Baking Terms

Aerate- To incorporate air into something, usually a batter.

Bain-marie- Also known as a hot water bath, it is usually used to melt

chocolate and butter gently and gradually over a pot of simmering water.

Bake blind-Baking the crust of a pie/tart without the filling. It can be

done with a variety of methods. One would be to prick the bottom of the
crust before filling it with pie weights, rice, pulses, or beans prior to
baking.

Batch- Amount of bread, cookies, etc made from one bake.

Batter- A mixture of dry and liquid ingredients such as eggs, flour, and
milk or water. Similar to dough but it has a much thinner consistency
and cannot be kneaded.

Beat- Mixing a mixture rapidly and intensely to combine ingredients

and incorporate air into the mixture. Typically done with a whisk or
mixer.

Blend- Mixing two substances together so that they become

incorporated together.

Bloom- For gelatin: softening gelatin using a liquid before use.

Typically done by sprinkling the gelatin onto the surface of a liquid and
letting it sit for about 5 minutes. For cocoa powder: Mixing cocoa
powder with hot water and stirring to remove any lumps before letting
it sit for a minute or two. This will release the flavor in the cocoa
particles, increasing the intensity of the chocolate flavor.
Boil
 For liquids: to heat the liquid until it reaches its boiling point.
 For a subject: to place the thing into boiling liquid.

Butter -(verb) To spread/add butter onto something.

Buttercream- A type of icing used to fill, top, coat, and decorate cakes
or cupcakes. Typically made by creaming butter with powdered sugar
and adding any extra colorings and flavorings.

Caramelize
 Process of cooking sugar until it turns brown. When sugar is
heated to high temperatures, it undergoes chemical changes and
breaks down. Cooking can also caramelize the natural sugars
found in various fruits and vegetables such as onions.

Chop- Using a knife or sharp object to repeatedly cut something into

small pieces.

Coat- To cover something with a wet or dry substance. For example,

after baking, bread loaves are usually coated with a layer of butter.

Crimp- Technique of pinching the sides and tops of pie or tart crusts.

Crumb-Used to describe the small particles of cakes or bread. Usually

described as tight, loose, moist, dense, etc.
Crust- The outer skin of a bread or pie. Typically hard in texture.

Curdle-Happens when a liquid separates and forms curds and lumps.

Typically used to describe things like eggs, batter, and milk.

Defrost- To from something frozen by increasing its temperature.

Dip- (verb) to immerse something into a dry or liquid mixture.

Dissolve- To incorporate a solid ingredient/food to a liquid to form a

solution or mixture.

Dough- A thick mixture made by combining flour/meal with a liquid.

Usually refers to bread or pastry dough and it is stiff enough to be
kneaded and rolled.

Drizzle- The process of pouring a thin stream of liquid such as glaze or

butter over food.

Dust- The process of sprinkling a thin layer of powdered ingredient such

as cocoa powder, flour and confectioners’ sugar over food.
Emulsion- A mixture containing liquids that are immiscible such as oil
and water.

Essence- For baking flavorings: an artificial substance. For example,

vanilla essence is made synthetically unlike vanilla extract. Hence, it is
cheaper and less fragrant.

Extract- Refers to the natural substance that has been extracted straight
from its source. For example, vanilla extract is the substance that has
been retrieved straight from vanilla pods.

Fold- A technique used to describe the gentle incorporation of dry to

liquid ingredients. It is typically done using a whisk or rubber spatula.

Glaze- To make the surface of a food shiny by coating with a layer of

sugar, butter, or any other glossy liquid.

Gluten- Name for the proteins found in grains such as wheat, barley and
rye. It gives food their structure and helps to maintain their shape.

Grain- the seed(s) from a food plant such as grass and cereal crops.

Icing/Frosting- A sweet glaze used to cover or decorate food such as

cakes, pastries, and cookies.
Incorporate- To add one substance to another and mix them together
such that they are evenly distributed.

Infuse- To immerse/steep/soak something into a liquid to extract its

flavors.

Laminate- The process of alternating layers of dough with butter. The

butter between the thin layers of dough let out steam during baking,
helping the pastry puff up and rise, giving pastries such as croissants
their delicate, airy and layered texture.

Light and Fluffy- Typically used to describe the final/optimal state of

creaming butter and sugar.

Lumpy- Used to describe the texture of a substance - not smooth, has

lumps.

Macerate- The process of softening a food by soaking it in liquid.

Mature- For food: taste has developed fully to produce a strong and rich
flavor.

Melt- Heating a solid product to form a liquid.

Mince- Using a knife or sharp object to chop something very finely/into
very small pieces.

Mix- To combine two or more substances together.

Mold- To pinch or give shape to something, such as bread or pie dough.

Parchment- Used to line baking pans to prevent food from sticking to

them.

Peel- (noun) the outer skin or covering of a food such as orange or

lemon. (verb) Removing the outer layer or skin of something.

Pinch- Using your fingers to press something (usually a pie dough)

together.

Pipe- To squeeze a liquid substance (usually a frosting) through a piping

bag for decorating purposes.

Preheat- Turning the oven/pan beforehand to let it come to the desired

temperature.
Proof- Letting the shaped bread dough have its final rise before baking.

Scraggly (adj)- Typically used to describe dough which is too dry,

hasn’t been fully kneaded, rough, and irregular in texture.

Scrape- Using a sharp edged instrument to remove something from a

surface. For example, scraping bread dough from a work table.

Shelf Life- The length of time that a product is usable, fit for
consumption, and can be kept.

Sieve- Putting a food through a sieve to separate solids from liquids, or

lumps from powdered material.

Simmer- The process of bringing a liquid to a temperature that is

slightly below its boiling point, and letting it bubble gently.

Sponge- Refers to the sponge and dough method for making bread,
consisting of two steps. The first step is the making of a yeast starter or
yeast pre-ferment (aka sponge). After the sponge is left to ferment, it
will be added to the final dough.

Sprinkle- To lightly scatter something (sugar, toppings etc) over a food.

 Stir- Mixing a substance by moving a kitchen utensil/tool in circular
motions.

Turntable- A cake stand with a rotating base that is used for decorating
cakes.

Yield- The amount of baked goods one can get from one recipe. Similar
to batch.

Zest- Made by scraping the outer layer of the skin of citrus fruits using
a grater. Used to add flavor to food.

References:
https://bakestarters.com/blogs/tbbt/the-ultimate-a-z-guide-to-baking-terminologies