1.
AL DENTE:
Italian term used to describe pasta that is
cooked until it offers a slight resistance to
the bite.
2. BAKE:
To cook by dry heat, usually in the oven.
3. BARBECUE:
Usually used generally to refer to grilling
done outdoors or over an open charcoal
or wood fire. More specifically, barbecue
refers to long, slow direct- heat cooking,
including liberal basting with a barbecue
sauce.
4. BASTE:
To moisten foods during cooking with
pan drippings or special sauce to add
flavor and prevent drying.
5. BATTER:
A mixture containing flour and liquid,
thin enough to pour.
6. BEAT:
To mix rapidly in order to make a
mixture smooth and light by
incorporating as much air as possible.
7. BLANCH:
To immerse in rapidly boiling water and
allow to cook slightly.
8. BLEND:
To incorporate two or more ingredients
thoroughly.
9. BOIL:
To heat a liquid until bubbles break
continually on the surface.
10. BROIL:
To cook on a grill under strong, direct
heat.
11. CARAMELIZE:
To heat sugar in order to turn it brown
and give it a special taste.
12. CHOP:
To cut solids into pieces with a sharp
knife or other chopping device.
13. CLARIFY:
To separate and remove solids from a
liquid, thus making it clear.
14. CREAM:
To soften a fat, especially butter, by
beating it at room temperature. Butter and
sugar are often creamed together, making
a smooth, soft paste.
15. CURE:
To preserve meats by drying and salting
and/or smoking.
16. DEGLAZE:
To dissolve the thin glaze of juices and
brown bits on the surface of a pan in
which food has been fried, sauteed or
roasted. To do this, add liquid and stir
and scrape over high heat, thereby adding
flavor to the liquid for use as a sauce.
17. DEGREASE:
To remove fat from the surface of stews,
soups, or stock. Usually cooled in the
refrigerator so that fat hardens and is
easily removed.
18. DICE:
To cut food in small cubes of uniform
size and shape.
19. DISSOLVE:
To cause a dry substance to pass into
solution in a liquid.
20. DREDGE:
To sprinkle or coat with flour or other
fine substance.
21. DRIZZLE:
To sprinkle drops of liquid lightly over
food in a casual manner.
22. DUST:
To sprinkle food with dry ingredients.
Use a strainer or a jar with a perforated
cover, or try the good, old-fashioned way
of shaking things together in a paper bag.
23. FILLET:
As a verb, to remove the bones from
meat or fish. A fillet (or filet) is the piece
of flesh after it has been boned.
24. FLAKE:
To break lightly into small pieces.
25. FLAMBE':
To flame foods by dousing in some form
of potable alcohol and setting alight.
26. FOLD:
To incorporate a delicate substance, such
as whipped cream or beaten egg whites,
into another substance without releasing
air bubbles. Cut down through mixture
with spoon, whisk, or fork; go across
 bottom of bowl, up and over, close to
surface. The process is repeated, while
slowing rotating the bowl, until the
ingredients are thoroughly blended.
27. FRICASSEE:
To cook by braising; usually applied to
fowl or rabbit.
28. FRY:
To cook in hot fat. To cook in a fat is
called pan-frying or sauteing; to cook in a
one-to-two inch layer of hot fat is called
shallow-fat frying; to cook in a deep layer
of hot fat is called deep-fat frying.
29. GARNISH:
To decorate a dish both to enhance its
appearance and to provide a flavorful
foil. Parsley, lemon slices, raw
vegetables, chopped chives, and other
herbs are all forms of garnishes.
30. GLAZE:
To cook with a thin sugar syrup cooked
to crack stage; mixture may be thickened
slightly. Also, to cover with a thin, glossy
icing.
31. GRATE:
To rub on a grater that separates the food
in various sizes of bits or shreds.
32. GRATIN:
From the French word for "crust." Term
used to describe any oven-baked dish--
usually cooked in a shallow oval gratin
dish--on which a golden brown crust of
bread crumbs, cheese or creamy sauce is
form.
33. GRILL:
To cook on a grill over intense heat.
34. GRIND:
To process solids by hand or
mechanically to reduce them to tiny
particles.
35. JULIENNE:
To cut vegetables, fruits, or cheeses into
thin strips.
36. KNEAD:
To work and press dough with the palms
of the hands or mechanically, to develop
the gluten in the flour.
37. LUKEWARM:
Neither cool nor warm; approximately
body temperature.
38. MARINATE:
To flavor and moisturize pieces of meat,
poultry, seafood or vegetable by soaking
them in or brushing them with a liquid
mixture of seasonings known as a
marinade. Dry marinade mixtures
composed of salt, pepper, herbs or spices
may also be rubbed into meat, poultry or
seafood.
39. MEUNIERE:
Dredged with flour and sauteed in butter.
40. MINCE:
To cut or chop food into extremely small
pieces.
41. MIX:
To combine ingredients usually by
stirring.
42. PAN-BROIL:
To cook uncovered in a hot fry pan,
pouring off fat as it accumulates.
43. PAN-FRY:
To cook in small amounts of fat.
44. PARBOIL:
To boil until partially cooked; to blanch.
Usually this procedure is followed by
final cooking in a seasoned sauce.
45. PARE:
To remove the outermost skin of a fruit
or vegetable.
46. PEEL:
To remove the peels from vegetables or
fruits.
47. PICKLE:
To preserve meats, vegetables, and fruits
in brine.
48. PINCH:
A pinch is the trifling amount you can
hold between your thumb and forefinger.
49. PIT:
To remove pits from fruits.
50. PLANKED:
Cooked on a thick hardwood plank.
51. PLUMP:
To soak dried fruits in liquid until they
swell.
52. POACH:
To cook very gently in hot liquid kept
just below the boiling point.
53. PUREE:
To mash foods until perfectly smooth by
hand, by rubbing through a sieve or food
mill, or by whirling in a blender or food
processor.
54. REDUCE:
To boil down to reduce the volume.
55. REFRESH:
To run cold water over food that has been
parboiled, to stop the cooking process
quickly.
56. RENDER:
To make solid fat into liquid by melting it
slowly.
57. ROAST:
To cook by dry heat in an oven.
58. SAUTE:
To cook and/or brown food in a small
amount of hot fat.
59. SCALD:
To bring to a temperature just below the
boiling point.
60. SCALLOP:
To bake a food, usually in a casserole,
with sauce or other liquid. Crumbs often
are sprinkled over.
61. SCORE:
To cut narrow grooves or gashes partway
through the outer surface of food.
62. SEAR:
To brown very quickly by intense heat.
This method increases shrinkage but
develops flavor and improves
appearance.
63. SHRED:
To cut or tear in small, long, narrow
pieces.
64. SIFT:
To put one or more dry ingredients
through a sieve or sifter.
65. SIMMER:
To cook slowly in liquid over low heat at
a temperature of about 180°. The surface
of the liquid should be barely moving,
broken from time to time by slowly rising
bubbles.
66. SKIM:
To remove impurities, whether scum or
fat, from the surface of a liquid during
cooking, thereby resulting in a clear,
cleaner-tasting final produce.
67. STEAM:
To cook in steam in a pressure cooker,
deep well cooker, double boiler, or a
steamer made by fitting a rack in a kettle
with a tight cover. A small amount of
boiling water is used, more water being
added during steaming process, if
necessary.
68. STEEP:
To extract color, flavor, or other qualities
from a substance by leaving it in water
just below the boiling point.
69. STERILIZE:
To destroy micro organisms by boiling,
dry heat, or steam.
70. STEW:
To simmer slowly in a small amount of
liquid for a long time.
71. STIR:
To mix ingredients with a circular motion
until well blended or of uniform
consistency.
72. TOSS:
To combine ingredients with a lifting
motion.
73. TRUSS:
To secure poultry with string or skewers,
to hold its shape while cooking.
74. WHIP:
To beat rapidly to incorporate air and
produce expansion, as in heavy cream or
egg whites.
Absorb- Take in or soak up, To absorb and retain
heat.
Acid - Lemon juice (citric), vinegar, cream of tartar.
Aerate - To incorporate air or carbon dioxide during
production to make the product more digestible and
an increase in volume.
Albumen- A protein, the white of an egg.
Aspic - Savoury jelly.
Bacteria - A microscopic living organism.
Bain-marie - A pan of hot water on which a
container is placed for slow cooking/warming
allowing for indirect heat.
Bake blind - Baking an unfilled pastry case.
Baking Parchment- A treated paper that is non-stick
and ideal for creating clean baking surfaces. Protects
baking tins/trays etc. Enables products to
be transferred before and after baking without
handling the product. e.g. sliding proved bread onto a
baking stone.Not to be confused with wax paper.
Baking powder - A chemical that produces carbon
dioxide ( CO2) when moistened and heated. Used to
aerate bread and cakes.
Batter.- When fat, sugar, eggs and flour are mixed
together the finished product is known as a batter.
Bay.- A well, made in the middle of dry ingredients,
to receive the liquid ingredients for mixing.
Beat - To mix together, creaming. To aerate by
beating.
B.F.P.- Bulk Fermentation Process A bread making
process based on ancient traditional methods of bread
making.
B.F.T.- Bulk Fermentation Time. A period of time
given to a dough to allow it to ferment and develop
after mixing.
Bicarbonate of soda (Sodium bicarbonate) also
known as baking soda used as part of baking powder
to assist aeration.
Blackjack.- Caramelised sugar syrup used for
colouring rich fruit cakes.
Blanch- A processes for removing the skins of nuts
by plunging in hot water and then into cold water.
Blend-- Mixing together two or more ingredients to
form a single product or for assisting in the next stage
of the production.
Bloom-- Describing the crust of a correctly baked
loaf of bread or baked goods in general.
Book Fold- A term used in the production of puff
pastry when folding the fat into the pastry dough.
Buttercream- A filling cream made from butter
and some form of sugar which can be enriched by
the addition of eggs and flavouring.
Butterfat.- The natural fat that occurs in milk and
dairy products.
Bun wash-- A sugar syrup solution brushed on to
yeasted buns on removal from the oven to impart a
glaze or to assist the dusting of sugar.
Cake-- Food made from a mixture of flour, fat, eggs,
sugar, and other ingredients and then baked.
Cake hoop/tins-- A variety of shapes and sizes in
which cakes are baked. Until recently these were
made of tin but other materials such as silicone are
now being used.
Caramel-- Sugar heated above its melting point. A
sugar solution boiled above 156 C (321F) until it
turns amber brown.
Caramelize - During baking ,sugar will change and
and give colour to the crust.
Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) - The gas produced by
baking powder or yeast during fermentation that
aerates bread and cakes.
Catalyst - A substance that helps to bring about a
change without itself being affected.
Celsius - A temperature scale with 0 being freezing
point and 100 boiling point of water.
Chinois - A fine meshed conical strainer.
Clarify - The removal of water from butter by gentle
heating.
Coagulate - The setting of a liquid into a solid or
semi-solid state.
Collagen- The main structural protein in animal
connective tissue.
Comb scraper - A serrated edged tool used to form a
variety of finishes to a product ,especially when using
buttercream or chocolate.
Compound fat - White in colour, made from
hydrogenated oils, it is usually 100% fat. Recent
health trends have highlighted the use and safety of
this product.
Contaminate - The introduction of an unwanted
substance. Usually used when referring to
food hygiene problems.
Couverture - Plain or milk chocolate made from the
cocoa bean.
Cream - The word is used to (1) describe the process
of beating products together to form a light fluffy
mass such as fat and sugar or (2) the fat content of
fresh milk. i.e dairy, clotted, whipping, double and
single creams.
Cream of tartar. Potassium hydrogen tartrate, used
as the acid component of baking powder.
Crimp/Crimping - Usually carried out with the
thumb and fingers or with special pincers to give a
decorative edge to pastry, shortbreads and almond
paste.
Crumb - The soft inner part of a loaf of bread. The
aim of the bread baker is to produce good crumb
texture and structure. Also used to describe the soft
inner part of a cake. A small fragment of cake, bread
and biscuits.
Croquant - Melted sugar with nuts which can be
moulded into shapes when hot or used crushed when
cold.
Crust - The outer part of a loaf of bread (a nice
crusty loaf). The outer hardened surface of a softer
product e.g. A cake has a crust, the surface being
different to the inside. Also used to describe pastry
when used to cover a pie. (Pie crust)
Cup cakes - Small cakes baked in small paper cases.
Curdle - The separation of an emulsion (fat and
liquid) When adding eggs/liquid to a fat and sugar
mix............Cheese is formed by the curdling of milk
with the addition of rennet.
Cutters - Tools used to cut out various shapes of
pastry, almond paste, sugar paste etc. Can be plain or
fluted, square, round etc.
Dead Dough- This usually refers to a dough that has
not moved (not risen) normally caused by insufficient
yeast ,too low a water temperature, excessive salt or
even old yeast.
Decorate - The final appearance of a product is
improved by decorating. This can be pre-baking e.g.
egg or milk wash, dusting with flour, placing on nuts
or seeds, dipping in sugar etc. or post baking, syrup
wash and sugar (chelsea buns). or by the use of
creams, chocolate, nuts, almond paste, edible decor
etc.
Deep freeze - Used to preserve food usually at -18
C. Certain foods will freeze better than others.
Defrosting- Returns the frozen product back to its
original state.
Develop - A dough is mixed thoroughly to increase
the extensibility and elasticity of the gluten
Dilute - Make a liquid thinner and its strength
reduced by the addition of water or some other
solvent.
Dipping - A method used to coat a product in a
melted state such as chocolate, fondant and jam. The
product is usually held by hand or a utensil such as a
dipping fork.
Dock - By using a fork or multi-spiked tool products
can be decorated before baking. Also used to provide
holes for steam to escape e.g. when you do not want
puff pastry to rise to high.
Dredge - To sprinkle sugar,flour etc over a product.
e.g. Shortbread biscuits are often dredged with sugar
on removal from the oven.
Dredger- A small container with a perforated lid.
Drumming - A term given to the practice of
stretching greaseproof paper across the the bottom of
a cake hoop or across the top of a cake tin. By
twisting the paper around the top or bottom rims a
tight "drum skin" is formed. Used to help retain a
fluid mixing and give protection during baking.
Dust - Sprinkling flour or sugar to prevent a
product from sticking. e.g. flour is used when rolling
out pastry. This term is also used when pre-bake
decoration is carried out as in dredging.
Egg wash - Beaten egg ,sometimes with added water,
used to give a golden glaze on a baked product. (1
whole egg beaten with 1/2 egg shell of water)
Emulsion-- Emulsify -Emulsifier Oil and water
do not mix easily, when they do it is known as an
emulsion. To do this it needs an emulsifier. This
happens when making a cake that contains fats and
eggs. Eggs contain lecithin which acts as the
emulsifier allowing the two ingredients to emulsify.
Enrich - The quality of a dough or pastries can be
improved by the addition of enriching agents such as
fat, sugar, eggs, etc .
Enrobe - Covering with icings or chocolate usually
by pouring over.
Enzyme -- A substance that acts as a catalyst to bring
about a biochemical change without itself being
affected.
Essences - Compounds used for flavouring
i.e.vanilla, lemon almond etc. Can be either natural,
synthetic, or blends of both.
Extensibility - Usually used in reference to the
condition of the gluten.For want of a better word.
(stretchability).
Fahrenheit - A temperature scale
where 32= freezing point .... 212 = boiling point of
water.
Ferment - Used to grow the yeast and used as a
starter for fermented goods. Consists of water, yeast,
flour and sometimes the addition of a yeast food, kept
at a suitable temperature and allowed to ferment.
Fermentation - Yeast, given the right conditions and
food, will reproduce and multiply and in the process
produce carbon dioxide gas, alcohol and other by
products. The carbon dioxide gives the aeration in the
product and the alcohol and other products help in the
flavour.
Final proof - The period prior to a dough being
baked after being processed, ideally in a prover.
Flan - An open pastry or sponge case which, usually
after baking, is filled with either a savoury or a sweet
filling.
Flash - Putting a product into a very hot oven for a
short time to impart a golden colour.
Flock stage- Term used to describe
the appearance of a dough mixing just as all the
ingredients start to combine as it has the same look as
Flock (a soft material used for stuffing cushions etc
made of wool refuse and torn up cloth)
Foam- Usually used to describe a product that has
been whisked such as egg whites and sugar
Fold- Part of the layering process in the making of
puff pastry.
Fondant- Used as a decorative coating and as an
addition to butter creams. Made from boiled sugar
,water and glucose.
Food Hygiene - Making sure that food is handled,
stored, prepared and served so as not to allow the
food to be contaminated.
Food poisoning- The result of bad food hygiene
leading to sickness and diarrhoea and sometimes
death.
Ganache- A mixture of fresh dairy cream and melted
chocolate.
Garnish- The use of additional products to improve
the look and presentation of a product.
Gateau- A rich cake with layers of fruit or cream.
Gelatine- A virtually colourless and tasteless water-
soluble protein prepared from collagen. i.e bones
,seaweed.
Half Clear- A stage in the mixing process, usually
half way towards a clear mix e.g. .."add the fruit
when the batter is half clear".
Half Turn- A term used in the production of Puff
Pastry.

Gelatinization- Starch (cornflour) cells, when mixed Hand Up- After scaling a dough it is usually
with boiling water, rupture and form a thick jelly on moulded into a round ball and allowed to rest before
cooling. Ideal for thickening stocks and sauces. the next stage of the moulding/shaping process.

Genoese (Genoise) A plain cake or sponge used to High Ratio- The high level of sugar and liquid to
produce Torten, Gateau and small fancies. flour in a cake batter.

Glace cherries- A method of preserving cherries in Hoop- A round, usually metal band used for baking a
sugar/syrup. product ( a tin without a bottom or top)

Glaze- Give a product a gloss finish by using an
agent such as apricot puree
Glucose- A thick colourless syrup used in boiling
sugar preparations.
Gluten- The insoluble protein of wheat, which ,when
hydrated (mixed with a liquid) forms the elastic
substance which helps to entrap the Carbon Dioxide
gas in a dough giving the bread its structure.
Hotplate- A heated metal plate (griddle) used for
baking scones, soda breads, crumpets, welsh cakes
etc.
Hydrate - Adding a liquid, usually water, to dry
ingredients.
Hydrometer- An instrument used to measure the
density of liquids (specific gravity) at a certain
temperature.

Glycerine- A colourless and odourless syrup with a Hygroscopic- The ability to attract moisture.
sweet taste. It is used for its hygroscopic property e.g. Salt .
(attracts moisture). It is used to reduce staling in
confectionery.

Greased- Applying a thin layer of fat or oil to a

baking tray , bread tin, cake tins to allow easy
release.

Greaseproof- A paper used in baking that

is impermeable to oil and grease.

Green dough- A term given to an under ripe (under

fermented) or under developed dough.

Gross Weight- Total weight of ingredients in a

recipe.

Gum Paste- A paste made for modelling.Contains

icing sugar, starch (cornflour). gum tragacanth.