Baking vocabulary: basic terms and techniques

Basic techniques

Term	Meaning
Sift	Pass a powder (flour, powdered sugar) through a sieve to remove lumps and aerate it
Whip/whisk pale	Beat egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale and thickens
Cream	Beat butter (often with sugar) until smooth and light
Fold air in	Incorporate air by whisking (cream, egg whites) to increase volume
Fold gently	Mix without knocking out trapped air, using a spatula, bottom to top
Roll out	Roll dough to the desired thickness
Line (a tin)	Fit rolled-out dough into a baking tin

Stiff peaks: firm but still supple egg whites, forming a peak that droops slightly.
Ribbon stage: a batter that falls in a continuous ribbon when the whisk is lifted.
Coats the back of a spoon: a custard is cooked when it coats a spoon and a finger leaves a clean trail through it.

Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before starting: butter that's too cold won't cream properly, and cold eggs can deflate a whipped batter.