415C Baking & Pastry Fundamentals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the 'creaming method' in cake making?
- Adding warm cream to the batter
- Beating fat and sugar together until light and fluffy before adding eggs and flour (Correct answer)
- Folding whipped cream into the batter at the end
- Combining all ingredients at once and mixing briefly
Correct answer: Beating fat and sugar together until light and fluffy before adding eggs and flour
The creaming method beats fat and sugar together to incorporate air, creating a light, fluffy base that results in a tender, fine-crumbed cake.
Question 2: What temperature is typically used for baking choux pastry (pâte à choux)?
- 150°C
- 200–220°C (Correct answer)
- 250°C
- 100°C
Correct answer: 200–220°C
Choux pastry bakes at 200–220°C so the steam inside the dough rapidly expands, creating the characteristic hollow interior of éclairs and profiteroles.
Question 3: What is the function of eggs in a custard or crème brûlée?
- To add sweetness and colour
- To provide structure through protein coagulation when heated (Correct answer)
- To create air and lift in the dessert
- To prevent crystallization of the sugar
Correct answer: To provide structure through protein coagulation when heated
Eggs set the custard structure through protein coagulation when gently heated; overheating causes curdling as proteins contract too tightly.
Question 4: What does 'folding' mean in pastry and baking?
- Rolling dough to an even thickness
- Gently combining a lighter mixture into a heavier one to preserve air bubbles (Correct answer)
- Mixing ingredients at high speed until smooth
- Pressing dough into a mould
Correct answer: Gently combining a lighter mixture into a heavier one to preserve air bubbles
Folding gently incorporates a light aerated mixture (like whipped egg whites or cream) into a heavier base using a cutting and turning motion to preserve volume.
Question 5: What is a 'ganache' in pastry?
- A fruit compote used to fill tarts
- An emulsion of chocolate and warm cream used for truffles, glazes, and fillings (Correct answer)
- A sugar syrup cooked to the soft-ball stage
- A mousse made with whipped cream and gelatine
Correct answer: An emulsion of chocolate and warm cream used for truffles, glazes, and fillings
Ganache is an emulsion of chopped chocolate and warm cream, varying in texture from a pourable glaze to a firm truffle centre depending on the chocolate-to-cream ratio.
Question 6: What is the purpose of 'tempering' chocolate?
- Melting chocolate gently to avoid burning it
- Heating and cooling chocolate to stabilize cocoa butter crystals, producing a glossy, snappy finish (Correct answer)
- Adding cream to chocolate to prevent it from seizing
- Mixing dark and white chocolate together
Correct answer: Heating and cooling chocolate to stabilize cocoa butter crystals, producing a glossy, snappy finish
Tempering chocolate aligns cocoa butter into stable crystal Form V, producing a shiny surface, firm snap, and smooth melt-in-the-mouth texture.
415C Baking & Pastry Fundamentals 2
What is the 'creaming method' in cake making?