Definition 1
A light pastry dough used to make cream puffs and eclairs.
Pâte à Choux
A laminated dough made of many alternating layers of butter and dough.
Pâte Feuilletée
A rustic, baked dessert featuring fresh fruit (traditionally black cherries) covered with a thick, flan-like batter.
Clafoutis
A smooth mixture of chopped chocolate and warm cream.
Ganache
A shiny coating poured over cakes and pastries.
Glaze (Glaçage)
Whipped egg whites and sugar used as a topping or baked into crisp treats.
Meringue
A baked filling made from ground almonds, butter, sugar, and eggs.
Crème d'Amande
A round, flaky cake made by layering bread dough with large amounts of butter and sugar, which caramelizes as it bakes.
Kouign-Amann
A dessert made of layers of puff pastry and pastry cream.
Mille-Feuille
A paste made from caramelized hazelnuts or almonds.
Praliné
Strictly a cutting technique, but used in pastry to describe finely shredding mint or herbs for garnish.
Chiffonnade
The process of folding almond flour and powdered sugar into egg whites to make macarons.
Macaronage
A wheel-shaped choux pastry filled with praline-flavored cream and topped with flaked almonds, shaped to look like a bicycle tire.
Paris-Brest
Sweetened whipped cream. Often flavored with vanilla.
Crème Chantilly
Sprinkled with pearl sugar and eaten plain.
Chouquette
A crumbly, cookie-like dough used for tarts.
Pâte Sablée
A thick sauce made from strained fruits or vegetables.
Coulis
An elaborate cake featuring a puff pastry base ringed with caramelized, cream-filled choux puffs and topped with whipped cream or spun sugar.
Gâteau St. Honoré
To coat the bottom of a pastry crust with melted chocolate to prevent it from getting soggy.
Chablonner
To coat or glaze a pastry with a thin layer of sauce, jelly, or apricot glaze.
Napper
To line a tart pan with dough.
Foncer
A gentle cooking method used to melt chocolate or bake custards without scorching.
Bain-Marie
A rectangular, multi-layered cake made of almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee buttercream, and topped with a chocolate glaze.
Opéra Cake
A smooth, rich blend of milk chocolate and hazelnut praline paste, frequently used as a quick filling or flavoring base.
Pralinoise
A classic molded dessert made by folding whipped cream into a gelatin-thickened custard or fruit purée.
Bavarois