My Baking Syllubus

I am mastering the art of baking one dessert at a time.  Here is a baking syllabus to help you follow along with me.

Quick Breads

Biscuit Method:  Cold, solid fats are used to produce flaky baked goods

Muffin Method:  Liquid fats are used to produce moist, tender baked goods

Creaming Method:  Soften fats (not liquid) are used in this high fat method

Artisan Breads

Straight Dough Method:  ingredients mixed in one step

Sponge Method:  A two-step method in where the yeast, water ad half the formula’s flour is mixed together and then set aside to ferment for a certain amount of time.  Next, the remaining ingredients are mixed in with the yeast mixture to begin the bread making process.

Wild Yeast:  Yeast that can grow from air, on the surface of fruit, or when enzymes break down after combining flour and water, to name a few

Biga:  A pre ferment like the Sponge.  It contains a little yeast, flour and water.  No salt.

Enriched Yeast Breads

Two-stage enriched dough method: First, mix then knead the flour, liquid, yeast and eggs into soft dough. Second, knead in softened butter

Sponge Method:  A two-step method in where the yeast, water and half the formula’s flour is mixed together and then set aside to ferment for a certain amount of time.  Next, the remaining ingredients are mixed in with the yeast mixture to begin the bread making process.

Fried Dough

Laminated Dough

Puff Pastry:  A rich, buttery pastry with hundreds of light, flaky layers

Croissant Pastry:  Laminated pastry dough with yeast

Danish Pastry:  Laminated pastry dough with yeast (usually contains higher percentage of butter and sugar compared to croissant dough)

Cookies and Brownies

Drop Cookie Method:  A soft dough that is scooped into mounds and baked

Icebox Cookie Method:  Dough that is shaped into logs or rectangles, chilled, then sliced and baked

Cut-Out Cookie Method:  Firm dough that is chilled, then rolled out, and cut with any various type of cookie cutter.  After baking, cut-out cookies are most often decorated with a sugar glaze or frosting.

Molded Cookie Method:  Firm cookie dough that is formed into shapes.

Brownies:  

Pies and Tarts

Pate Brisee:  A dough that produces a very flaky pastry containing little or no sugar

Puff Pastry:  A rich, buttery pastry with hundreds of light, flaky layers

Pate Sablee:  Shortbread tart dough

Pate Sucree:  a sweet dough used for tart shells, that produces a very rich and crisp baked product

Graham Cracker Crust:  a sweet crust made of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter

Chocolate Cookie Crust:  A sweet crust made of chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter

Pastry and Dessert Components

Choux Pastry: A type of puff pastry that is cooked first on a stove top then baked in the oven where it puffs and expands.

French (Ordinary) Meringue:  A foam made of beaten egg whites and sugar

Italian Meringue:  Meringue cooked with a hot sugar syrup

Dacquoise:  Meringue that contains ground nuts

Phyllo Dough:  Paper-thin sheets of dough

Crepes:  Thin, unleavened pancakes 

Cakes and Icings

Butter Cakes (creamed-fat mixing method):  Softened butter, or shortening is creamed to incorporate air cells. Because it is a high-fat formula they need the help from a chemical leavener to achieve a proper rise.

High-Ratio Cakes:  A two-stage mixing method (the liquids are added in two parts) that have a high ratio of sugar to flour.

Genoise:  A type of whipped-egg cake that uses whole eggs whipped with sugar; also known as a French spongecake

Angel Food Cake:  A light cake that is made without fat, and is leavened by whipped egg whites.

Chiffon Cake:  Like an angel food cake, but with the addition egg yolks and oil which makes for a richer cake

Frostings/Icings

American-style buttercream:  Butter  and powdered sugar are beaten together until smooth

Royal Icing:  A mixture of uncooked egg whites and powdered sugar

Italian Buttercream:  Whipped egg whites are mixed with a hot sugar syrup.  Once cooled, softened butter is mixed in until light and soft.

French Buttercream:  Whipped egg yolks or whole eggs are mixed with a hot sugar syrup (pate a bombe).  Once cooled, softened butter is mixed in until fluffy and light.  

Fudge Frosting:  Warmed butter and milk (or water) is mixed with powdered sugar.  It is candy-like and usually frosted while still warm.

Ganache:  A filling or topping made up of chocolate and cream

Cream Cheese Frosting

Custards, Creams and Sauces

Custard: Any liquid thickened by the coagulation of egg proteins

Stirred Custard:  Custard that is cooked on the stove top either in a double-boiler, or directly in a saucepan

Baked Custard:  Custard that is cooked in the oven, usually in a water bath for even baking

Caramel:  Cooked sugar

Mousse: a creamy food that is lightened by whipped cream, and or, beaten egg whites

Creme Chantilly (whipped cream):  Heavy cream whipped until doubled in volume.  Usually sweetened with sugar (powdered or granulated) and flavored with extracts, liquors 

Bavarian cream: a cream similar to pastry cream except that it is thickened with gelatin rather than cornstarch, or flour.  It usually is flavored with a liqueur.

Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts

Churn-Frozen Desserts: frozen desserts that are made from a custard base, fruit juice, or sugar syrup, and then churned in an ice cream maker and frozen.

Special Needs Baking

Vegan Bakes: Containing no animal products

Gluten-Free Bakes: 

Low Fat/Low Calorie Bakes:

Petit Fours and Confections

Iced Petit Fours

Dry Petit Fours

Tortes And Specialty Cakes

Chocolate and Sugar Work

Chocolate Truffles

Daring Bakers Challenges

How To

Miscellaneous

My Absolute Favorites