French pastry and baking are renowned for their delicate flavors and sophisticated techniques. Learning the language of French baking is essential for any baker who wants to master the art of French pastry. In this blog post, we will go through the 10 most important French terms to know in baking.
Pâtisserie: The term "pâtisserie" refers to a bakery that specializes in making French pastries. This can include everything from croissants and éclairs to tarts and macarons.
Crème anglaise: Crème anglaise is a French technique for making a thin custard sauce that can be used as a dessert sauce or base for ice cream. It involves heating milk, sugar, and vanilla together, then slowly whisking in egg yolks to thicken the mixture.
Sablage: Sablage is the French term for the technique of cutting butter into flour to create a crumbly mixture that is used as a base for pie crusts and tart shells. This technique is used in Pâte Brisée and Pâte Sucrée.
Enrobage: Enrobage is a French technique that involves coating something in a layer of chocolate or other confectionery coating. This technique is commonly used for truffles and other chocolate candies.
Crème Pâtissière: Crème Pâtissière is a classic French pastry cream used as a filling for cakes, pastries, and other desserts. It is made from milk, sugar, eggs, and cornstarch and has a thick, custard-like texture.
Crème Chantilly: Crème Chantilly, also known as whipped cream, is a sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla. It is often used as a topping for cakes, pastries, and other desserts.
Pâte à choux: This is a type of dough that is used to make profiteroles, éclairs, and other French pastries. It is made by cooking flour, water, butter, and eggs together on the stovetop until a thick, smooth dough forms.
Sablé: A type of French shortbread cookie that is rich and buttery. The name "sablé" comes from the French word for sand, which describes the cookie's crumbly texture.
Gâteau: The French word for cake, which can refer to a variety of sweet baked goods, from simple butter cakes to elaborate layered cakes.
Ganache: A mixture of chocolate and cream used to fill or coat pastries, cakes, and truffles. It can be made with dark, milk, or white chocolate, and can be flavored with a variety of ingredients.