Food Preparation Techniques: an Introduction

Food Preparation Techniques: An Introduction

Topic 3. 2 Cookery Terms

Bake blind – / Baking a pastry shell lined with greaseproof and filled with baking beans. The bottom is pricked to prevent air bubbles being trapped and lifting the base. The greaseproof and baking beans are removed before the baking time is complete to allow the base to colour.
Beat – / Stirring quickly in a circular motion and may be done with an electric mixer and a beater attachment, by hand or with a bowl and a wooden spoon, spatula or whisk.
Blend – / Mixing together two or more ingredients/flavours. More commonly regarded as blending in a liquidiser or blender.
Coat – / Covering food with an outer coating e.g. seasoned flour, batter, breadcrumbs, etc, prior to cooking. Can also refer to coating food with a sauce, e.g. egg mayonnaise, poached fillet of sole mornay, etc.
Cream – / To beat ingredients to a smooth, soft and creamy texture and found in many baking recipes that call for fat and sugar to be creamed.
Fold – / A gentle technique to incorporate a light airy mixture into a heavier mixture taking care to retain as much air as possible in the mix.
Knead – / To work and stretch dough developing the gluten that will enable gas bubbles to be held in and help it to rise when proved and baked. Can be done using an electric mixer with a dough hook or by hand.
Line – / To cover the inside of a pan, dish, ring or tin with food such as pastry, bacon, bread, etc or with a food safe material like greaseproof paper, tinfoil, clingfilm, etc.
Whisk – / To whip foodstuffs like cream, egg whites, egg yolks, etc, using a whisk to incorporate air into the mixture.

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