Food Articles & Product Announcements
Lingo to Bake With
No matter what you bake - cookies, muffins, bread, a cake or pie-the first step is reading and understanding the recipe. This handy guide will help you differentiate and interpret some common baking terms. You'll learn how to size-up baking pans, select the spatula to best meet your needs, whisk versus whip, and much more.
Panning the Cupboards…
Angel Food Cake Pan - A round, high-sided pan with a hollow cylinder in the center that provides the traditional angel food cake shape. It's typically two-piece with a removable bottom for convenient cake removal. Standard size is 10 inches diameter and 4 inches deep, just right for a mix. Smaller pans (4-inch and 7-inch diameter) are also available. These pans are also great for chiffon cakes, quick breads and gelatin molds.
Bundt-style Pan - This on-piece pan also bakes a cake with a hole in the center but is distinguished by fancy, fluted indentations. Use it for pound cakes, fruit cakes and mousses.
Cake Pan-Standard - size cake pans from Wilton have sides at least 2 inches high; the taller sides result in taller cakes. Round, square and rectangular shapes are typical, and hundreds of shaped pans are also available.
Cookie Sheet - A flat pan with one edge (and sometimes two) slightly curved for ease in handling. Standard sizes are 10 x 15 inches and 11 x 17 inches.
Jelly Roll Pan - A rectangular pan with about 1-inch deep sides originally designed to make sheet cakes or sponge cakes for jelly rolls. Today, the pan is commonly used for baking cookies, rolls and pizzas. Standard size is about 10-1/2 x 15-1/2 x 1 inch.
Springform Pan - A round pan with high, straight sides (2-1/2 to 3 inches) that expand with the aid of a spring or clamp. The bottom of the pan can be removed from the sides when the clamp is released-this allows cakes, tortes or cheesecakes to be easily removed from the pan.
Tart Pan - This pan is distinguished by its short (about 1 inch) fluted sides and removable bottom. Various shapes and sizes are available.
Will the real spatula please stand up…
Spatula #1 (the true spatula) - A long, slender metal kitchen utensil with straight even sides used to spread frosting and level dry ingredients for proper measuring.
Spatula #2 (also know as a rubber scraper) - Most commonly used to scrape ingredients off the sides of bowls during mixing and for folding ingredients into a dough or batter.
Spatula #3 (also known as a pancake turner) - Versatile kitchen utensil for flipping pancakes or burgers, removing cookies or corn bread from baking pans, and serving casseroles or cake squares.
Spatula #4 (also known as a dough scraper) - Used to scrape dough from flat surfaces, for example after rolling out pastry or cookie dough.
Sifting through…
Sifter - A mesh-bottomed kitchen utensil designed to sift ingredients such as flour or confectioner's sugar. It's distinguished by a hand-operated trigger which helps to evenly distribute unsifted ingredients over the mesh for covering sifting.
Strainer (or sieve) - A kitchen utensil with a perforated or mesh bottom used to strain liquid-solid mixtures, or to sift dry ingredients. To sift with a strainer, simply tap the side of the strainer with a spoon or use the spoon to help press dry ingredients through the mesh.
No more mix-ups…
Beat - To mix rapidly, smoothing the ingredients and adding air, using a wire whisk, electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
Combine - To mix or toss to distribute ingredients evenly. Use a fork or wooden spoon.
Cream - To beat with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Usually refers to beating butter, or butter and sugar.
Fold - To distribute a light ingredient (such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites) throughout a heavier batter without losing the fluffiness or airiness. To do this, gently turn ingredients over from the bottom using a rubber scraper or wooden spoon as you rotate the bowl. Do not stir in circles. Also refers to incorporating ingredients like chocolate chips or nuts into a cake or cookie dough.
Mix - To stir in circles with a wooden spoon until ingredients are distributed evenly and there are no clumps of one ingredient. Or, to combine with an electric mixer on low speed.
Stir - To move spoon in circular motion to incorporate ingredients. Usually refers to combining liquids or melted ingredients. To stir ingredients cooking on the stove top, use a wooden spoon and stir from the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
Whip - To beat ingredients very quickly with an electric hand mixer, stand mixer or wire whisk. Whipping adds air to the ingredients to make them fluffy (i.e. whipped cream).
Whisk - Similar to whipping but not as fast a motion or for as long a period of time. Ingredients are whisked until blended or smooth-but not fluffy. Use a wire whisk or fork.
When the heat is on…
Bake - To cook in an oven using dry heat.
Boil - To cook on the stovetop until bubbles rise rapidly to the surface. Always use a saucepan large enough to prevent ingredients from boiling over the edges of the pan.
Simmer - To cook on the stovetop just below the boiling point; small bubbles will rise slowly to the surface. A mixture simmers before it boils.
Interested cooks can call 1-800-942-8881 for information on the location of the nearest Wilton cake and confectionery decorating classes.
