's Glossary

Acetic Acid The acid in vinegar that comes from a second fermentation of beer, wine or cider.

Acidulated Water Water to which lemon juice or wine vinegar is added, used to stop peeled vegetables from discolouring.

Agar-Agar A seaweed based vegetarian alternative to gelatine, used as a stabiliser or thickener.

Albumen Egg white.

Arrowroot A fine white powder used for thickening sauces, similar to cornflower. Arrowroot, gives a clear gloss. It is best mixed with a little water before adding to liquids.
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Bain-Marie A shallow hot water bath into which another container is placed to cook. Used to distribute heat evenly and prevent scorching. Also used to keep food warm without boiling or over-cooking.

Baking Powder A raising agent that reacts to produce carbon dioxide which expands during baking to ensure that cakes and breads rise.

Brownie A firm, chewy cake, often made with chocolate and nuts, cut into squares.

Brown Sugar Refined sugar with a thin coating of molasses, not to be confused with raw, unrefined sugar.

Buckwheat A grain sometimes ground as flour.

Buttermilk Cultured pasteurised milk, mildly acidic with a creamy flavour and thick consistency.
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Caramelise Heating sugar to the point where it melts and sets later to a hard glaze. Or, cooking fruit or vegetables until natural sugars are released and it becomes brown.

Cardamom A small pungent seed pod used as a flavouring.

Chantilly Cream Whipped cream sweetened and flavoured with vanilla.

Choux Pastry A light, double-cooked pastry used for cakes and buns.

Cinnamon A sweet spice bark used as a flavouring

Clarified Butter Butter that has been heated and strained and all impurities removed, cooks at a higher temperature without burning.

Custard A thick, sweet milk based sauce, served hot or cold with desserts.

Clotted Cream Thick, baked cream, from Cornwall or Devon.

Cloves A sweet, pungent, spice used as a flavouring.

Coconut The fruit of the coconut palm, used in both sweet and savoury dishes

Cornbread Bread made from cornmeal flour.

Cornflour A starch extract used to thicken sauces.

Corn Syrup Very sweet syrup similar to golden syrup. Crab Apple A small sour wild apple.

Cream of Tartar A potassium salt of tartaric acid, used in baking powder, as well as in self-raising flour, in combination with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

Creaming Mixing ingredients together until they become fluffy like whipped cream.

Crème anglaise The French name for custard.

Crème Brûlée An egg custard dessert with a hard caramel topping.

Crème Fraîche A sharp flavoured thick cream made from pasteurised milk.
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Demerara Sugar Pale, mild raw cane sugar.

Desiccated Coconut Sweetened dried coconut shreds.

Double Cream Cream is 48 per cent fat, withstands boiling, whips well and can be frozen. Called heavy cream in America
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Eggwash Beaten egg and milk, used to glaze pastry or bread.

Emulsify To combine fats with vinegar or citric juice into a smooth, stable mixture.

Essence or extract Concentrated aromatic extract from the such as almonds, vanilla, or coffee, used as a flavouring, also available in synthetic form.
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Filo Pastry Very thin sheets of pastry east European and Middle Eastern dishes.

Flaky Pastry A pastry made of layers that become flakier when cooked.

Flan Open pie filled with a sweet or savoury filling.

Fold To mix ingredients whilst retaining air. Often to incorporate flour or sugar with beaten egg whites.

Fondant A soft sweet icing. Sautéed potatoes crisped with a soft centre.

Fool A cold dessert made from whipped cream and fruit purée

Frangipane A almond flavoured sweet pastry cream.
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Gelatine A setting agent, derived from animals, available as a powder or a sheet. Used to make jellies, mousses, etc.

Glaze To brush liquid over food to give it a glossy appearance.

Glucose The natural sugar, found in fruit and other foods, which is easily absorbed by the body.

Gluten The protein in flour which, gives the dough elasticity and strength.

Gram Flour A pale yellow, flour made from ground chickpeas
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Hot Water Crust Pastry A heated pastry that can be can be moulded to produce raised pies.
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Icing Sugar Granulated sugar that has been milled to produce a very fine powder.

Infuse To extract flavours from herbs, spices, tea or coffee using boiling water and allowing to stand or cool.
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Kirsch A liqueur distilled from cherries, used as a flavouring.

Knead To work and stretch dough to make smoother, more elastic, or to add additional ingredients. Leavening An agent that produces gas in dough or batter by fermentation, raising and lightening it. Yeast, baking powder and baking soda are all common forms.
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Lemon A sharp citrus fruit, both it's skin (zest) and juice are used as flavouring.

Lemon balm A green herb with a lemon flavour and odour, used as flavouring.

Lemon Grass A herb with a lemon flavour and odour, used as flavouring.

Lime A small, green citrus fruit, both it's skin (zest) and juice are used as flavouring.

Lingonberry Lingonberries are a dark red soft fruit, traditionally used in Swedish cooking.

Loganberry A cross between the blackberry and raspberry.
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Macadamia A nut that is native to Australia, with a white kernel.

Macaroon A small almond flavoured biscuit or cake.

Madeleine A sweet scallop-shaped cake.

Maldon Salt Sea salt which comes from the Maldon area of Essex.

Mandolin A very sharp slicer with one or blades fixed in a frame that can be supported in a tilted position. Used to slice or juilienne vegetables.

Maple Syrup The sap of the maple tree, popular in the United States and Canada.

Mascarpone A soft and creamy Italian cheese.

Marzipan A thick paste made from ground almonds, sugar and egg whites used as a topping for cakes or as a base for the icing for special cakes.

Meringue Stiffly whipped egg whites and sugar, which when baked hard on the outside but soft inside.

Mille-Feuille A pastry made of thin layers of puff pastry, whipped cream with a sweet or fruit filling. Literally means 'a thousand leaves'.

Mincemeat A sweet and spicy preserved mixture of dried fruits and spices, with rum or brandy, used for mince pies.

Molasses A thick, dark, heavy sweet syrup.

Mousse A cream dish with added beaten egg whites and with a sweet or savoury flavouring
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Petit Four A small fancy biscuit or cake.

Patty Pan A small, circular, courgette with fluted edges.

Patty Tin Baking tin with 6, 9 or 12 shallow round compartments used for making individual pies and tarts.

Pecan A nut related to the walnut.

Pectin A substance in fruit that cause the pulp to set, as when making jams.

Praline A sweet made of almonds and sugar.

Profiterole A choux pastry small bun, usually filled with cream.

Puff Pastry A very light flaky pastry made of many layers which expand when cooked.
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Quiche An open tart or flan with a savoury filling.

Quince A fruit which when ripe is aromatic, often used to made preserves.
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Raised Pie A pie made with hot water crust pastry.

Ricotta An un-ripened soft and creamy Italian ewe’s milk curd.

Rice Flour An alternative to wheat flour also used as a thickening agent.

Rose Water An essence distilled from fragrant rose petals.
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Strudel A fruit sweet made from very thin layers of pastry.

Spelt A cereal grain with a nutty flavour, and can be used by people with wheat allergies.

Soufflé A sweet or savoury dish enriched with egg yolks with whisked egg whites folded in and then baked.

Shortbread A sweet, rich butter biscuit.

Shortcrust Pastry A crumbly pastry that is ideal for pies and pasties.

Scone A small, rounded sweet or savoury cake.
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Tarte Tatin An apple tart that is cooked under a lid of pastry, served upside down .
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Unleavened Bread Bread without leavening or yeast.
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Vanilla Pod The fragrant dried pods of the vanilla orchid, used as a flavouring.

Vegetable Shortening The vegetarian alternative to lard.

Vodka An clear spirit distilled from grain.

Vol-au-vent A puff pastry case with a lid, often filled with a savoury filling after baking.
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Whipping Cream Cream with a fat content over 35 percent.
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Yeast A raising agent. Yeast is a fungus (saccharomyces cerevisae) which ferments sugars to produce carbon dioxide, which leavens flour mixtures.
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Zest The outermost, coloured, glossy film of the rind of an orange, lemon or lime.

For USA baking glossary please click on :

http://www.joyofbaking.com/other/glossaryindex.html