Art & Science Of Baking - Baked Goods

Cakes

100

What ingredient helps a cake rise?

Baking Powder or Self-Raising Flour

200

What do eggs do in a cake recipe?

Bind the ingredients and add structure

300

Why is it important not to overmix cake batter?

Will make the cake tough/Make it less fluffy

400

What’s the difference between sponge cake and butter cake?

Sponge uses whipped eggs, butter cake uses creamed butter and sugar

500

What’s the purpose of the “skewer test” when baking cake?

To check if the cake is cooked through - it should come out clean

Cookies

100

What ingredient makes cookies sweet and helps them brown?

Sugar

200

What gives cookies a soft and chewy texture instead of being crispy?

Brown Sugar or Butter

300

Why should cookie dough be chilled before baking?

To stop them from spreading too much

400

What ingredient can be used instead of eggs in vegan cookies?

Mashed Banana, Flaxseed Meal, Chia Seeds, or Applesauce

500

Why do we cream butter and sugar at the start of cookie recipes?

To add air and create a light texture

Pastries

100

What fat is typically used in pastry to make it flaky?

Butter (or Shortening)

200

What is the difference between puff pastry and shortcrust pastry?

Puff pastry can generally be described as flaky, light and buttery, good for pies and pastries, while shortcrust pastry has a more crumbly, biscuit-like texture which is good for tart or quiche cases

300

What are three (3) examples of pastries, either sweet or savoury?

• Danish pastry – A flaky, buttery pastry often filled with custard, fruit, or jam.

• Apple turnover – Puff pastry filled with stewed apples and sometimes cinnamon.

• Pain au chocolat – A French pastry with layers of buttery dough and chocolate inside.

• Cinnamon roll – Rolled pastry with cinnamon sugar filling, often topped with icing.

• Custard tart – Shortcrust pastry filled with sweet egg custard and baked.

• Sausage roll – Puff pastry wrapped around seasoned sausage meat.
• Quiche – Shortcrust pastry base filled with a savoury custard of eggs, cream, and various fillings (e.g., cheese, spinach, bacon).
• Cheese and onion pasty – A savoury pastry filled with cheese, onion, and sometimes potato.
• Spinach and feta triangle – Filo pastry filled with spinach and feta, often Greek-inspired.
• Chicken and mushroom pie – Puff or shortcrust pastry filled with creamy chicken and mushrooms.

400

Why do you “blind bake” pastry before adding a wet filling?

To prevent a soggy bottom and ensure the base is cooked

500

Why is cold butter important in pastry?

It creates steam and makes the pastry flaky

Bread

100

What ingredient makes bread rise?

Yeast

200

What’s the purpose of kneading bread dough?

To develop gluten

300

What does gluten do in bread?

It gives structure and elasticity

400

Why do we let bread dough “prove” before baking?

To let it rise and develop texture

500

What would happen if you didn’t knead your bread enough?

The bread would be dense and not rise well

Savoury

100

What is a common savoury baked item made with cheese and no sugar?

Cheese Scone or Savoury Scone

200

What makes quiche filling set when baked?

Eggs

300

What kind of pastry is used for sausage rolls?

Puff Pastry

400

What can be used to glaze savoury pastries for a golden top?

Egg wash or milk

500

What is the name of a savoury pie made with potato topping instead of pastry?

Shepherds Pie or Cottage Pie