Edition, BookPower, London, 2008
Gisslen, W., Professional Cooking, Seventh Edition, John Wiley and Sons, Canada, 2011
used.
Compote: Stewed fruit.
Cones: Rice or maize which is coarsely ground and used as a dusting medium for dough.
Coralettes: Small nibs made of almonds and coloured.
Coupe: An individual serving bowl.
Cream of Tartar: Potassium hydrogen tartrate.
Crimping: Giving a decorative edge to various pastries, shortbread, and almond paste with the thumb and fore finger or with special pincers.
Croquant: Melted sugar with nuts.
Dariole: Special shapes of moulds.
Docker: An implement with spikes which can mark and decorate goods prior to baking. It also provides holes for the escape of steam in goods.
Enrobe: Coating of cakes, biscuits, and ices.
Essences: Compounds used for flavouring sweets, confectionery.
Flan: Open pastry case baked in a flan hoop in which fruit is arranged and afterward glazed.
Frappé: Chilled Friandises: Petits fours Ganache: A paste made from a mixture of fresh dairy cream and chocolate.
Gâteau: A large decorated cake which can be cut into individual portions.
Glacé: Ice or ice cream.
Gluten: An insoluble protein of wheat after it has been hydrated. It is the elastic substance which assists in trapping carbon-dioxide gas in dough.
Glycerine: A colourless and odourless syrup with a sweet taste used in cakes for its hygroscopic property.
Gnocchi: Type of small dumplings made from potato, semolina.
Gum Arabic: Dried gum of the acacia plant. It is used as a glazing or setting agent.
Gum paste: A special paste made from icing sugar, starch, and water.
Hard flour: Flour containing a good quantity of gluten strong flour.
Hydrometer: An instrument for determining the approximate specific gravity of a liquid at a certain temperature.
Hygroscopic: The power of attracting moisture.
Icing: Sugar mixtures used for coating and decorative purposes.
Jelly: A soft, stiff, semi-transparent food mainly derived from gelatin or other gummy substances. The jellies used are mainly aspic, pectin, and gelatin.
Lamination: Formation of a number of layers as in making of puff pastry.
Lecithin: An emulsifying agent.
Marble icing: Decorative effect caused by inlaying one colored icing into another in the form of a design.
Marzipan: A cooked paste made from two-thirds blanched almonds and one-third sugar.
Nibs: Small fragments such as almond or sugar nibs.
Parfait: Ice cream mixture made from syrup, eggs yolks, and cream, and frozen in moulds.
Pastries: A term used to describe all the items made by a pastry cook and/or confectioner.
Pasty: Small savoury pie containing meat and vegetables.
Panna cotta: Milk and cream heated below boiling point. Gelatin is then added and it is set into moulds and put in a refrigerator.
Pincers: A tool consisting of two springy metal prongs the ends of which are either sharp or serrated.
Pinning: Rolling out a paste with a rolling pin.
Plaiting: The weaving of a rope of dough, paste, boiled sugar into an ordered design.
Praline: Croquant which has been milled into a smooth paste used for flavouring purposes.
Profiteroles: Small puff pastry balls, filled with fresh cream and served with chocolate sauce.
Prove: The aeration of a yeasted dough with gas prior to its being baked.
Prover: A cabinet in which yeasted goods are placed to prove before baking. A warm, humid atmosphere must be provided for this purpose.
Puff pastry: A laminated structure built up from dough and butter or fat.
Pulled sugar: A solution of sugar containing glucose or weak acid, boiled to at least 150°C, poured onto a slab, and then pulled to attain a sheen. It is used for fashioning ornamental shapes for table decoration and display pieces.
Punch: A frozen mixture of fruit syrup and Italian meringue.
Retardation: Arrest of the activity of fermented goods usually by keeping them at a low temperature between 34 – 38° F (1.1 – 3.3°C) Rolls: Small shapes made from bread. They may be soft or crisp and of any shape.
Royal icing: A mixture of icing sugar and egg whites used for decorative purpose.
Saccharometer: A special hydrometer for determining the density of sugar solutions.
They are usually calibrated in degrees Baumé.
Savoy bag: A cone shaped bag of cloth, nylon, or plastic at the end of which a tube can be inserted.
Scaling: The operation of weighing dough or a cake into units before baking.
Scones: Flour, baking powder with butter and sugar mixed and baked into small cakes.
Skinning: The hard surface which is formed if dough is left uncovered, due to the evaporation of moisture.
Soft flour: Flour with a weak gluten content.
Soufflé: A light dish which may be hot or cold, sweet or savoury.
Sorbet: Mixture of water, sucrose, stabilizer, and fruit juice.
Spun sugar: Threads of sugar formed from a boiling sugar solution for decorative purpose.
Sundaes: Ice cream dishes to which fruit is added.
Timbale: A deep round silver dish.
Zest: The coloured outside rind of citrus fruits.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. What are the various methods of making bread?
The various methods for bread making are: Straight dough method: All the ingredients are mixed together in a single operation and fermented in bulk.
No time dough: The quickest of all straight dough is the no-time dough. The dough is mixed thoroughly and scaled and put straight into the tins. The yeast percentage is comparatively high depending upon the weight of the flour. This method is used in an emergency situation since the quality of the finished loaf is satisfactory.
Delayed salt method: In this method the salt is left out which helps to mellow the gluten. In this case only about two-thirds of the mixing time is required. The salt is added at the knock back time either dry or with a little water which gives greater stability and better spring.
2. What are the essential ingredients needed to make a cake?
The essential ingredients needed to make a cake are: Flour: It builds the structure of the cake and holds the other ingredients together in an evenly distributed condition. Flour for cake making should have a protein content of 7 to 9%.
Sugar: It is a sweetening agent and tenderizes the proteins in the flour making the cakes soft. The sugar helps to retain moisture in cakes and improves shelf life. The cake takes on a nice colour as the sugar caramelizes on heating.
Shortening: Fats have a tenderizing action on proteins in the flour and make the cake soft. The fats holds innumerable air cells during the creaming stage which leads to softening of the cake.
Eggs: The function of eggs is to provide structure to the cake which is obtained by either a mixing or whipping operation.
3. What are the various methods used in making cakes?
The various methods used in making cakes are: Creaming/Sugar batter: In this method the fat and castor sugar are mixed and creamed together until light for 10 minutes, depending upon the creaming quantities of the fat and the speed and the type of machine.
The eggs are added slowly in between the creaming process till the batter has a soft velvety appearance. After this flavour, if any, is added and finally the sifted flour is added to the batter. If the batter is too dry in nature then milk or water is added at that time.
Rub in: In this method all the dry ingredients are sieved and the fat is mixed gradually to a fine crumbly texture. Water is added gradually to avoid the batter becoming lumpy, then beaten eggs are added very gradually and then mixed at a constant speed for some time.
Flour batter: In this method the mixture of fat is creamed with the same weight of flour, or a little less, until a light creamy mass is obtained. The eggs are then mixed in with the sugar and the mixture is blended into a creamy mass and finally the remaining flour is added.
Blending method: It is used in making high ratio cakes. All the ingredients including the liquid are put in the machine at the same time and mixed for some time till all the ingredients are blended.
The eggs and milk are then added and blended together for some time.
Boiled method: Butter or margarine is placed in a bowl and heated till it melts and the water in them starts to boil. After removing the bowl from the heat the flour is added and mixed. Sugar and eggs are beaten stiffly and then colour and flavour are added to the flour fat mix. As the mixture becomes smooth it is spread in a layer about an inch thick on to a baking sheet to make a genoise.
4. What is puff pastry?
Puff pastry is a rich and delicate pastry made up of very thin layers.
Puff pastry is of several types – full, three quarter and half. Full denotes that an equal weight of flour and fat is used, whereas in three quarter the weight of fat is three quarters of the weight of the flour and so on. The flour used for puff pastry should be strong having stable gluten of good extensibility. The fat used in puff
pastry could be butter but may also be substituted with margarine, the fat should be firm and stable so that during rolling and folding the fat will not squeeze out.
5. What are the derivatives of puff pastry?
The derivatives of puff pastry are: Cream horns: A strip of puff pastry is wound on a conical mould in an overlapping coil, baked and filled with cream.
Vol-au-vent: A round case of puff pastry having a pastry lid. The case is filled after baking, usually with savoury items and served as a hot entrée or hors d’ oeuvre.
Chausson or turnover: A pastry in the shape of a semi circle made from a thinly rolled round of puff pastry folded over a filling of stewed fruits.
Pithivier: A large round puff pastry tart with scalloped edges.
6. What is Danish pastry?
1. Danish pastry is prepared from flour, eggs, butter, milk, sugar, and salt. The dough is kneaded with all the ingredients except the butter and allowed to rest for some time. The dough is sheeted and the butter is kept in the middle, covered with dough and rolled out, pressing on the edges and then rested. The dough is again sheeted and rested after a final rolling, then cut into desired shapes, filled and baked.
2. What is Filo pastry?
Filo pastry is prepared with flour, water, vinegar, salt and oil. Flour is mixed with water, salt, vinegar and the oil is slowly added. The dough is made smooth and elastic then rolled out almost wafer thin.
3. What is the difference between cake margarine and pastry margarine?
Cake margarine is a blend of hydrogenated oils and an agent that combines water and fat together and contains up to 10% butter fat.
Cake margarine can be creamed easily as it has the power to take up air in the form of finely divided bubbles.
Pastry margarine must have a smooth texture and tough consistency as layers should form in the pastry. The margarine should withstand high mechanical working and rolling and has to be relatively dry and free from occluded air.
4. How is choux pastry prepared?
The main ingredients for choux pastry are water, sugar, salt, butter, flour and eggs. First the water, sugar, salt and fat are boiled and slowly the flour is mixed in with a spoon. The mixture is cooked on mild heat till it starts to leave the sides of the pan. It is then removed from the heat and allowed to cool. The beaten eggs are then added slowly until the mixture has a flowing consistency.
5. What are the items prepared from choux pastry?
The items prepared from choux pastry are éclairs, cream buns, and profiteroles.
6. How is short crust pastry prepared?
The main ingredients of short crust pastry are flour, salt, fat, and water. The flour is mixed with salt; fat is rubbed into the flour to
form a sandy texture. Then the mixture is incorporated by sprinkling water but it is not kneaded to stop gluten formation. The mixture is rested for some time after which it is rolled and baked.
7. What are the items prepared with short crust pastry?
The items prepared from short crust pastry are tarts, tartlets, pies, and flans.
8. What is fondant icing?
Fondant icing is prepared by first mixing sugar and water in a thick bottomed pan over a slow fire. The mixture is stirred till all sugar is dissolved and heated to a boil. The scum is removed and liquid glucose is added and boiled till the soft ball stage state. The syrup is then put on a clean marble top on which water has been sprinkled and the syrup is continuously turned till it is milky white in nature.
Then the syrup is vigorously beaten till the entire syrup turns into a white, smooth and homogenous mass.
9. What is royal icing?
Royal icing is prepared with the desired quantity of egg white, a few drops of lemon. It is whisked lightly and the icing sugar is gradually added to the egg white. The whisking process is continued till the icing acquires the desired consistency. If necessary, colour can be added later since this icing is used in preparing flowers and petals to decorate cakes.
10. What is butter icing?
Butter cream icing is made from fat, mainly butter, and sugar. The butter is creamed till it has a soft, smooth texture and then slowly icing sugar is added.
11. What are the various leavening agents?
Leavening is the production or incorporation of gases in the baked product to increase the volume and to produce shape and texture.
The leavening agents used in bakery are yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and steam.
12. What is marshmallow?
Marshmallow is a boiled meringue which has been stiffened with the addition of a jellying agent. It is prepared when boiled sugar is
mixed with whisked egg whites and gelatin is added to it.
13. What are the temperatures and stages of cooking sugar?
The temperature and stages of cooking sugar are as follows:
Stage Temperature
Soft ball 118°C
Hard ball 121°C
Soft crack 132 – 138°C
Hard crack 138 – 154°C
Caramel 154 – 177°C
14. What is nougat?
Nougat is a mixture of sugar and nibbed almonds.
15. What is praline?
When the nougat is milled to a paste through granite or steel rollers, a product called praline paste is obtained.
16. Name the different types of sugar used in a patisserie?
Castor sugar: Small crystals of sugar evenly graded used for aeration in sponges.
Demerara sugar: Pale amber in colour, only suitable for decorative and flavouring, having a hard crystalline state suitable for preparing cakes.
Granulated sugar: The crystals in granulated sugar are larger than in normal sugar. It is used in preparing goods where sufficient liquor has to be dissolved.
Icing sugar: Crystalline sugar crushed to a powder, pure white in colour, sometimes a small quantity of calcium chloride is added to absorb the moisture.
Pulverized sugar: Poor quality icing sugar having a coarse gritty texture. It is used in preparing short pastry.
17. What are the various types of cream used and the percentage of fat they contain?
Cream is of three types depending upon the percentage of butter fat
present: Single cream: 18% butter fat Double cream: 48–50%
butter fat Whipping cream: 35–40% butter fat 18. What are the constituents of baking powder?
Baking powder is prepared from 2 parts of cream of tartar and 1 part of bicarbonate of soda.
19. What is Pavlova?
It is a sweet dish consisting of a meringue base topped with whipped cream and fruit.
20. What are the different types of cakes?
Fruit cake: Made from butter, castor sugar, eggs, flour, fruits.
Madeira cake: Made from butter, sugar, eggs, flour and zest of lemon.
Genoa cake: Made from butter, castor sugar, eggs, flour, currants or raisins, sultanas, cherries.
Dundee cake: Made from butter, eggs, flour, almonds, currants, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, and milk.
Birthday cake: Made from butter, dark brown sugar, eggs, flour, sultanas, currants, mixed peel.
Wedding cake: Made from butter, dark brown sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, lemons and rum.
21. What is croquembouche?
A decorative cone-shaped preparation built up of small items of pâtisserie or confectionery and glazed with caramel syrup to make it crisp.
22. What are ‘petits fours’?
‘Petits fours’ means ‘small fancy biscuits.’ Petits fours are glazed with icing or may be dry.
23. What are cookies?
Cookies are small cakes which are baked on a flat surface.
24. What are macaroons?
Small round cakes which are crunchy from the outside but soft inside; made from ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites. They are
sometimes flavoured with coffee, chocolate, nuts, and fruit.
25. What is Quiche Lorraine?
It is an open tart which is filled with a mixture of beaten eggs, fresh cream, and bacon pieces. It is served as a first course or as an hors d’ oeuvre. It originated in Lorraine for which it is named.
26. What is a brioche?
A soft loaf or a roll, the dough for which is prepared from a mixture of flour, yeast, water or milk, sugar, eggs and butter.
27. Name the different types of breads and bread rolls and give their ingredients.
Hard rolls: Yeast, bread flour, salt, sugar, shortening, and egg whites.
Vienna bread: Flour, salt, sugar, oil, and eggs.
Italian bread: Yeast, flour, and salt.
Soft rolls:Flour, yeast, salt, sugar, non fat milk, shortening, and butter.
Challah: Flour, yeast, egg yolks, sugar, and oil.
Multi grain bread: Yeast, flour, rye, barley, cornmeal, rolled oats, flax seeds, and millet.
Pumpernickel bread: Flour, rye meal, yeast, fermented rye, salt, malt syrup, molasses, and caramel colour.
Bagels: High gluten flour, diastatic powder, yeast, and salt.
Panettons: Raisins, mixed candied peel, almonds, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, orange juice, rum, nutmeg, bread flour, milk, yeast, egg yolks, salt, sugar, and butter.
28. What are croissants?
Crescent shaped rolls, generally made with puff pastry or with leavened dough.
29. What is a fruit condé?
A condé consists of poached or tinned fruit placed on a bed of rice pudding mixture and glazed. The fruits used are mainly pears, bananas, pineapple, peaches and apricots.
30. What is a Yule log?
A log-shaped cake prepared during Christmas, made up of rectangular pieces of Genoese sponge with butter and cream and shaped into a log or a Swiss roll, coated with chocolate icing, decorated with almond and meringue paste used for making leaves and figures.
31. What is Pastillage?
It is a paste made with icing sugar and water with a setting agent. It is used for modeling all types of shapes for decorative purposes such as caskets. It becomes hard on exposure to air and therefore is not meant to be consumed.
32. What are coupes and sundaes?
Coupes and sundaes are made from ice cream, fruit, and a suitable sauce, and decorated with fresh whipped cream, fruit, nuts etc. The fruit could be flavored with liqueur or spirit. Coupes are served in special tall glasses or silver cups, whereas sundaes are served in shallow dishes.
33. What is baked Alaska?
Baked Alaska consists of a sponge cake, with fruits and ice cream, which is covered with meringue and placed in a hot oven for a minute or so (flashing), for the meringue to take on an attractive colour.
34. What is Cassata?
Cassata is usually made in a bombe mould. The mould is first lined with three different types of ice cream, with the final filling being a meringue/cream mixture containing a good quantity of glace fruits.
The whole thing is then frozen.
35. Name some sweet sauces used in bakery and give their ingredients.
Custard sauce: Milk, custard powder, sugar, vanilla essence.
Almond: Milk, corn flour, sugar, ground almonds.
Chocolate-chocolat: Cocoa powder, water and cold custard cream.
Coffee: Coffee powder with cold custard cream.
Jam: Jam with water.