Preparing and Producing Pastry Products

• Pastry


  A category of baked goods typically made from a mixture of flour, fat (such as butter or lard), and water, along with other ingredients like salt or sugar. Pastry dough can be used to create a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes, including pies, tarts, quiches, pasties, and more.
• Custard


  A variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin.
• Buttercream

  Also referred to as butter icing or butter frosting, used for either filling, coating or decorating cakes. The main ingredients are butter and some type of sugar.
• Batter


  A flour mixture with liquid and other ingredients such as sugar, salt and leavening used for cooking. It usually contains more liquid than doughs, which are also mixtures of flour and liquid. Batters are usually a pourable consistency that cannot be kneaded.
• Caramelization


  A process of browning of sugar used extensively in cooking for the resulting sweet nutty flavor and brown color.
• Cocoa butter


  Has a cocoa flavor and aroma. Its melting point is slightly below human body temperature. It is an essential major ingredient of chocolate and related confectionary products.
• Dredge


  To sprinkle thoroughly with sugar or another dry powder.
• Lean dough


  Makes rustic artisan-style loaves that have airy open crumbs (inside) and crispier and crunchier crusts.
• Pastry flour


  A soft flour made from soft white wheat or soft red winter wheat. This lower protein content (the protein being gluten) and finer texture give baked goods a softer, finer crumb.
• Molasses


  A viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant.
• Marble


  Partly mix two colors of cake butter or icing so that the colors are in decorative swirls.
• Marshmallow


  A type of confectionery that is typically made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency.
• Pastry cream


  Also known as crème pâtissière in French, is a classic and versatile custard-based filling used in various desserts, pastries, and cakes. It serves as a rich and creamy component that adds both flavor and texture to a wide range of sweet treats.
• Petit four


  A term that originated in France and refers to a wide variety of small, bite-sized confections and pastries. These miniature treats are often served as part of a dessert platter or at special occasions, such as weddings, tea parties, and upscale gatherings.
• Biscuits

  • American Biscuits: Soft, flaky, and savory quick bread often served with meals, especially breakfast or as a side with dishes like gravy.
  • British and International Biscuits: Sweet, crunchy, and often served as a snack or dessert, known as "cookies" in the United States.
• Coulis


  A form of thin sauce made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits. A vegetable coulis is commonly used on meat and vegetable dishes, and it can also be used as a base for soups or other sauces. Fruit coulis are most often used on desserts.
• Dacquoise


  A dessert cake made with layers of almond and hazelnut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream on a buttery biscuit base.
• Fondant


  A mixture of sugar and water used as a confection, filling, or icing. Sometimes gelatin and glycerine are used as softeners or stabilizers.
• Ganache


  A glaze, icing, sauce, or filling for pastries, made from chocolate and cream. Ganache is a chocolate preparation, normally made by heating equal parts by weight of cream and chopped chocolate, warming the cream first, then pouring it over the chocolate.
• Macaroons

  A small cake or cookie, typically made from ground almonds (the original main ingredient), coconut or other nuts (or even potato), with sugar and sometimes flavourings (e.g. honey, vanilla, spices), food colouring, glacé cherries, jam or a chocolate coating.
• Marzipan


  A confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzipan and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables.
• Meringue


  A type of dessert or candy, traditionally made from whipped egg whites and sugar, and occasionally an acidic ingredient such as lemon, vinegar, or cream of tartar. A binding agent such as salt, flour or gelatin may also be added to the eggs.
• Mousse


  A sweet or savory dish made as a smooth light mass with whipped cream and beaten egg white, flavored with chocolate, fish, etc., and typically served chilled.
• Nougatine


  Brittle is a type of confection consisting of flat broken pieces of hard sugar candy embedded with nuts such as pecans, almonds, or peanuts, and which are usually less than 1 cm thick.
• Pate a choux


  Choux pastry is a versatile dough that can be used to make many delicious treats, from sweet to savory. It is made by cooking flour, butter, water, and eggs together until a smooth paste forms.
• Patisserie


  A type of Italian, French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets, as well as a term for such food items. In some controlled countries, it is a legally controlled title that may only be used by bakeries that employ a licensed maître pâtissier in French.
• Pralin


  A smooth, sweet substance made by boiling nuts in sugar and grinding the mixture, used especially as a filling for chocolates.
• Streusel


  In baking and pastry making, a crumbly topping of flour, butter, and sugar that is baked on top of muffins, breads, pies, and cakes. Some modern recipes add spices and chopped nuts.