Baking and dough

Mixing, kneading, proofing and the pastries, creams and doughs that baking recipes take for granted.

AutolyseAutolyse is a rest where flour and water sit before salt and yeast go in. It makes bread dough smoother and easier to knead and shape.
BeatTo beat is to mix hard and fast with a spoon, whisk or mixer until a batter is smooth or eggs are blended. Here is how long to beat and when to stop.
BigaA biga is a stiff Italian pre-ferment of flour, water and a pinch of yeast, left to ripen overnight. It gives bread a deeper flavor and an open crumb.
Blind bakeBlind baking is baking a pie or tart crust before the filling goes in, using weights to stop it puffing up. It keeps the base crisp, not soggy.
BloomTo bloom is to wake up an ingredient in liquid or fat before use, like soaking gelatin, proving yeast or frying spices. Here is how each one works.
Bulk fermentationBulk fermentation is the first rise, when bread dough ferments in one mass before shaping. It builds flavor and strength. Here is how to judge it.
Choux pastryChoux pastry is a cooked dough of water, butter, flour and eggs that puffs hollow in the oven. It makes eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles and gougères.
CreamCreaming is beating butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. It traps air that helps cakes and cookies rise. Here is how long it takes.
Crème pâtissièreCrème pâtissière is a thick custard of milk, egg yolks, sugar and starch, used to fill eclairs, tarts and doughnuts. Here is how to make it smooth.
CrimpTo crimp is to press the edges of pastry or dough together in a pattern. It seals pies, pasties and dumplings and gives them a neat, finished edge.
CrumbThe crumb is the soft inside of a bread or cake, and its holes and texture tell you how it was mixed, proofed and baked. Here is how to read it.
Cut inTo cut in is to work cold butter into flour with a pastry blender or knives until it looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits. It makes flaky pastry.
DockTo dock is to prick holes in raw pastry, crackers or pizza dough with a fork so steam can escape. It keeps the base flat instead of puffing up in the oven.
Egg washEgg wash is beaten egg, often thinned with water or milk, brushed on dough before baking. It gives a shiny, golden crust and glues seeds and seams.
FoldTo fold is to combine a light mix, like whipped cream or egg whites, into a heavier one without losing air. It also means stretching dough in bread making.
FrostTo frost is to spread a thick, creamy layer such as buttercream over a cooled cake or cupcakes. Here is how to get a smooth coat without crumbs.
GanacheGanache is chocolate melted into hot cream. Change the ratio and it becomes a glaze, a whipped frosting or firm truffles. Here are the ratios to use.
GlazeA glaze is a thin, shiny coating brushed or poured on food, from sugar icing on cakes to jam on tarts and sticky sauces on meat. Here is how to make one.
HydrationHydration is the weight of water in a bread dough as a percent of the flour weight. Higher numbers mean a wetter dough and a more open crumb.
KneadTo knead is to push, fold and turn dough until it is smooth and stretchy. It builds gluten so bread rises well. Here is how long it takes and how to tell.
LaminateTo laminate is to fold a slab of butter into dough and roll it out again and again, making hundreds of thin layers for croissants and puff pastry.
MeringueMeringue is egg whites whipped with sugar into a glossy foam, baked crisp or used soft on pies. Here are the French, Swiss and Italian methods and fixes.
Oven springOven spring is the fast rise a bread loaf makes in its first minutes in a hot oven. Good proofing, scoring and steam give a tall loaf with an open crumb.
PipeTo pipe is to squeeze frosting, cream, batter or dough through a bag and nozzle to make neat shapes. Here is how to fill the bag, hold it and press evenly.
PoolishA poolish is a wet pre-ferment of equal weights flour and water with a little yeast, left overnight. It gives bread a mild, nutty flavor and a crisp crust.
ProofTo proof is to let shaped dough rise one last time before baking. Use the poke test to tell when bread is ready, underproofed or overproofed.
Puff pastryPuff pastry is a dough folded with butter into hundreds of thin layers that rise into a crisp, flaky pastry. Here is how to bake it tall and crisp.
Punch downTo punch down is to press the gas out of risen bread dough before shaping. It evens out the bubbles and the yeast. Here is how to do it gently.
RestTo rest is to leave a dough, batter or cooked meat alone for a while before the next step. It relaxes gluten, hydrates flour and keeps juices in.
Ribbon stageThe ribbon stage is when eggs and sugar are whisked so thick that the mix falls in a ribbon that sits on the surface. It is the base of a light sponge.
Rub inTo rub in is to work cold butter into flour with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. It is the base of scones, crumble and shortcrust.
Shortcrust pastryShortcrust pastry is a crumbly, tender pastry of flour, fat and a little water, used for pies, tarts and quiche. Here is the ratio and how to make it.
SiftTo sift is to pass flour, cocoa or sugar through a fine sieve to break up lumps and add air. Here is when sifting matters and when you can skip it.
Soft peaksSoft peaks are when whipped cream or egg whites form peaks that droop over at the tip. Here is how to spot the stage and why so many recipes stop there.
Sourdough starterA sourdough starter is a fed mix of flour and water full of wild yeast and bacteria that leavens bread. Here is how to make, feed and store one.
Stiff peaksStiff peaks are when whipped egg whites or cream stand straight up off the whisk without bending. Here is how to reach the stage without overwhipping.
StreuselStreusel is a crumbly topping of flour, butter and sugar baked over cakes, muffins and fruit. Here is the basic ratio and how to get big, crunchy clumps.
Temper chocolateTempering chocolate is melting and cooling it to set temperatures so it sets glossy and snaps cleanly. Here are the temperatures for dark, milk and white.
Temper eggsTempering eggs is slowly whisking hot liquid into beaten eggs so they warm up without scrambling. It is the key step in custards and pastry cream.
WhipTo whip is to beat cream or egg whites fast to fill them with air until they thicken and hold peaks. Here is how to get there without overwhipping.
WhiskTo whisk is to mix quickly with a wire whisk to blend, smooth out lumps or add a little air. Here is how to whisk well and which whisk to reach for.
Windowpane testThe windowpane test checks if bread dough is kneaded enough. Stretch a small piece thin. If light shows through without a tear, the gluten is ready.