If you're just starting your journey in pastry arts, you've probably already encountered many terms while watching videos, reading recipes, or visiting specialty stores.
Let's be honest—it's not always possible to quickly Google an unfamiliar word, and that feeling of awkwardness can creep in almost instantly. To avoid such situations, the Maru Expert Pastry Academy recommends getting acquainted with a beginner-friendly pastry glossary!
Pastry Terms You'll Encounter in Your First Months of Work
The pastry industry is evolving rapidly. Modern technologies, combined with the creativity and skill of pastry chefs, continuously introduce new terms into the world of pastry arts. Mastering them all requires time, dedication, and effort. However, there is a fundamental set of terms that are essential for growth in this field.
Here are some key terms that will be useful at the beginner stage:
- Tempering – A term used when working with chocolate. You’ll often hear it in the process of making chocolate decorations or products like candies and chocolate bars. The main goal of tempering is to achieve the recrystallization of cocoa butter. This is done by heating and then cooling the chocolate to specific temperatures (which vary depending on the type of chocolate).
- Agar-agar – An ingredient that often raises questions among beginners. It is used for making marshmallows, soufflés, and other gelatin-like desserts. Agar-agar is a plant-based alternative to gelatin.
- Ganache – A common term in cake, cupcake, and dessert recipes. Ganache is an emulsion of chocolate and "X." The "X" can be cream, juice, purée, water, or other liquids. After combining the two ingredients, the mixture is thoroughly blended. Ganache can be used as a coating cream or a filling.
- Confit & Coulis – These are types of fruit fillings. They are made by simmering berries and fruits with sugar (or a sugar substitute) until they reach a specific consistency.
- Sablé – In simpler terms, this refers to shortcrust pastry. :)
- Meringue – A type of pastry made from egg whites and sugar. The egg whites are whipped with sugar until stiff peaks form, then baked at low temperatures.
As you can see, complex terms with foreign roots can be explained in simple and understandable language. In our online pastry courses for beginners, you'll discover even more fascinating terms, learn to use them correctly, and be able to distinguish between confit and coulis with your eyes closed!
Learning new words and incorporating them into your work is exciting, but remember—the most important thing is that communicating with a pastry chef should bring joy and positivity to those who seek their services. Stay curious, keep learning, and set new goals!
