Baking Terms - V, W, X, Y Z | |
 Below are important baking terms, plus, a few cooking ones, as well. Select a letter that begins the word you are looking for, and you will be brought to a listing of them. For kitchen equipment terms and descriptions, click here. | |
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| Vacherin (vah sher ran): A crisp meringue shell filled with cream, fruits, or other items. | |
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| Vanilla Sauce: Vanilla sauce is considered a "mother sauce" in pastry. It is used as the base in many creams, mousses, ice cream and desserts. It is sometimes referred to as - crème anglaise, custard sauce and English crème/sauce. It is based on milk, sugar and egg yolks. | |
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| Vanilla Sugar: Granulated sugar flavored with vanilla by enclosing it with a vanilla pod in an airtight jar. | |
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| Vinegar: A clear liquid, consisting of chiefly acetic acid, obtained by the fermentation of wine, cider or malt beer. | |
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| Vol-au-vent: (French) Light, flaky case of puff pastry. |  | |
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| Waffle: Batter cooked on a hot greased waffle iron to form a crisp biscuit. | |
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| Walnut: Native to Asia and grow on walnut trees inside green pods which turn brown and wood like when dried. | |
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| Wash: (1) A liquid brushed onto the surface of a product, usually before baking. (2) To apply such a liquid. | |
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| Water Bath: Preparation method of gently cooking delicate foods such as custards on the stove top or in the oven by placing small cooking bowls, tins or pans in a larger pan partially filled with water. (See also Bain Marie.) | |
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| Water Pack: A type of canned fruit or vegetable containing the water used to process the item. | |
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| Weak Flour: Flour with a low protein content. | |
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| Wheat Flour Terms | |
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| Weeping: Also known as "synersis". | |
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| Whey: Liquid which separates from the curd when milk curdles. Used in cheese-making. | |
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| Whipping: Preparation method whereby an item is mixed until frothy and creamy in consistency. Whisk: (noun) A mixing tool designed so its many strands of looped wire make it effective for beating and adding air during preparation. (verb) To beat with a whisk until well mixed. On a stand mixer, the wire whisk beater is used. | |
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| Whisk: A tool used to aerate the batter or to whip egg whites with. It is absolutely indispensable for so many cooking jobs. There are many types and sizes of whisks. | |
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| White Chocolate: does not contain any chocolate. It is derived from cocoa butter, which produces a faint chocolate flavor. The cocoa butter is blended with milk and sugar to form the creamy confection, which is used for both eating and cooking. | |
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| Whites: chef's white coats | |
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| Whole Wheat Flour: Flour made by grinding the entire wheat kernel, including the bran and germ. To identify a bread or recipe made with whole wheat, the key words to look for on the ingredient list are "whole-wheat", "100% whole wheat flour" or "whole wheat flour". Terms like "enriched wheat flour", "unbleached wheat flour", and "wheat flour" are different terms for whole wheat flour that has been processed into white flour. | |
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| Wilt: To apply heat so as to cause dehydration and a droopy appearance. | |
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| Wok: Chinese cooking utensil with rounded bottom used as a skillet. |
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| Yeast: Fungus cells used to produce alcoholic fermentation, or to cause dough to rise . A leavening agent used in doughs and batters. It usually comes in a dry, bead like form which can be compressed into cakes, although it also exists in a fresh form. It is best activated at a temperature of 110-F to 115-F degrees. Anything too cold won't activate it, anything too hot will kill it. | |
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| Yeast Bread: Any bread whose primary leavening action results from the fermentation of sugar by yeast. | |
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| Yogurt: Curdled milk which has been treated with harmless bacteria. In the Middle East it is served as a sauce with meat, fish and vegetables; in Europe mainly with or in desserts; in American primarily a breakfast or snack with fruit or fruit flavorings. | |
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| Young Dough: Dough that is under fermented. |  | |
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| Zaatar: (Middle East) An herb mixture composed of savory, thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. | |
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| Zabaglione: (Italian) Dessert consisting of egg yolks, white wine or Marsala and sugar, which are whisked together in the top of a double boiler over boiling water until thick and foamy. | |
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| Zest: French) Colored, oily outer skin of citrus fruit which, when grated or peeled, is used to flavor foods and liquids. The rind of citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit, lime, and lemon). The rind of the fruit contains oils of essence that lend a nice flavor to the final dish. It is commonly candied or crystallized for pastry use. When zesting, be careful not to include the white pith, as it adds a bitterness. | |
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| Zester: Small tool for scraping off zest. | |
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| Zwieback: Refers to bread that is baked, cut into slices and then returned to the oven until very crisp and dry | |
