Baking and Pastry Fundamentals Flashcards
7 cards from real Cooking Lessons practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Baking and Pastry Fundamentals flashcards as text
What distinguishes puff pastry from a standard pie dough?
Answer: Puff pastry is laminated with butter through repeated folds to create hundreds of layers
Lamination folds a butter block into dough repeatedly, producing many thin layers that puff with steam.
Why do choux pastry shells like éclairs puff up hollow without any leavening agent?
Answer: High moisture in the dough turns to steam and inflates the shell
Choux dough is very wet, and the steam generated in a hot oven inflates the pastry before the structure sets.
A batch of cookies spreads into flat puddles. Which fix is most effective?
Answer: Chill the dough before baking to firm the butter
Chilled dough holds its shape longer in the oven because the butter melts more slowly.
What does 'proofing' mean in yeast baking?
Answer: Letting shaped dough rise a final time before baking
Proofing is the final fermentation of shaped dough that builds volume before it goes in the oven.
Which sign indicates that a custard like crème anglaise is properly cooked?
Answer: It coats the back of a spoon and holds a line drawn through it
Crème anglaise is done at the nappe stage, around 170-180°F, when it evenly coats a spoon; boiling would curdle it.
Why is a water bath (bain-marie) used when baking cheesecake?
Answer: It provides gentle, even heat that prevents cracking and curdling
The surrounding water moderates the oven heat so the delicate egg custard cooks evenly without cracking.
What is the purpose of scoring the top of a bread loaf before baking?
Answer: It controls where the loaf expands during oven spring
Score marks give the expanding dough a planned weak point so it opens attractively instead of bursting randomly.