Why is stoneground flour different from roller milled flour?

Stoneground flour keeps more of the bran and germ, giving fuller flavour and nutrition. Roller milled flour is finer and whiter, but often requires fortification to replace lost nutrients.

What does W value mean in flour?

The W value measures flour strength. A high W value indicates strong gluten, suitable for long fermentation breads. Lower W values are better for pastries or cakes.

Do I need to sift flour when baking?

Sifting aerates flour and removes lumps. For cakes and delicate pastries it helps create a lighter texture, but for bread it is usually unnecessary unless you are making your own white flour by sifting out bran.

What is autolyse in bread baking?

Autolyse is a rest period after mixing flour and water but before adding yeast or salt. It allows gluten to begin developing naturally, producing dough that is easier to handle and bread with better flavour.

What is a banneton or proofing basket used for?

A banneton, also called a proofing basket or brotform, supports dough during its final rise before baking. It helps dough keep its shape and can leave a decorative flour pattern on the crust.

Why does my bread collapse after rising?

Collapsing bread usually means it has been over-proofed, so the gluten structure has weakened and cannot hold gas. Under-kneading, weak flour, or too much yeast can also contribute.

Bread & Flour Glossary: Baking Terms Explained

An A–Z guide to bread baking and flour terms

Bread baking and flour milling come with a surprising number of technical terms. What is hydration in bread? What does W value measure? Is strong flour the same as bread flour? How does 00 flour differ from plain flour?

This BakeryBits baking glossary explains common and specialist terms used in artisan bread baking, sourdough fermentation and flour selection. Entries range from autolyse, banneton and oven spring to protein percentage, wholemeal flour, the Italian 0-system and the French T-system. Each term is explained in clear, practical language so you can understand what it means and how it affects your baking.

If you are comparing flour types you can also browse our flour range, see our baking equipment or explore the BakeryBits baking guides.

Whether you are choosing flour for long fermentation, troubleshooting gummy crumb, learning lamination for croissants, or comparing flour strength for pizza and pasta, this guide is designed to help you make better baking decisions.

Some topics such as flour strength, national flour classification systems and dough fermentation deserve deeper articles. Where useful we link to those guides. If you notice a term missing, let us know and we will keep expanding the glossary over time.

This glossary reflects current UK milling standards and artisan baking practice and is maintained by the BakeryBits team.

A
Acidity (in Bread): What it is:The sourness or acid level that develops as dough ferments. In practical bread baking, acidity is often discussed and measured through pH.

Why bakers care:Acidity shapes sourdough flavour, starter ripeness, dough strength and keeping quality. It is affected by flour choice, temperature, hydration, inoculation and fermentation time.

How to use it:If you want to measure acidity rather than judge it by taste and aroma, see pH (Acidity in Bread).

Related terms:pH, Sourdough, Starter, Levain, Retarding
Active Dry Yeast: What it is:A dried baker’s yeast sold in coarse granules, usually more dormant than instant yeast and often activated before mixing.

Why bakers care:It is shelf-stable and reliable, but it usually works a little more slowly than instant yeast if used straight from the pack.

How to use it:If the pack says to activate it, dissolve it in lukewarm water first. If converting from instant yeast, follow the maker’s guidance because quantity and method can differ.

Related terms:Instant Yeast, Fresh Yeast, Commercial Yeast, Proofing
Al dente: What it is:An Italian term meaning “to the tooth”, describing pasta that is cooked until tender but still firm when bitten.

Why bakers care:Al dente cooking preserves structure and texture, preventing pasta from becoming soft or mushy and improving eating quality.

How to use it:Begin tasting pasta 1–2 minutes before the stated cooking time. Drain once the centre offers slight resistance.

Related terms:Pasta, Bronze-die, Durum Wheat
All-Purpose Flour: What it is:A general-purpose wheat flour with medium protein (often about 10-11%) used for a wide range of bakes in the US.

Why bakers care:Protein level drives gluten strength, so all-purpose sits between cake or pastry flours and bread flours in handling and loaf volume.

How to use it:Good for everyday baking and softer breads. For high-hydration or long-ferment loaves you’ll usually get better structure from strong flour. In the UK it overlaps most closely with plain flour (though UK plain can be a touch softer). See our plain flours.

Related terms:Plain Flour, Strong Flour, Protein Percentage, Gluten
Alveograph (Chopin Alveograph): What it is:A lab test that inflates a small sheet of dough like a bubble and measures how it stretches and resists pressure. It outputs several values, including W Value (overall strength) and P/L Ratio (balance of resistance vs stretch).

Why bakers care:It’s one of the best quick indicators of how a flour will handle mixing, hydration, fermentation length and shaping, especially for bread.

How to use it:Use W for “how strong is this flour overall?” and P/L for “will it feel tight or elastic, or extensible?” If dough feels strong but tears easily, the P/L balance is often the clue.

Related terms:W Value, P/L Ratio, Protein Percentage, Strong Flour
Amylase: What it is:A family of enzymes that break starch into simpler sugars the yeast can ferment. Amylase activity is one of the key factors behind Hagberg Falling Number.

Why bakers care:Too little amylase can mean slow fermentation and pale crust. Too much can contribute to sticky dough and a gummy or sticky crumb.

How to use it:If you’re troubleshooting sticky crumb, check falling number and whether you demonstrated extra enzyme activity through diastatic malt. Adjust fermentation time and proofing, and consider recipe tweaks rather than adding more malt.

Related terms:Hagberg Falling Number, Enzyme Activity, Diastatic Malt Flour, Gummy Crumb
Ash Content: What it is:A lab measure of mineral content in flour (the residue left after a sample is burned). In practice it correlates with how much bran and germ is present.

Why bakers care:Higher ash usually means more flavour, a darker crumb and often higher water absorption.

How to use it:Use ash to compare “whiteness” and extraction level across flours (especially French and German types) and to anticipate hydration adjustments.

Related terms:Extraction Rate, T-System, German Flour Classification, Hydration
Autolyse: What it is:A rest period after mixing flour and water, before adding salt and usually before yeast.

Why bakers care:Hydration plus gentle enzyme activity starts gluten formation without heavy mixing, often giving a dough that feels smoother, stretches more easily and can develop strength with less work.

How to use it:Typically 20-60 minutes at room temperature (longer for wholemeal or strong flours). Keep it shorter if your flour is very enzymatically active or your kitchen is hot. Add salt and yeast after the rest. With high-hydration doughs, autolyse can make handling noticeably easier. To compare options, Compare strong flours for autolyse.

Related terms:Hydration, Gluten, Extensibility, Kneading
B
Baker’s Percentages: What it is:A way of writing formulas where flour is always 100% and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight. Hydration is simply the baker’s percentage for water.

Why bakers care:It makes scaling and comparing recipes much easier and helps you spot what’s driving dough behaviour (water, salt, fat and preferments).

How to use it:Write your recipe in percentages first, then scale to any batch size. When changing flour strength (W) or wholegrain content, adjust hydration in small steps.

Related terms:Hydration, Preferment, Inoculation, Protein Percentage
Banneton: What it is:A proofing basket that supports shaped dough during the final rise (often cane or wicker).

Why bakers care:It helps dough hold shape, encourages surface tension and can leave the classic spiral flour pattern.

How to use it:Dust well (rice flour helps), seam-side up for boules and batards, then tip onto a peel to bake. Also known as a brotform or proofing basket. Browse our banneton range.

Related terms:Proofing Basket, Brotform, Proofing, Surface Tension
Bench Rest: What it is:A short rest period after dividing or pre-shaping, where the dough sits uncovered (or lightly covered) before final shaping.

Why bakers care:It allows gluten to relax, making final shaping easier and helping you build better surface tension without tearing.

How to use it:Typically 10-30 minutes. If shaping feels tight and springy, extend the bench rest. If the dough spreads too much, shorten it or strengthen earlier in bulk.

Related terms:Pre-shape, Surface Tension, Elasticity, Extensibility
Best Before: What it is:A UK date mark about quality rather than safety. After the date, a product may gradually lose freshness, flavour or performance, but it is not automatically unsafe.

Why bakers care:Many BakeryBits products such as flour, dried yeast, chocolate, vanilla and other baking ingredients carry a best before date. Customers often assume this means “must be thrown away”, when in many cases it is a cue to check quality and storage first.

How to use it:Store correctly, then judge the ingredient. Flour may still bake well after best before if it smells clean and behaves normally. Dried yeast may lose strength over time, so it can be worth testing or allowing for slower fermentation rather than discarding automatically. For official UK guidance, best before refers to quality, not safety. Food Standards Agency guidance on date marks.

Related terms:Best Before End, Use By, Sell By / Display Until
Best Before End: What it is:A version of best before used where only the month and year matter, often on longer-life foods.

Why bakers care:It causes similar confusion to standard best before dates. The wording still points to peak quality rather than an automatic bin-it date.

How to use it:Read “best before end May 2026” as the product being at its best until the end of that month if stored correctly. After that, judge quality sensibly rather than assuming immediate waste.

Related terms:Best Before, Use By
Biga: What it is:A firmer preferment made with flour, water and a small amount of yeast (typically lower hydration than a poolish).

Why bakers care:It adds flavour and strength without making the final dough overly slack. It often improves structure and chew.

How to use it:Use when you want preferment flavour but a tighter, more manageable dough. If the final dough feels too tight, increase hydration slightly or shorten the biga fermentation.

Related terms:Preferment, Poolish, Inoculation, Bulk Fermentation
Blistering: What it is:Small bubbles on the crust surface that appear after baking, often seen on well-fermented or cold-proofed loaves.

Why bakers care:It’s usually a sign of good fermentation and bake conditions and it’s often associated with a thin, crisp crust.

How to use it:It’s commonly encouraged by retarding and strong early steam. Don’t chase it at the expense of good proofing and bake.

Related terms:Retarding, Steam, Oven Spring, Crust
Bran: What it is:The outer layer of the grain, rich in fibre and minerals.

Why bakers care:Bran adds flavour and nutrition but can reduce loaf volume because sharp bran particles interrupt gluten development.

How to use it:Expect to increase hydration. Longer rests (autolyse and soaker) can soften bran and improve handling in wholemeal doughs.

Related terms:Wholemeal Flour, Wholegrain Flour, Fibre, Hydration
Bread Flour: What it is:Wheat flour with a higher protein content than plain flour, designed to build stronger gluten.

Why bakers care:Stronger gluten allows dough to trap more fermentation gas, producing breads with better structure, volume and chew. This is particularly important for long-fermented sourdoughs and high-hydration doughs.

How to use it:Bread flour is commonly used for sourdough loaves, tin breads, baguettes and pizza dough. In the UK it is usually sold as strong flour. Browse strong bread flours.

Related terms:Strong Flour, Protein Percentage, Gluten, Hydration
Bread Improver: What it is:Bread improver is a blend of ingredients designed to improve dough handling, fermentation performance and final loaf quality. These blends often include enzymes, malt flour, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or emulsifiers.

Why bakers care:Improvers can strengthen dough, increase volume and improve crumb softness or shelf life. They are widely used in commercial baking but less common in artisan baking where fermentation and flour quality are relied on instead.

How to use it:Use sparingly according to the manufacturer’s guidance. Many artisan bakers prefer to adjust fermentation, flour choice or hydration rather than relying on improvers.

Related terms:Diastatic Malt Flour, Enzyme Activity, Amylase, Gluten
Bronze-die (Bronze-die extruded): What it is:A pasta-making method where dough is pushed through a bronze die. Bronze creates a slightly rougher surface than modern Teflon-coated dies.

Why bakers care:The rough surface helps sauces cling, giving a more “traditional” eating texture and a bit more grip, especially with simple oil-based or tomato sauces.

How to use it:Cook as you would any quality dried pasta, but taste early and aim for al dente. Bronze-die pasta shines with sauces that need adhesion - ragù, pesto, olive oil and garlic, tomato and herb sauces.

Related terms:Semolina, Durum Wheat, Pasta
Brotform: What it is:The German term for a proofing basket (often coiled cane or compressed wood fibre).

Why bakers care:Same function as a banneton: supports shape and can help manage sticky doughs.

How to use it:Dust and proof as you would a banneton. See our brotforms.

Related terms:Banneton, Proofing Basket, Proofing
Bulk Fermentation: What it is:The main fermentation period after mixing and before shaping.

Why bakers care:Most flavour development happens here and folds during bulk build strength and dough structure.

How to use it:Judge by dough behaviour (rise, bubbles and strength) rather than the clock. Warmer dough ferments faster and stronger flours tolerate longer bulk. For related flour options, See flours suited to long fermentation.

Related terms:Dough Temperature, Stretch and Fold, Inoculation, Retarding
Butter Block (Beurrage): What it is:A flattened slab of butter used during lamination, placed inside dough before rolling and folding to create layers.

Why bakers care:The consistency of the butter block is critical. If it is too hard it breaks into pieces, and if too soft it melts into the dough, both of which reduce the definition of layers.

How to use it:Butter is shaped into a thin rectangle and enclosed within the dough before the first fold. Ideally the butter and dough should be at similar firmness so they roll together smoothly.

Related terms:Lamination, Laminated Dough, Croissant Dough, Viennoiserie
C
Cacao: What it is: The bean and tree from which chocolate is made. On retail packs, cacao often signals less-processed or origin-led ingredients rather than a different plant from cocoa.

Why bakers care: The words cacao and cocoa are often used loosely, but the label can imply different processing, flavour and price positioning.

How to use it: Look past front-of-pack wording and check what the product actually is: powder, nibs, butter or finished chocolate. For baking and tempering, the fat content and cocoa solids matter more than whether the pack says cacao or cocoa. Browse cacao and cocoa ingredients.

Related terms: Cocoa, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Solids, Single-origin Chocolate
Candied Peel: What it is:Citrus peel preserved in sugar syrup and often diced for baking.

Why bakers care:It adds concentrated citrus flavour, sweetness and chew to festive enriched doughs and cakes. Cut size and sugar level affect how evenly it distributes and how the finished bake eats.

How to use it:Fold it into the dough late in mixing, or during an early fold, so the pieces stay distinct. It is especially common in panettone, colomba pasquale and fruit-rich sweet breads. Browse our candied fruit range.

Related terms:Panettone, Colomba Pasquale, Enriched Dough, Proofing
Chocolate Drops: What it is:Small drops or buttons of chocolate designed for baking or melting. Some are made to hold shape in the oven, while others are intended to melt more readily.

Why bakers care:Size and formulation affect how evenly the chocolate distributes, how fast it melts and whether it stays distinct in cookies, cakes and fillings.

How to use it:Choose bake-stable drops for biscuits and muffins, and higher-cocoa-butter chocolate for sauces, glazes and ganache. Shop chocolate drops.

Related terms:Couverture Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Ganache
Chocolate Extract: What it is:A liquid flavouring used to add chocolate aroma without adding much fat or cocoa solids.

Why bakers care:It can boost chocolate notes in cakes, creams and icings where adding more melted chocolate or cocoa powder would change texture or sweetness.

How to use it:Treat it as a supporting flavour rather than a substitute for cocoa powder or finished chocolate. It adds aroma, but not the structure, colour or cocoa butter those ingredients bring. See chocolate extract options.

Related terms:Cocoa, Cocoa Powder, Dark Chocolate, Drinking Chocolate
Cocoa: What it is:The common bakery term for processed chocolate ingredients made from roasted cacao beans, especially cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

Why bakers care:Recipes often say “cocoa” when they really mean a specific product form. Confusing cocoa with drinking chocolate or finished chocolate can change sweetness, fat content and flavour intensity.

How to use it:Check whether the recipe means cocoa powder, cocoa percentage, nibs, butter or finished chocolate. In everyday baking, cocoa and cacao overlap, but the exact product still matters. Browse cocoa ingredients.

Related terms:Cacao, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Solids, Dark Chocolate
Cocoa Powder: What it is:A dry powder made by pressing much of the cocoa butter out of cocoa mass, then milling the remaining cocoa solids. It may be natural or alkalised.

Why bakers care:Cocoa powder delivers concentrated chocolate flavour and colour with relatively little fat, so it behaves differently from melted chocolate in cakes, brownies and fillings.

How to use it:Bloom it in hot liquid for deeper flavour, or sift it with dry ingredients for even mixing. Check whether a recipe expects natural cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa. It is not the same as drinking chocolate. Shop cocoa powder.

Related terms:Cocoa, Cocoa Solids, Drinking Chocolate, Dark Chocolate
Cocoa Solids: What it is:The non-fat cocoa portion of chocolate that contributes most of its colour, flavour and bitterness.

Why bakers care:Cocoa solids are a big part of what people are comparing when they look at chocolate percentages. More cocoa solids usually means deeper flavour and less sweetness, but not automatically “better”.

How to use it:When comparing chocolates, look at cocoa solids alongside sugar, milk content and overall cocoa percentage. The balance matters in ganache, cakes and desserts. Compare cocoa-rich chocolate options.

Related terms:Cocoa, Cocoa Powder, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate
Conching: What it is:A stage in chocolate making where chocolate is mixed, aerated and worked for an extended time to refine texture and flavour.

Why bakers care:Conching can make a big difference to smoothness, melt and flavour development. Well-conched chocolate generally tastes rounder and feels less gritty on the palate.

How to use it:Bakers do not conche chocolate themselves, but it helps explain why two chocolates with similar cocoa percentages can behave and taste very differently. When choosing chocolate for glazing, ganache or eating quality, conching is part of what you are paying for. Compare well-made chocolate options.

Related terms:Couverture Chocolate, Cocoa Solids, Single-origin Chocolate, Tempering
Cold-pressed oil: What it is:An oil extracted by pressing (or similar mechanical methods) without high heat or chemical refining, helping preserve flavour and natural compounds.

Why bakers care:Cold-pressed oils can taste cleaner and more aromatic, which matters in doughs like focaccia and in bakes where oil is part of the flavour, not just the fat.

How to use it:Use cold-pressed rapeseed for everyday baking and roasting, and keep a premium extra virgin olive oil for finishing and flavour-led doughs.

Related terms:Rapeseed oil, Extra virgin olive oil, Finishing oil
Colomba Pasquale: What it is:An Italian Easter cake-bread related to panettone, usually naturally leavened and baked in a dove-shaped paper case.

Why bakers care:It uses the same demanding enriched-dough skills as panettone: strong flour, careful gluten development, long fermentation and gentle handling of rich dough.

How to use it:Treat it as a seasonal panettone-style dough. Candied peel is traditional, proofing needs patience, and the right paper case helps the loaf hold its shape. See our seasonal cake cases.

Related terms:Panettone, Lievito Madre, Candied Peel, Enriched Dough
Commercial Yeast: What it is:Cultivated baker’s yeast sold for predictable fermentation, as distinct from the mixed wild culture used in sourdough.

Why bakers care:It gives more direct control over timing and lift than sourdough starter, which is why it is common in everyday bread, rolls, pizza and enriched doughs.

How to use it:Choose the format that suits your process: instant, active dry or fresh. For very sweet doughs, switch to osmotolerant yeast.

Related terms:Yeast, Sourdough, Instant Yeast, Osmotolerant Yeast
Coratina: What it is:A celebrated olive cultivar from Puglia, known for producing boldly flavoured oils with a distinctive peppery warmth.

Why bakers care:Coratina is a “finishing” oil with real presence — ideal when bread is part of the main event (dipping, bruschetta, beans on toast, tomato salads alongside fresh loaves).

How to use it:Drizzle over warm bread, pulses and grilled veg; whisk into dressings; add at the end of cooking to keep the aromatics vivid. If you’re serving oil with bread, Coratina is the bottle that gets noticed.

Related terms:Extra virgin olive oil, Finishing oil, Tasting notes
Corn Flour (UK): What it is:In the UK, corn flour usually means corn starch, a refined white powder extracted from maize.

Why bakers care:Corn flour (UK) is used for thickening sauces and custards and for tenderising cakes and biscuits. It is not the same as maize flour.

How to use it:Use sparingly as a thickener or blended into cake flour for softness. Do not substitute directly for maize flour or cornmeal.

Related terms:Maize, Maize Flour
Cornmeal: What it is:Coarsely ground maize, common in American and Italian cooking.

Why bakers care:Cornmeal adds texture and bite to breads and batters and is often used for dusting baking surfaces.

How to use it:Use in cornbread, muffins and rustic loaves, or as a dusting flour for pizza and bread baking.

Related terms:Maize, Polenta
Couverture Chocolate: What it is:Chocolate with a relatively high cocoa butter content, formulated to melt, temper and coat smoothly.

Why bakers care:The extra cocoa butter gives better fluidity, gloss and snap, which is why couverture is widely used for enrobing, moulding and finer patisserie work.

How to use it:Choose couverture when tempering, making shells, glazing or preparing ganache where texture matters. It behaves differently from cheaper compound coatings. Shop couverture chocolate.

Related terms:Tempering, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate
Croissant Dough: What it is:A lightly enriched yeast dough used to make croissants, which is layered with butter through lamination to create a delicate, flaky pastry.

Why bakers care:Croissant dough must balance strength and extensibility. It needs enough gluten to support fermentation and lamination while remaining soft enough to roll thinly without tearing.

How to use it:The dough is first mixed and fermented, then rolled with a butter block and folded several times to create layered structure. Controlled fermentation and careful temperature management are essential for well-defined layers. For related flour options, Browse croissant-suitable flours.

Related terms:Viennoiserie, Lamination, Laminated Dough, Butter Block
Crumb: What it is:The internal texture of bread once baked (open or airy to tight or dense).

Why bakers care:Crumb is a quick readout of fermentation, strength, shaping and bake. It tells you what to adjust next time.

How to use it:Tight crumb can mean under-fermentation, low hydration or too much degassing. Overly large holes can point to under-shaping or uneven fermentation.

Related terms:Hydration, Degassing, Bulk Fermentation, Proofing
Crust: What it is:The outer baked layer of bread, formed as moisture evaporates and sugars and proteins brown.

Why bakers care:Crust affects flavour, texture and keeping quality. Thin and crisp vs thick and chewy depends on steam, bake profile and sugar availability.

How to use it:For a thinner, shinier crust use steam early. For a thicker crust bake longer and drier. Pale crust can point to low sugars (fermentation or enzyme activity) - see amylase and Hagberg falling number.

Related terms:Maillard Reaction, Steam, Oven Spring, Amylase, Hagberg Falling Number
D
Danish Pastry: What it is:A laminated yeast pastry similar to croissant dough but typically richer and slightly sweeter, often filled with fruit, custard or almond paste.

Why bakers care:Danish pastry combines fermentation, enrichment and lamination, producing pastries that are flaky, tender and flavourful.

How to use it:The dough is laminated with butter then shaped and filled before proofing and baking. Good extensibility and careful resting between folds help maintain clean layers. For related flour options, See pastry-oriented flours.

Related terms:Viennoiserie, Lamination, Croissant Dough, Laminated Dough
Degassing: What it is:Pushing out some of the gas built up during fermentation when handling or shaping dough.

Why bakers care:It affects crumb. Heavy degassing can tighten crumb. Too little degassing can leave large, uneven holes.

How to use it:Degas gently for open crumb styles and more firmly for fine, even crumb. If your crumb is overly tight, reduce aggressive handling. If you get big tunnels, improve pre-shape and degas a bit more evenly.

Related terms:Crumb, Pre-shape, Surface Tension, Scoring
Diastatic Malt Flour: What it is:Flour from sprouted grain containing active enzymes (mainly amylase) that help convert starch into sugars.

Why bakers care:It can support fermentation and improve crust colour, but too much can make crumb sticky or gummy.

How to use it:Use sparingly and consistently (often fractions of a percent). Also called Diax. View our malt flours.

Related terms:Amylase, Non-Diastatic Malt Flour, Enzyme Activity, Hagberg Falling Number, Gummy Crumb
Diax: What it is:A common name for diastatic malt flour.

Why bakers care:It can boost fermentation activity and browning when flour is low in natural enzyme activity.

How to use it:Tiny doses matter. Increase gradually and watch for stickiness and gumminess as a sign you’ve gone too far.

Related terms:Diastatic Malt Flour, Amylase, Hagberg Falling Number
Dough Strength: What it is:A practical way of describing how well dough holds together and resists deformation. Strong dough stretches without tearing and traps fermentation gases effectively.

Why bakers care:Dough strength determines handling, shaping and oven spring. Dough that is too weak spreads and loses volume, while overly strong dough can feel tight and difficult to shape.

How to use it:Dough strength depends on flour protein, gluten development and fermentation. Bakers adjust strength through flour choice, hydration, mixing and resting time. See also Gluten Network.

Related terms:Gluten Network, Protein Percentage, W Value, P/L Ratio
Dough Temperature: What it is:The temperature of the dough after mixing and throughout fermentation.

Why bakers care:Temperature strongly controls fermentation speed, dough strength over time and flavour development, often more than tiny yeast changes do.

How to use it:If fermentation is racing or stalling, check dough temperature before changing anything else. For scheduling, combine temperature control with retarding.

Related terms:Bulk Fermentation, Retarding, Inoculation, Overnight Fermentation
Dark Chocolate: What it is:Chocolate made from cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar, with little or no milk solids.

Why bakers care:Dark chocolate brings more intense cocoa flavour and less dairy sweetness than milk chocolate, which changes balance in cakes, desserts and ganache.

How to use it:Check the cocoa percentage and taste rather than relying on the label alone. One 70% chocolate can behave quite differently from another in sweetness, bitterness and melt. Browse dark chocolate.

Related terms:Cocoa Solids, Couverture Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate
Drinking Chocolate: What it is:A beverage product mixed with milk or water, usually containing sugar and cocoa powder or grated chocolate.

Why bakers care:Drinking chocolate is not always interchangeable with cocoa powder because it is often sweetened and less concentrated.

How to use it:Use it for hot chocolate unless a recipe specifically asks for it. If you substitute it into baking, expect to rebalance sugar and sometimes the amount of dry ingredient. Shop drinking chocolate.

Related terms:Cocoa, Cocoa Powder, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate
Durum Wheat: What it is:A hard variety of wheat (Triticum durum) traditionally used for pasta and semolina. It has a naturally high protein content and a yellow-gold colour.

Why bakers care:Durum wheat produces firm doughs and pasta with good bite and structure. Its gluten behaves differently from bread wheat, favouring strength over extensibility.

How to use it:Most commonly milled into semolina for pasta-making. Durum flour can also be blended into breads for colour, flavour and firmness. For related flour options, Shop durum semolina flours.

Related terms:Semolina, Wheat, Pasta
E
Einkorn: What it is:One of the earliest cultivated wheats, with a single grain per spikelet. Einkorn is a hulled wheat and remains genetically distinct from modern bread wheat.

Why bakers care:Einkorn has a rich, slightly sweet flavour and a golden colour, but forms weaker gluten than modern wheat. Doughs are often soft and extensible but lack strength, making handling and fermentation more delicate.

How to use it:Einkorn flour is best used alone for flatbreads, biscuits and cakes, or blended with stronger wheat flour for leavened breads. Whole einkorn grain can be milled fresh or cooked whole. Expect lower hydration and gentle mixing. For related ingredients, Explore heritage and organic grains.

Also known as:German: Einkorn; French: Engrain; Italian: Farro piccolo.

Related terms:Heritage Grain, Gluten, Wholegrain Flour, Home Milling
Enkir: What it is:A name used on some products for einkorn wheat (often as a brand or trademark style name rather than the cereal name).

Why bakers care:If your bag says Enkir, you can treat it as einkorn for baking expectations - aromatic flavour, golden colour and softer, more delicate gluten behaviour than modern bread wheat.

How to use it:Use as you would einkorn: great in flatbreads, biscuits and cakes, or blended with stronger wheat flour for leavened loaves.

Also known as:See Einkorn for the cereal name and multilingual terms.

Related terms:Einkorn, Heritage Grain, Spelt, Emmer
Elasticity: What it is:Dough’s tendency to spring back and resist stretching.

Why bakers care:Too much elasticity makes shaping difficult and can limit expansion. Too little can make dough slack and spread.

How to use it:Increase elasticity with mixing and strength folds and stronger flour. Reduce perceived tightness with rest time and better fermentation. Find out more about Elasticity.

Related terms:Extensibility, Kneading, Autolyse, Strong Flour
Emmer: What it is:An ancient hulled wheat closely related to both einkorn and spelt. Emmer was widely grown in the ancient Mediterranean and central Europe.

Why bakers care:Emmer has a robust, nutty flavour and higher mineral content than modern wheat. Its gluten is stronger than einkorn but weaker and less elastic than bread wheat, giving doughs a distinctive handling character.

How to use it:Emmer flour suits rustic breads, flatbreads and pasta-style doughs, often blended with wheat flour for structure. Whole emmer grain can be milled fresh, cracked or cooked whole. Hydration usually needs to be higher than wheat. For related ingredients, Explore heritage and organic grains.

Also known as:German: Emmer; Italian: Farro medio.

Related terms:Heritage Grain, Wholegrain Flour, Hydration, Home Milling
Enriched Dough: What it is:A dough made with added fat, sugar, eggs or milk (not just flour, water, salt and yeast).

Why bakers care:Enrichment softens crumb, improves keeping quality and adds flavour, but it can slow fermentation and reduce oven spring if dough strength is low.

How to use it:Mix until well developed, ferment a little longer if needed, and keep butter-rich doughs cool so they stay easy to handle.

Related terms:Croissant Dough, Viennoiserie, Laminated Dough, Proofing
Enzyme Activity: What it is:How active flour enzymes are (especially amylase) at breaking down starch into sugars during fermentation.

Why bakers care:It influences fermentation speed, crust colour and crumb set. Excessive activity can contribute to sticky dough and gummy crumb.

How to use it:Compare flours or batches using Hagberg falling number. If you’re using diastatic malt, dose cautiously and troubleshoot with process changes before adding more.

Related terms:Amylase, Hagberg Falling Number, Diastatic Malt Flour, Gummy Crumb
Extensibility: What it is:Dough’s ability to stretch without tearing.

Why bakers care:Extensible dough expands well in proof and oven, supporting open crumb and good volume.

How to use it:Extensibility improves with hydration, rest and fermentation. Too much can feel slack, so balance with strength (see elasticity). Find out more about Extensibility.

Related terms:Elasticity, Hydration, Autolyse, Stretch and Fold
Extraction Rate: What it is:The percentage of the grain that ends up in the flour after milling. Higher extraction includes more bran and germ. Lower extraction is whiter and more refined.

Why bakers care:Higher extraction usually means more flavour and minerals, higher water absorption and often a denser crumb if gluten development isn’t managed well. It’s closely related to ash content (though they aren’t identical).

How to use it:Moving up in extraction often needs higher hydration and or longer rest (autolyse) to fully hydrate bran. Expect fermentation to behave differently because minerals and enzymes change too.

Related terms:Ash Content, Wholemeal Flour, German Flour Classification, T-System
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): What it is:Olive juice made purely by mechanical extraction (no refining). “Extra virgin” is the highest grade: low acidity, clean flavour, and the aromatic compounds that give great oil its fruit, grass and pepper notes.

Why bakers care:EVOO isn’t just for salads — it’s a flavour ingredient in its own right. It shines in focaccia, ciabatta and enriched doughs, and a good bottle can turn simple bread into a “posh deli” moment at the table.

How to use it:Use in doughs where flavour matters (focaccia, pizza, rolls) and as a finishing drizzle on warm bread. For baking, measure by weight for consistency and don’t overheat premium oils — save the best bottle for the end. For related ingredients, Browse baking ingredients.

Related terms:Fats & oils, Enriched dough, Focaccia, Oxidation, Rancidity, Smoke Point
F
Falling Number: What it is:Another name for the Hagberg Falling Number test.

Why bakers care:It’s a quick indicator of enzyme activity that can affect dough stickiness and crumb texture.

How to use it:Use it to compare flours or batches when diagnosing gummy crumb or unpredictable fermentation.

Related terms:Hagberg Falling Number, Amylase, Enzyme Activity
Fats & oils: What it is:A broad category covering baking fats and liquid oils, including butter, olive oil and rapeseed oil.

Why bakers care:Fats affect dough softness, tenderness, flavour, shelf life and crust character. Different fats behave differently in mixing and baking.

How to use it:Choose neutral oils for background richness and flavourful oils for character. Match the fat to the style of bake and the heat involved. For related ingredients, Browse oils and baking ingredients.

Related terms:Extra virgin olive oil, Rapeseed oil, Smoke Point, Rancidity
Fibre: What it is:Indigestible plant material found mainly in bran.

Why bakers care:Higher-fibre flours (wholemeal and wholegrain) usually absorb more water and can ferment differently.

How to use it:Expect to increase hydration and consider longer rests to improve softness and handling in high-fibre doughs.

Related terms:Bran, Wholemeal Flour, Wholegrain Flour, Hydration
Finishing oil: What it is:An oil chosen primarily for flavour and aroma, used raw or added right at the end so its character stays vivid.

Why bakers care:When bread is the star — dipping, bruschetta, bread with tomatoes — a finishing oil is effectively a “condiment”. It elevates even a simple loaf.

How to use it:Serve with warm bread and flaky salt; drizzle over soups, beans and roasted veg; whisk into dressings. Keep it away from heat and light and use it generously while it’s fresh.

Related terms:Extra virgin olive oil, Coratina, Tasting notes, Oxidation
Focaccia: What it is:An Italian flatbread style, usually olive-oil-rich, often baked as a tray bread with dimples and toppings.

Why bakers care:Focaccia is a practical way to work with higher-hydration doughs and show olive-oil quality in both dough and finish.

How to use it:Build dough strength during bulk fermentation, oil the tin generously, dimple before baking and finish with good oil and salt. For related flour options, See flours for focaccia and pizza-style doughs.

Related terms:Extra virgin olive oil, Hydration, Bulk Fermentation, Enriched Dough
Folic Acid in Flour: What it is:Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate (vitaminB9). In flour, it refers to adding folic acid as part of fortification, most commonly to white wheat flour.

Why bakers care:Fortification changes what’s added to flour, not how it behaves in dough. While most bakers won’t notice a difference in mixing or fermentation, some customers prefer flours with nothing added and want clear information when choosing ingredients.

How to use it:If you’re happy using fortified flour, bake as normal. If you’d rather avoid folic acid being added, look for unfortified flours or mill your own from whole grain using a grain mill. You can also start from organic grain. For more detail on the background and current UK position, see our full guide to folic acid in flour.

Related terms:Fortification, Wholemeal Flour, White Flour, Ingredients
Fortification: What it is:Fortification is the addition of nutrients to flour during milling, typically to replace or supplement vitamins and minerals lost when whole grain is refined into white flour.

Why bakers care:Fortification affects what’s in the flour rather than how it performs. Dough handling, fermentation and baking results are usually unchanged, but fortification matters for ingredient transparency, labelling and customer choice. Some bakers actively seek flours with nothing added.

How it’s used:In the UK, white wheat flour has long been fortified with iron, calcium, thiamin and niacin. Folic acid is now being introduced as an additional fortificant in many flours. For what this means in practice, see Folic Acid in Flour.

Alternatives:Bakers who prefer to avoid added nutrients can choose unfortified flours, use wholemeal flours, or mill their own flour from grain.

Related terms:Folic Acid in Flour, White Flour, Wholemeal Flour, Ingredients
Fresh Yeast: What it is:Compressed baker’s yeast sold as a moist block or cake, with a much higher water content than dry yeast.

Why bakers care:It is fast-acting and easy to crumble into dough, but it has a shorter shelf life and needs chilled storage.

How to use it:Keep it refrigerated and use it while fresh. Crumble it into flour or dissolve it in water, depending on your method. When converting recipes, you usually need more fresh yeast by weight than instant yeast.

Related terms:Active Dry Yeast, Instant Yeast, Commercial Yeast, Proofing
G
German Flour Classification: What it is:A system that classifies flour by ash content (mineral content), for example Type 405 (very white) up to higher numbers with more of the grain.

Why bakers care:It helps predict flavour, colour and water absorption. Higher types often behave more like higher-extraction flour.

How to use it:Use the type number as a guide to refinement level, then fine-tune with hydration and mixing based on your dough. For related flour options, Browse our flour range by style.

Related terms:Ash Content, Extraction Rate, T-System, Hydration
Gluten: What it is:The protein network that forms when wheat flour is hydrated and mixed.

Why bakers care:Gluten traps gas during fermentation, giving bread structure, volume and chew. Gluten formation varies by grain: wheat forms strong gluten, spelt and einkorn form weaker gluten, and rye relies mainly on starches rather than gluten for structure.

How to use it:Develop it with mixing and folds. Choose stronger flours for high-hydration or long-ferment doughs. See our vital wheat gluten options.

Related terms:Kneading, Windowpane Test, Strong Flour, Wheat, Spelt, Rye
Gluten Network: What it is:The elastic structure formed when gluten proteins in wheat flour link together during mixing and hydration.

Why bakers care:This network traps carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, allowing dough to expand and giving bread its structure and volume.

How to use it:Bakers develop the gluten network through mixing, folding and fermentation. Stronger flours and longer hydration generally help the network form more effectively.

Related terms:Gluten, Protein Percentage, Dough Strength, Vital Wheat Gluten
Granary (Malted Grain Bread Flour): What it is:“Granary” is commonly used to describe a malty, brown, seeded-style bread flour and loaf. In practice it usually means a wheat flour base blended with malted grains (and often added grains and seeds) to give a sweet, aromatic flavour and a darker crumb.

Why bakers care:People often ask for “granary flour” because they want that distinctive malty aroma and colour. The baking behaviour depends on the base flour strength and how much malted grain is blended in.

How to use it:You can either buy a ready-made malted bread blend, or create your own: start with a strong bread flour base, then add a small percentage of malted grain or flakes. If your loaf browns too fast or feels gummy, reduce added malt and focus on fermentation and bake time.

Try this:Browse our malted flours and blends.

Related terms:Malt Flour, Diastatic Malt Flour, Enzyme Activity, Strong Flour
Gummy Crumb: What it is:A crumb texture that feels wet, sticky, or set improperly even when the loaf looks baked.

Why bakers care:It’s one of the most common quality complaints and can have multiple causes: underbaking, slicing too early, overly wet dough, or excessive enzyme activity.

How to use it:Check bake (core temperature and full cooldown), then look at hydration and fermentation. If it’s persistent across bakes, compare flour batches using Hagberg falling number and review use of diastatic malt.

Related terms:Hagberg Falling Number, Amylase, Diastatic Malt Flour, Hydration
Ganache: What it is:An emulsion of chocolate and cream, sometimes enriched with butter, glucose or flavourings.

Why bakers care:The chocolate-to-cream ratio controls texture, so ganache can be a glaze, filling, frosting, whipped cream or truffle centre.

How to use it:Use more chocolate for a firmer set and more cream for a softer glaze or whipped finish. The choice of dark, milk or white chocolate changes sweetness, texture and setting. Browse chocolate for ganache.

Related terms:Couverture Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate
H
Hagberg Falling Number: What it is:A test (reported in seconds) that measures how quickly a plunger falls through a heated flour-and-water gel. Faster collapse usually means higher enzyme activity (especially amylase), which is often linked to sprouted or weather-damaged grain.

Why bakers care:Very low values can be associated with sticky dough and a gummy or sticky crumb because starch structure breaks down too readily. Higher values usually indicate lower enzyme activity and more predictable handling.

How to use it:It’s most useful for comparing flours (or batches of the same flour) when troubleshooting loaf volume, crumb texture, or dough stickiness. See also Amylase and Diastatic Malt Flour. Also known as falling number.

Related terms:Amylase, Enzyme Activity, Diastatic Malt Flour, Gummy Crumb
Heritage Grain (Heritage Wheat): What it is:Older or traditional grain varieties (often pre-modern breeding) grown for flavour, diversity and character. You’ll also see “heirloom” used similarly.

Why bakers care:Heritage wheats can behave differently to modern bread wheats. Gluten may be weaker or simply different, absorption can vary and flavour can be noticeably more aromatic or nutty.

How to use it:Expect to adjust hydration and handling. Start with a blend (for example 20-50%) into a stronger base flour, use gentler mixing and watch fermentation closely. If the dough feels extensible but lacks strength, build structure with folds and shorten final proof.

Related terms:Protein Percentage, W Value, Wholegrain Flour, Extensibility, Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt
Home Milling: What it is:Milling grain at home in small batches using a grain mill, rather than buying pre-milled flour.

Why bakers care:Freshly milled flour can be more aromatic and flavourful because natural oils and aromas are at their best soon after milling. It also gives control over freshness, blends and ingredients, which appeals to customers seeking unfortified grain or traditional wholegrain baking.

How to use it:Mill only what you need for the next day or two, store airtight and cool, and expect to adjust hydration because fresh flour can absorb differently. For best results, start with wheat or rye, then explore grains like naked oats. See our grain mills.

Related terms:Wholegrain Flour, Fortification, Folic Acid in Flour, Bran,Wheat, Spelt, Rye
Hydration: What it is:The ratio of water to flour in dough, expressed as a percentage (for example 700g water / 1000g flour = 70%).

Why bakers care:Hydration affects extensibility, crumb openness and handling. Higher hydration can boost openness but increases stickiness and demands more strength.

How to use it:Adjust hydration to the flour’s absorption and your method. Wholegrain and higher-ash flours often need more water. Accurate scales help measure hydration. Wholegrain flours and grains such as rye and spelt usually need higher hydration, while einkorn often benefits more from gentle handling than additional water.

Related terms:Baker’s Percentages, Extensibility, Strong Flour, Wholemeal Flour, Rye, Spelt, Einkorn
I
Ingredients: What it is:The listed components in a flour, dough or finished product.

Why bakers care:Ingredient lists determine transparency and suitability for different needs, including fortification preferences and allergen checks.

How to use it:Read labels carefully and compare products on composition as well as baking performance.

Related terms:Fortification, Folic Acid in Flour, Wholemeal Flour, White Flour
Inoculation: What it is:The amount of yeast or starter and levain used to seed fermentation, usually expressed as a percentage.

Why bakers care:Inoculation is one of the biggest levers for timing and flavour. Higher inoculation ferments faster. Lower inoculation ferments slower and can develop different flavour notes.

How to use it:Adjust inoculation to match your schedule and temperature. If dough over-ferments easily, reduce inoculation and or use retarding.

Related terms:Starter, Levain, Preferment, Retarding
Instant Yeast: What it is:A finely milled dried baker’s yeast designed to mix directly into flour without prior activation.

Why bakers care:It is convenient, shelf-stable and usually fast-acting, which is why it is the default dry yeast in many modern bread recipes.

How to use it:Mix it straight with the dry ingredients unless the pack says otherwise. If a rich sweet dough seems sluggish, switch from standard instant yeast to osmotolerant yeast.

Related terms:Active Dry Yeast, Fresh Yeast, Commercial Yeast, Osmotolerant Yeast
K
Kneading: What it is:Working dough to develop gluten until it becomes smoother and more elastic.

Why bakers care:It builds structure and gas retention, but too much kneading can make dough tight and reduce extensibility.

How to use it:Match kneading to hydration and flour strength. High-hydration doughs often need less intensive kneading plus folds over time. See our stand mixers.

Related terms:Gluten, Windowpane Test, Autolyse, Stretch and Fold
Kibbled: What it is:Grain or seed that has been coarsely cut or broken into small pieces rather than milled into flour.

Why bakers care:Kibbled ingredients add visible texture, nuttiness and bite, but they hydrate more slowly than flour and can feel hard if not soaked or cooked enough.

How to use it:Use kibbled grains in soakers, porridges, muesli-style mixes or as inclusions in dough. Allow extra hydration time so they soften properly before baking.

Related terms:Wholegrain Flour, Hydration, Rolled Oats, Oat Groats
L
Laminated Dough: What it is:Dough that has been layered with butter using the lamination process, creating alternating sheets of dough and fat.

Why bakers care:When baked, the butter releases steam which separates the dough layers and produces the flaky, airy structure seen in croissants, Danish pastries and puff pastry.

How to use it:Laminated doughs require careful temperature control and resting between folds so the dough remains extensible while the butter stays firm. The balance between dough strength and rollability is critical. For related flour options, Explore laminated dough flour options.

Related terms:Lamination, Gluten, Extensibility, Elasticity
Lamination: What it is:A pastry technique where dough and butter are repeatedly rolled and folded to create many thin alternating layers.

Why bakers care:During baking the butter layers release steam, separating the dough layers and creating the light, flaky structure seen in croissants, Danish pastry and puff pastry.

How to use it:Use a dough that balances strength and extensibility so it can roll thinly without tearing. Keep the dough and butter cool, roll evenly and rest the dough between folds to relax gluten before the next turn.

Related terms:Gluten, Extensibility, Elasticity, Hydration, Viennoiserie, Croissant Dough, Danish Pastry, Butter Block
Levain: What it is:A preferment made from flour and water inoculated with sourdough culture (or simply the sourdough starter itself, depending on usage).

Why bakers care:It contributes flavour, fermentation strength and dough characteristics (acidity, extensibility and keeping quality).

How to use it:Control taste and timing by adjusting inoculation, temperature and ripeness. Also known as sourdough starter. Shop our dried sourdough starters.

Related terms:Starter, Sourdough, Preferment, Inoculation
Lievito Madre: What it is:A firm Italian sourdough culture, usually maintained at a lower hydration than a liquid starter and refreshed frequently for sweet enriched doughs.

Why bakers care:When it is healthy and well managed, it gives lift, aroma and keeping quality in rich doughs while keeping acidity more restrained than many liquid starters. It is one of the classic leavens for panettone-style baking.

How to use it:It needs regular refreshment, tight temperature control and a strong culture before mixing very rich dough. If you want a more practical commercial-yeast route for sweet doughs, see osmotolerant yeast.

Related terms:Starter, Levain, Preferment, Panettone
M
Maize: What it is:A cereal grain native to the Americas, also known as corn. Maize contains no gluten and behaves very differently from wheat in baking.

Why bakers care:Maize brings sweetness, colour and texture rather than structure. Because it contains no gluten, it is usually blended with wheat flour or used in specific traditional preparations.

How to use it:Maize can be milled into flour or meal at different grinds, used whole or cracked, or processed through nixtamalisation. Hydration and handling depend heavily on grind size.

Also known as:US/International: Corn.

Related terms:Maize Flour, Cornmeal, Polenta, Nixtamalisation
Maize Flour: What it is:Flour milled from maize (corn). In the UK, “maize flour” usually refers to finely milled maize, either white or yellow.

Why bakers care:Maize flour adds sweetness and colour but provides no gluten structure. Grind size strongly affects absorption and texture.

How to use it:Use in cakes, biscuits, batters and traditional maize-based dishes, or blend with wheat flour for bread. Fine maize flour is also used for polenta-style dishes when labelled accordingly.

Related terms:Maize, Cornmeal, Polenta, Corn Flour (UK), Nixtamalisation
Maillard Reaction (Maillard Process): What it is:A browning reaction between sugars and amino acids or proteins during baking, especially on the crust of bread. It is often called the Maillard process in baking discussions.

Why bakers care:It creates much of the colour, roasted aroma and savoury flavour in a well-baked crust. It is one reason darker crust often tastes more complex.

How to use it:Good fermentation, enough available sugars, proper oven heat and a full bake all encourage Maillard browning. Steam helps early oven spring, but the crust needs drier heat later in the bake to brown well.

Related terms:Crust, Amylase, Diastatic Malt Flour, Steam, Oven Spring
Malt Flour: What it is:Flour made from malted grains. Some are diastatic (enzyme-active) and some are non-diastatic (for flavour and colour).

Why bakers care:Non-diastatic malt adds sweetness and colour. Diastatic malt can boost fermentation and browning but can cause gumminess if overused.

How to use it:Choose the type based on your goal (flavour, colour or enzymatic support) and dose carefully. View our malt flours.

Related terms:Diastatic Malt Flour, Non-Diastatic Malt Flour, Roasted Barley Malt (RBM), Amylase, Enzyme Activity
Masa Harina (Masa Flour): What it is:Flour made from maize that has been nixtamalised (cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution, then washed and milled). It is the traditional base for tortillas, tamales and other masa doughs.

Why bakers care:Masa harina behaves very differently from ordinary maize flour, forming a cohesive, pliable dough that can be pressed and cooked without wheat gluten.

How to use it:Mix with water and allow to rest briefly to hydrate fully, then press and cook. Do not substitute 1:1 with standard maize flour - if a recipe calls for masa, it usually means masa harina.

Related terms:Nixtamalisation, Maize, Maize Flour
Micronised: What it is:An ingredient ground or processed to an exceptionally fine particle size, finer than an ordinary meal or standard flour.

Why bakers care:Micronising changes how an ingredient hydrates, disperses and feels in the finished bake. It can give a smoother texture and more even mixing, but it may also increase water absorption.

How to use it:Treat micronised ingredients as finer and often more absorbent than kibbled or coarse-milled versions. Check the recipe texture and adjust hydration if needed.

Related terms:Hydration, Wholegrain Flour, Malt Flour, Kibbled
Milk Chocolate: What it is:Chocolate containing cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids.

Why bakers care:Milk solids and sugar make it sweeter, softer and creamier than dark chocolate, which affects flavour, setting and how easily it overheats.

How to use it:Milk chocolate is useful for softer ganache, biscuits and family-style bakes, but it often needs gentler heat and less added sugar elsewhere in the recipe. Browse milk chocolate.

Related terms:Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cocoa Solids, Ganache
N
Naked Oats: What it is:Oats that naturally shed their husk during harvest. Unlike most oats, naked oats do not need a separate de-hulling step, so the edible grain is obtained more directly.

Why bakers care:Naked oats are popular for home milling because they are wholegrain, fresh-milling friendly and full of natural oat flavour. They suit porridge, baking and adding grains to doughs, and are often chosen by customers who want more control over what is in their flour.

How to use it:Use whole as groats, mill fresh for oat flour, crack or chop for multigrain breads, or soak before adding to doughs. They are a grain form, not a rolled-oat format. Oat flour has no gluten, so it is usually blended with wheat flour for structure. See our organic naked oats.

Related terms:Oat Groats, Rolled Oats, Wholegrain Flour, Home Milling
Non-Diastatic Malt Flour: What it is:Malt flour used mainly for flavour and colour rather than enzyme activity. Unlike diastatic malt flour, its enzymes are inactive or negligible.

Why bakers care:It adds sweetness, aroma and darker colour without the fermentation boost of diastatic malt. That makes it useful when bakers want malty flavour or richer crust and crumb colour without changing dough behaviour in the same way.

How to use it:Use it as a flavour and colour ingredient in breads, bagels, crackers and malted blends. It is usually added in small amounts and is often a better choice than diastatic malt when you want taste and colour but not extra enzyme activity. See our malt flours.

Related terms:Malt Flour, Diastatic Malt Flour, Roasted Barley Malt (RBM), Enzyme Activity
Nixtamalisation: What it is:A traditional process where maize is cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution (usually lime), then washed and ground.

Why bakers care:Nixtamalisation changes flavour, improves nutrition and creates the characteristic dough properties needed for tortillas and masa-based baking.

How to use it:Nixtamalised maize is milled into masa flour, which behaves very differently from untreated maize flour and should not be substituted directly.

Related terms:Maize, Maize Flour
O
Oat Groats: What it is:The whole edible oat kernel. For most oats, the inedible outer husk must be removed to produce groats. Naked oats often yield groats more directly because the husk releases naturally.

Why bakers care:Groats are the starting point for milling, rolling and cracking oats. They are ideal for home milling and for adding whole or soaked grain character to bread and multigrain bakes.

How to use it:Cook like a whole grain for porridge-style dishes, soak before adding to doughs, crack for texture, or mill fresh for oat flour. Store cool and airtight to protect the natural oils.

Related terms:Naked Oats, Rolled Oats, Home Milling, Wholegrain Flour
Organic: What it is:An agricultural certification meaning the grain was grown and processed to an organic standard (rules vary by country, but generally restrict synthetic fertilisers and pesticides and require audited supply chains).

Why bakers care:Organic isn’t a baking specification like protein or W, but organic flours can show more natural variation between seasons and batches and can differ in flavour depending on farming, milling and grain choice.

How to use it:Choose organic for certification, values and flavour preferences, then bake by performance: dial in hydration and fermentation by feel and use protein and W where available to select a flour for your style.

Related terms:Protein Percentage, W Value, Ash Content, Hydration
Organic Yeast: What it is:Baker’s yeast made to organic standards, typically grown on permitted organic substrates and processed under tighter rules about nutrients and processing aids.

Why bakers care:It matters to bakers choosing certified-organic ingredients, and it can differ from non-organic yeast in how it is produced even when both are used for the same job in dough.

How to use it:Follow the product’s own directions for dosage and activation, because performance still depends mainly on whether it is instant, active dry or fresh. Treat “organic” as a production-standard distinction first, then judge activity in your recipe.

Related terms:Organic, Yeast, Instant Yeast, Commercial Yeast
Osmotolerant Yeast: What it is:A yeast selected to perform well in doughs with high sugar levels, where ordinary yeast can struggle.

Why bakers care:Sugar pulls water away from yeast cells, slowing fermentation. Osmotolerant yeast stays more reliable in brioche, doughnuts, panettone-style doughs and other rich sweet recipes.

How to use it:Choose it when the dough is heavily sweetened or rich with butter and eggs, especially if standard instant yeast seems sluggish. It is often the practical commercial-yeast choice for panettone-style baking. See our osmotolerant yeast.

Related terms:Enriched Dough, Proofing, Panettone, Lievito Madre
Oven Spring: What it is:The rapid rise in the first minutes of baking as gases expand and yeast activity spikes before heat sets the crust.

Why bakers care:It’s a key indicator of dough strength and correct proofing. Poor spring often points to over-proofing, under-proofing or weak structure.

How to use it:Improve spring with good shaping and tension, correct proof, sufficient steam and a hot baking surface. Our baking cloches help maximise oven spring.

Related terms:Proofing, Steam, Scoring, Surface Tension
Overnight Fermentation: What it is:Fermenting dough for an extended period (often 8-16 hours), typically using cooler temperatures or refrigeration.

Why bakers care:It can improve flavour and flexibility, but it increases the risk of over-fermentation if strength or temperature control isn’t right.

How to use it:Keep dough cooler and reduce inoculation. Use retarding for reliable control. Stronger flours (higher W) generally tolerate longer fermentation better.

Related terms:Retarding, Inoculation, Dough Temperature, Strong Flour
Over-Proofing: What it is:Fermenting a shaped dough for too long so the gluten weakens and gas retention drops.

Why bakers care:It reduces oven spring and can cause collapse or a flat loaf.

How to use it:Watch dough behaviour (poke test, volume and surface tension) and adjust temperature and time. Colder proofing slows things down and adds flexibility.

Related terms:Proofing, Poke Test, Retarding, Oven Spring
Oxidation: What it is:A reaction with oxygen that gradually dulls aromas and can lead to stale or rancid flavours in fats and oils.

Why bakers care:Premium extra virgin olive oil is at its best when it’s fresh. Oxidation is why an open bottle left by the hob tastes flatter over time — and why 5L tins need good decanting habits.

How to use it:Store oils cool and dark, seal tightly, and decant large tins into smaller bottles for daily use. If an oil smells waxy, crayon-like or just “stale”, it’s past its best.

Related terms:Rancidity, Extra virgin olive oil, Cold-pressed oil
P
Panettone: What it is:A tall Italian enriched bread, usually made with butter, eggs, sugar and dried or candied fruit, then baked in a paper case.

Why bakers care:Panettone is one of the clearest tests of flour strength, mixing, fermentation control and inclusion handling. Rich dough, long fermentation and a delicate shredding crumb all demand precision.

How to use it:Use a strong flour, develop the dough thoroughly, manage proofing carefully and support it in a proper paper case. Traditional formulas often use lievito madre, while osmotolerant yeast is a practical alternative in some recipes. Browse our panettone cases.

Related terms:Lievito Madre, Osmotolerant Yeast, Candied Peel, Enriched Dough
Pasta: What it is:A staple food made from dough of wheat flour (commonly durum wheat) and water, shaped and cooked by boiling. Pasta may be fresh or dried.

Why bakers care:Understanding flour type, milling and drying helps explain pasta texture, sauce adhesion and cooking behaviour.

How to use it:Dried pasta benefits from generous salted water and careful timing to reach al dente. Shape choice affects how sauces are held and perceived. For related flour options, Shop pasta and semolina flours.

Related terms:Durum Wheat, Semolina, Bronze-die, Al dente
pH (Acidity in Bread): What it is:A measure of how acidic or alkaline something is. Lower pH means more acidic; higher pH means more alkaline.

Why bakers care:In bread, pH helps track fermentation and acidification, especially in sourdough. It can reveal starter ripeness, dough development and the effect of temperature, flour choice, hydration and fermentation time.

How to use it:Use pH as a repeatable measurement alongside dough feel, aroma and volume. For accurate dough readings, use a food-grade dough pH meter and keep the electrode clean and calibrated. See the Hannah Instruments Bread and Dough pH Tester.

Related terms:Acidity, Sourdough, Starter, Levain, Retarding, Overnight Fermentation
P/L Ratio: What it is:An Alveograph balance measure: P = resistance and tenacity, L = extensibility.

Why bakers care:It helps predict whether dough will feel tight and elastic (higher P/L) or long and extensible (lower P/L).

How to use it:Match P/L to your style. Very high-hydration and long ferments often prefer a balanced or slightly lower P/L. High P/L can suit strong shaping and shorter processes.

Related terms:Alveograph, W Value, Elasticity, Extensibility
Plain Flour: What it is:A lower-protein wheat flour used for cakes, biscuits and general baking in the UK.

Why bakers care:Lower protein means less gluten strength, giving tenderness, but it’s usually not ideal for lofty bread loaves.

How to use it:Use for cakes and pastry and softer bakes. For bread, reach for strong flour. Also known as all-purpose flour in the US. See our plain flours.

Related terms:All-Purpose Flour, Self-Raising Flour, Protein Percentage
Poke Test: What it is:A quick readiness check for proofing: gently press a fingertip into the dough and watch how the indentation springs back.

Why bakers care:It helps you judge proof level without guessing timings, especially when temperature varies.

How to use it:If it springs back very fast, it’s usually under-proofed. If it barely springs back, it’s often over-proofed. A slow, partial spring-back is commonly the sweet spot. Use alongside dough feel and volume.

Related terms:Proofing, Over-Proofing, Under-Proofing
Polenta: What it is:An Italian preparation made from coarsely ground maize. The term is also used for the maize meal itself.

Why bakers care:Polenta-style maize adds colour, flavour and texture to breads and cakes, but contributes no gluten.

How to use it:Use cooked polenta in doughs for moisture and flavour, or dry polenta as a coarse flour or dusting medium. Grind size matters.

Related terms:Maize, Cornmeal, Maize Flour
Poolish: What it is:A wet, usually equal-parts flour and water preferment (100% hydration) made with a small amount of yeast.

Why bakers care:It builds flavour and extensibility and can help create an open crumb, but it can also make dough slacker if pushed too far.

How to use it:Use when you want more aroma and extensibility without heavy mixing. If your dough becomes too slack, reduce poolish percentage or shorten its fermentation time.

Related terms:Preferment, Biga, Inoculation, Extensibility
Preferment: What it is:A portion of dough or batter fermented in advance, then added to the final mix. Sourdough levain is one type. Commercial-yeast versions include poolish and biga.

Why bakers care:Preferments improve flavour, dough handling, keeping quality and can help strength develop more gently over time.

How to use it:Start small (for example 10-30% of total flour in the preferment) and adjust based on flavour and schedule. Pair with retarding if you need more flexibility. For related ingredients, Compare starters and preferment ingredients.

Related terms:Poolish, Biga, Levain, Inoculation
Pre-shape: What it is:A gentle first shaping step after dividing, followed by a rest (bench rest) before final shaping.

Why bakers care:It organises the dough, builds light tension and makes final shaping easier and more consistent.

How to use it:Pre-shape lightly, rest until relaxed, then final shape with intention. If the dough tears, add rest. If it spreads, build a little more tension.

Related terms:Bench Rest, Surface Tension, Degassing
Protein Percentage: What it is:The percentage of protein in a flour. In wheat flours, it’s a rough guide to how much gluten-forming potential is available.

Why bakers care:Higher protein often supports stronger dough and higher hydration, but it doesn’t guarantee performance on its own. Flour strength also depends on the quality of the gluten and things measured by tests like W Value.

How to use it:Use protein percentage as a first filter (cakes vs bread), then use handling and other specs for precision. When swapping flours, expect hydration and fermentation tolerance to shift.

Related terms:Strong Flour, Plain Flour, W Value, Alveograph
Proofing: What it is:The final fermentation stage of shaped dough before baking.

Why bakers care:Proof level strongly affects oven spring and crumb. Under-proofed loaves burst. Over-proofed loaves collapse.

How to use it:Judge readiness by dough feel and gentle poke response. Adjust with temperature control and retarding for scheduling. For related equipment, Shop proofing equipment.

Related terms:Poke Test, Oven Spring, Scoring, Retarding
Proofing Basket: What it is:A basket or mould that supports shaped dough during proofing.

Why bakers care:It helps dough hold its form and can improve surface tension and scoring behaviour.

How to use it:Dust well, proof seam-side up, then invert to bake. Also called a banneton or brotform. Browse our proofing baskets.

Related terms:Banneton, Brotform, Proofing, Surface Tension
Puff Pastry: What it is:A laminated pastry made by repeatedly folding dough and butter to create hundreds of thin layers.

Why bakers care:As the pastry bakes the butter releases steam, lifting the dough layers to create the characteristic tall, crisp and flaky structure.

How to use it:Puff pastry relies on well-controlled lamination. Dough should be strong enough to roll thinly but extensible enough not to shrink. A dedicated laminating flour can help maintain structure during repeated folds.

Related terms:Lamination, Laminated Dough, Viennoiserie, Gluten
R
Rapeseed oil: What it is:An oil pressed from rapeseed (canola). Cold-pressed British rapeseed oil is typically clean, lightly nutty and excellent for general cooking.

Why bakers care:A reliable everyday oil for bakes where you want the fat to do its job without dominating the flavour — brilliant for roasting trays, tin greasing, and doughs where olive oil would be too assertive.

How to use it:Use for baking, roasting and frying; swap into bread recipes when you want a neutral, dependable result. Keep extra virgin olive oil for flavour-first finishing.

Related terms:Cold-pressed oil
Rancidity: What it is:Off flavours and aromas caused when fats and oils degrade, most often through oxidation.

Why bakers care:Rancid oils flatten flavour and can make good bread taste stale, waxy or unpleasant even when the bake itself is well made.

How to use it:Buy fresh, store cool and dark, keep containers sealed, and decant large tins into smaller bottles for daily use.

Related terms:Oxidation, Extra virgin olive oil, Finishing oil, Smoke Point
Regenerative (Regenerative Agriculture): What it is:A farming approach focused on improving soil health and ecosystem function (often via cover crops, diverse rotations, reduced tillage and integrating livestock where appropriate). It may be verified by a specific scheme, or used more generally.

Why bakers care:It’s mainly about provenance and environmental impact, but it often overlaps with interesting grains, regional supply chains and flours that prioritise flavour and traceability. Baking performance still depends on wheat variety and milling, not the word “regenerative” alone.

How to use it:Treat “regenerative” as a sourcing and provenance signal. For predictable results, choose by flour strength (W and protein) and adapt hydration and fermentation to the specific bag in front of you.

Related terms:Heritage Grain, Stoneground Flour, Protein Percentage, W Value
Retarding: What it is:Slowing fermentation by refrigerating dough (during bulk or final proof).

Why bakers care:It improves flavour development and gives much more scheduling flexibility.

How to use it:Use cold proofing to fit baking around your day. Expect dough to need time warming slightly for best scoring and spring. For related equipment, See thermometers for controlled fermentation.

Related terms:Overnight Fermentation, Dough Temperature, Inoculation, Blistering
Roasted Barley Malt (RBM): What it is:A very dark, non-diastatic malt flour made from roasted malted barley. It is used mainly for colour and roasted flavour rather than enzyme activity.

Why bakers care:RBM darkens dough and crumb quickly, even at low percentages, and adds roasted, bittersweet notes often associated with rye breads, bagels and pumpernickel-style baking.

How to use it:Use sparingly in small amounts and treat it as a colour and flavour ingredient, not a fermentation aid. It is often blended into stronger base flours or rye-based formulas rather than used on its own. See our roasted barley malt flour.

Related terms:Malt Flour, Non-Diastatic Malt Flour, Diastatic Malt Flour, Rye, Crust
Rolled Oats: What it is:Oat groats that have been steamed or heat-treated, then rolled flat. This gives the familiar porridge-oat format. Jumbo rolled oats are the larger, less-broken style.

Why bakers care:Rolled oats add texture, moisture and a mild sweetness to bread, biscuits and traybakes. They are not the same as whole grain for milling because rolling changes how oats behave and they are not intended as the best starting point for milling flour.

How to use it:Add directly to doughs for texture, toast lightly for more flavour, or soak for softer inclusion. Jumbo rolled oats are especially useful where you want a more distinct oat appearance and bite. For milling fresh oat flour, start from oat groats or naked oats instead. Browse our jumbo rolled oats.

Related terms:Oat Groats, Naked Oats, Wholegrain Flour
Rollermilled Flour: What it is:Flour milled using steel rollers that separate bran, germ and endosperm, allowing precise refinement and blending.

Why bakers care:It enables consistent white flours (including “00”) and specification-driven performance.

How to use it:Expect consistency batch-to-batch. Choose based on protein and strength metrics and intended use rather than “roller vs stone” alone.

Related terms:Stoneground Flour, Extraction Rate, Protein Percentage, W Value
Rye: What it is:A cereal grain closely associated with northern and eastern European baking. Rye contains very little gluten-forming protein compared with wheat.

Why bakers care:Rye dough behaves very differently from wheat dough. Structure comes mainly from starches and gums rather than gluten, giving dense but moist loaves with excellent keeping quality and deep flavour.

How to use it:Rye flour is commonly used in blends with wheat, or in high-percentage rye breads using sourdough fermentation. Whole rye grain can be milled fresh, cracked or soaked before use. Expect higher hydration and stickier doughs.

Also known as:German: Roggen; French: Seigle.

Related terms:Sourdough, Wholegrain Flour, Hydration, Home Milling, Gummy Crumb
S
Scoring: What it is:Cutting the surface of a proofed dough just before baking to control where it expands.

Why bakers care:Good scoring helps direct oven spring, reduces random bursting and improves crust appearance.

How to use it:Score confidently with a sharp blade at the right depth and angle. If cuts seal up or tear, check proofing level and dough strength (W and P/L) and use steam early in the bake. For related equipment, Browse bakery tools and equipment.

Related terms:Oven Spring, Steam, Surface Tension, Proofing
Seitan: What it is:A plant-based food made almost entirely from wheat gluten. Traditionally prepared by washing wheat dough to remove starch, leaving the elastic gluten proteins behind. Modern seitan is often made directly from vital wheat gluten. Why bakers care:Seitan itself is not used in bread making, but it illustrates how gluten forms the stretchy protein network that gives dough strength and structure. It also explains why products like vital wheat gluten can dramatically strengthen dough when added in small amounts. How to use it:Seitan is typically cooked and eaten as a high-protein meat alternative rather than used in baking. Bakers are more likely to work with vital wheat gluten, which can be added to flour to increase dough strength. See our guide What is vital wheat gluten and when should you use it?. Related terms:Vital Wheat Gluten, Gluten, Protein Percentage, Bread Improver
Semolina: What it is:Coarser flour (or granular milled product) made from durum wheat.

Why bakers care:Durum has a distinctive flavour and colour. Semolina is also excellent as a dusting flour because it reduces sticking and adds a pleasant bite.

How to use it:Use for pasta and certain breads, or as bench and basket dusting. For softer dough integration, look for finer rimacinata styles. Browse semolina and rimacinata options.

Related terms:0-System, Rollermilled Flour, Stoneground Flour
Self-Raising Flour: What it is:Plain flour with raising agents already mixed in (typically baking powder).

Why bakers care:It simplifies cakes and quick breads where chemical leavening is the lift mechanism.

How to use it:Use in recipes designed for it. Avoid swapping into yeast breads (it can distort fermentation and flavour).

Related terms:Plain Flour, Protein Percentage
Sell By / Display Until: What it is:Retail stock-control wording used by shops, not a consumer food safety instruction.

Why bakers care:These phrases are often mistaken for best before or use by dates, but they are mainly there to help the retailer manage shelves.

How to use it:If you see sell by or display until on packaging, do not treat it as the same thing as a use by date. For home use, the more important date marks are usually best before and use by.

Related terms:Best Before, Best Before End, Use By
Single-origin Chocolate: What it is:Chocolate made from cacao sourced from one country, region, farm or harvest lot, depending on the maker's definition.

Why bakers care:Origin can shape acidity, fruitiness, bitterness and aroma, so single-origin chocolate is often chosen for flavour character rather than just cocoa percentage.

How to use it:Taste it before baking and use it where the flavour will still be noticeable, such as ganache, mousses, glazes and simple cakes. Explore single-origin chocolate.

Related terms:Cacao, Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Solids, Tasting notes
Slap-and-Fold: What it is:A hand method for developing gluten in wet doughs by lifting, slapping and folding the dough repeatedly.

Why bakers care:It builds strength quickly without adding extra flour, which helps maintain hydration.

How to use it:Use short sessions with rests. Combine with stretch-and-fold during bulk for high-hydration doughs.

Related terms:Stretch and Fold, Kneading, Hydration, Gluten
Smoke point: What it is:The temperature at which an oil starts to smoke visibly. It’s a useful guide for very high-heat cooking, but not the only factor in choosing an oil.

Why bakers care:For hot trays and frying, you want an oil that behaves predictably. For focaccia and finishing, flavour usually matters more than chasing a number.

How to use it:Use rapeseed for the hottest jobs; use extra virgin olive oil for flavour-led baking and finishing. If your oil is smoking, the pan/tray is too hot — turn it down.

Related terms:Rapeseed oil, Extra virgin olive oil, Finishing oil
Sourdough: What it is:Bread leavened with a natural culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

Why bakers care:It brings flavour complexity, improved keeping quality and different dough behaviour vs commercial yeast.

How to use it:Manage flavour and timing with temperature control and starter maturity. Also known as levain. Shop our sourdough cultures.

Related terms:Starter, Levain, Retarding, Bulk Fermentation
Spelt: What it is:An ancient relative of modern wheat, traditionally grown across central Europe. Spelt is a hulled wheat, meaning the grain retains a tight outer husk that is removed after harvesting.

Why bakers care:Spelt flour often has a sweet, nutty flavour and ferments readily, but its gluten is typically more fragile than modern bread wheat. Doughs can feel extensible yet break down if over-mixed.

How to use it:Use gentler mixing, slightly lower hydration and shorter fermentation compared with strong wheat flour. Whole spelt grain can be milled fresh or used soaked or cracked in multigrain breads.

Also known as:German: Dinkel; French: Épeautre; Italian: Farro grande.

Related terms:Heritage Grain, Gluten, Wholegrain Flour, Home Milling, Hydration
Starter (Sourdough Starter): What it is:A maintained culture of flour and water containing wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria used to leaven and flavour bread.

Why bakers care:Starter health and ripeness drive timing, flavour, acidity and dough strength. A weak starter often leads to slow fermentation and dense loaves.

How to use it:Feed consistently and use at peak activity for predictable results. “Levain” can mean the starter itself or a build made from it - see levain.

Related terms:Levain, Inoculation, Sourdough, Preferment
Steam: What it is:Moisture introduced at the start of baking (or trapped with a cloche) to keep the crust flexible while the loaf expands.

Why bakers care:Steam boosts oven spring, improves crust shine and colour and helps scoring open cleanly.

How to use it:Use steam only early in the bake, then vent and dry to set and colour the crust. Too little steam can lead to dull crust and poor expansion. Too much for too long can soften crust. For related equipment, Explore oven tools for better spring and crust.

Related terms:Oven Spring, Scoring, Crust
Stoneground Flour: What it is:Flour ground between stones, often retaining more of the grain components and oils.

Why bakers care:It can offer excellent flavour and character. It may absorb differently and can vary more by batch and grain.

How to use it:Expect to tune hydration. Longer rests can help full hydration of coarser particles. Browse our stoneground flours.

Related terms:Wholemeal Flour, Extraction Rate, Hydration, Rollermilled Flour
Stretch and Fold: What it is:A gentle strengthening technique during bulk fermentation where dough is stretched and folded over itself.

Why bakers care:It builds structure and improves gas retention without intensive kneading.

How to use it:Use several sets early in bulk (for example every 20-45 minutes) then stop once dough feels strong and aerated.

Related terms:Bulk Fermentation, Slap-and-Fold, Extensibility, Gluten
Strong Flour: What it is:Higher-protein wheat flour (often about 12-14%) designed for bread dough strength.

Why bakers care:Stronger gluten supports higher hydration, long fermentation and better loaf volume.

How to use it:Use for yeasted and sourdough breads. For delicate cakes and pastry choose plain flour. Shop strong white and pale flours.

Related terms:Protein Percentage, W Value, Gluten, Hydration
Surface Tension: What it is:The taut “skin” created on the outside of a shaped loaf, formed by stretching the surface during shaping.

Why bakers care:Good surface tension improves loaf height, supports clean scoring and helps direct oven spring.

How to use it:Build tension gradually (don’t tear the skin). If the loaf spreads, increase tension and strengthen earlier in bulk fermentation. If it rips, add rest time and reduce over-tight shaping.

Related terms:Pre-shape, Bench Rest, Scoring, Proofing
T
Tasting notes: What it is:Descriptive flavour and aroma language used to characterise oils, flours and finished bakes.

Why bakers care:It helps compare products beyond technical specs and makes it easier to choose ingredients for the flavour profile you want.

How to use it:Taste side by side and use consistent descriptors (fruity, grassy, peppery, nutty, sweet, bitter) to build a useful internal reference.

Related terms:Coratina, Extra virgin olive oil, Finishing oil
Tempering: What it is:Controlled heating and cooling of chocolate to encourage stable cocoa butter crystals to form.

Why bakers care:Properly tempered chocolate sets with gloss, a clean snap and better resistance to bloom. Poorly controlled chocolate can look dull, soft or streaky.

How to use it:Melt fully, cool, then rewarm to the correct working range for dark, milk or white chocolate. Avoid water, overheating and large swings in room temperature. Shop chocolate suited to tempering.

Related terms:Couverture Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate
T-System: What it is:The French flour classification system (T45 to T150) based on ash content.

Why bakers care:It signals refinement level and often correlates with flavour, colour and water absorption.

How to use it:Treat T numbers as a guide to extraction: lower T for white breads and pastry, higher T for richer, more wholegrain-like character. Find out more about the French T System for flour.

Related terms:Ash Content, Extraction Rate, German Flour Classification
U
Unbleached Flour: What it is:Flour that has not been treated with chemical bleaching agents to whiten it. It can still be roller-milled and very white. “Unbleached” is about treatment, not whether it’s refined.

Why bakers care:In some markets (especially the US), “bleached vs unbleached” is a common buying filter. For baking performance, the biggest drivers are still protein and strength (protein, W) and extraction and ash (ash), but bleaching can change how flour behaves in certain cakes and biscuits.

Where you’ll see it:“Unbleached” is most often used as a label term in North America. In the UK and EU, bleaching agents are not permitted in standard retail flour, so the label claim is less common and can be confusing.

How to use it:If you’re translating recipes from the US, treat “unbleached all-purpose” as closest to UK plain flour for general baking, or strong flour for bread, then adjust by feel.

Related terms:All-Purpose Flour, Plain Flour, Protein Percentage, Ash Content
Use By: What it is:A safety date used on highly perishable foods.

Why bakers care:Use by does not mean the same thing as best before. After a use by date, the food should not be eaten even if it looks or smells normal.

How to use it:Follow storage instructions carefully and do not rely on appearance or smell alone once the use by date has passed. For most long-life BakeryBits ingredients, the date customers usually see is best before rather than use by. Read the Food Standards Agency explanation.

Related terms:Best Before, Best Before End, Sell By / Display Until
Under-Proofing: What it is:Baking before the shaped dough has fermented enough.

Why bakers care:It often causes dense crumb, tearing and blowouts at weak spots and limited overall volume.

How to use it:Extend proof time, increase temperature slightly, or ensure bulk fermentation is sufficiently developed before shaping.

Related terms:Proofing, Poke Test, Oven Spring
V
Viennoiserie: What it is:A category of enriched French pastries that sit between bread and pastry, including croissants, pain au chocolat and Danish pastries.

Why bakers care:Viennoiserie doughs combine yeast fermentation with butter-rich lamination, creating pastries that are both airy and flaky with deep buttery flavour.

How to use it:Viennoiserie doughs require a balance of fermentation strength and rollability. Proper lamination, controlled fermentation and careful temperature management are key to achieving distinct layers. For related flour options, See flours for viennoiserie and pastry.

Related terms:Lamination, Laminated Dough, Puff Pastry, Gluten
Vanilla Extract: What it is:A liquid flavouring made by extracting vanilla from pods into alcohol. Most vanilla extracts are alcohol based. It is the most familiar baking form of vanilla and mixes in easily.

Why bakers care:Vanilla extract gives clean, reliable vanilla flavour without changing texture much, which makes it useful in cakes, custards, buttercream, whipped cream and batters.

How to use it:Use it where you want vanilla flavour to disperse evenly through the mixture. It is usually easier to blend than vanilla paste and more straightforward to dose than vanilla powder. Browse vanilla extract, paste and powder.

Related terms:Vanilla Paste, Vanilla Powder
Vanilla Paste: What it is:A thick vanilla product that usually combines vanilla extract or concentrate with vanilla seeds and a syrup or thickener. Some pastes contain alcohol and some are alcohol free.

Why bakers care:Vanilla paste gives both flavour and the visual look of vanilla specks, which can be appealing in custards, ice cream, buttercream and dessert fillings.

How to use it:Choose paste when you want a fuller look as well as flavour. Recipes can vary between brands, and some use ingredients such as syrup bases or thickeners including xanthan gum to create the paste texture. See vanilla paste and related products.

Related terms:Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Powder
Vanilla Powder: What it is:A dry vanilla ingredient, but the term can mean different things. Some products are pure ground vanilla pod, like our BakeryBits Madagascan Whole Pod Vanilla Powder, while others are blended with sugar or other carriers.

Why bakers care:The difference matters for flavour strength, sweetness and recipe balance. Pure ground pod vanilla powder gives concentrated vanilla from the whole pod without adding liquid or alcohol.

How to use it:Check whether the product is pure vanilla or a blend before substituting. Pure powder is useful where you want dry vanilla flavour in mixes, dusting sugars, chocolate work or recipes where extra liquid is not welcome. Explore our vanilla range.

Substitution guide:As a starting point, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract is often close to 1 teaspoon vanilla paste. Vanilla powder varies more by brand and whether it is pure pod or a blend, so start small and adjust to taste. Pure ground vanilla powder is especially useful when you want vanilla flavour without adding extra liquid or alcohol.

Related terms:Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Paste
Vital Wheat Gluten: What it is:Vital wheat gluten is concentrated dried wheat protein. It is the gluten portion of wheat flour separated, dried and milled into a fine powder.

Why bakers care:Adding a small amount can increase dough strength, elasticity and oven spring. It is particularly useful with lower protein flours, wholemeal doughs and enriched breads.

How to use it:Mix with flour before adding water, typically at 1-3% of flour weight. Start small and adjust gradually. See our vital wheat gluten options. Read our full guide: What Is Vital Wheat Gluten - and When Should You Use It?.

Related terms:Gluten, Strong Flour, Protein Percentage, Wholemeal Flour
W
W Value: What it is:A flour strength measure from the Chopin Alveograph test (higher W generally = stronger flour).

Why bakers care:It helps predict how much fermentation and hydration a flour can tolerate while still holding structure.

How to use it:Higher W suits long ferments and higher hydration. Lower W tends to suit softer doughs like pastry and some enriched bakes. For related flour options, Compare flour strength options.

Related terms:Alveograph, Protein Percentage, Strong Flour, P/L Ratio
Wheat: What it is:The most widely used cereal grain for bread and baking. Wheat kernels contain bran, germ and endosperm and can be milled into white, wholemeal or wholegrain flour.

Why bakers care:Wheat is unique among common cereals because it forms gluten when hydrated and mixed, giving dough structure, elasticity and gas retention. Most bread styles rely on wheat’s gluten-forming ability.

How to use it:Whole wheat grain can be milled fresh using a grain mill or used sprouted or cracked in bread. Different wheat varieties and milling styles affect flavour, absorption and fermentation, so hydration often needs adjusting.

Also known as:German: Weizen; French: Blé; Italian: Grano (often distinguished as grano tenero for bread wheat and grano duro for durum).

Related terms:Gluten, Wholegrain Flour, Wholemeal Flour, Hydration, Home Milling
Wheatgerm: What it is:The embryo of the wheat kernel, rich in oils, vitamins and minerals.

Why bakers care:It adds nutty flavour and nutrition, but the oils can reduce gluten strength slightly and can go rancid if stored poorly.

How to use it:Use in moderation for flavour. Store cool and airtight. Expect a little extra water absorption in doughs.

Related terms:Wholemeal Flour, Wholegrain Flour, Bran
White Flour: What it is:Refined flour made mostly from endosperm, with most bran and germ removed during milling.

Why bakers care:White flour usually gives lighter colour, milder flavour and more extensible dough behaviour than wholemeal or wholegrain flours.

How to use it:Use on its own for lighter breads and pastries, or blend with wholemeal flour to balance flavour, nutrition and handling. For related flour options, Browse white flour options.

Related terms:Wholemeal Flour, Wholegrain Flour, Fortification, Plain Flour
White Chocolate: What it is:Chocolate made with cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids but no cocoa solids, which is why it is pale and lacks the bitterness of dark chocolate.

Why bakers care:White chocolate behaves differently from darker chocolates: it is sweeter, softer and more prone to scorching, but useful for creamy fillings, decoration and softer sets.

How to use it:Melt it gently and treat sweetness as part of the recipe balance. Good white chocolate should still contain enough cocoa butter to melt and set cleanly. Browse white chocolate.

Related terms:Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Ganache, Tempering
Wholegrain Flour: What it is:Flour containing bran, germ and endosperm (the whole kernel).

Why bakers care:More flavour and nutrition, but bran can weaken gluten and increases water absorption.

How to use it:Increase hydration, consider longer rests and soakers and expect a denser loaf unless blended with stronger white flour. Also known as whole wheat flour in the US, or wholemeal flour in the UK. Browse our wholegrain flours.

Related terms:Wholemeal Flour, Bran, Fibre, Hydration, Wheat, Rye
Wholemeal Flour: What it is:The UK term for flour containing the whole wheat kernel (bran, germ and endosperm).

Why bakers care:It absorbs more water and can produce denser bread unless fermentation and strength are managed carefully.

How to use it:Increase hydration, use a strong base flour if blending and consider longer fermentation and rests for improved softness. Also known as whole wheat flour or wholegrain flour. Browse wholemeal flours.

Related terms:Wholegrain Flour, Bran, Hydration, Autolyse
Windowpane Test: What it is:A quick check of gluten development by stretching a small piece of dough into a thin membrane (“window”) without tearing.

Why bakers care:It indicates whether the dough has enough strength to trap gas and expand well.

How to use it:Best for white doughs. Wholegrain doughs may never windowpane perfectly due to bran, so use it alongside dough feel and fermentation cues.

Related terms:Gluten, Kneading, Strong Flour
Y
Yeast: What it is:In baking, yeast usually means baker’s yeast: a living microorganism that ferments sugars and produces carbon dioxide, helping dough rise.

Why bakers care:Yeast affects lift, timing, flavour development and dough handling. Different formats and strains suit different styles of dough.

How to use it:Choose by use case. Instant, active dry and fresh yeast are all commercial baker’s yeasts. Osmotolerant yeast suits very sweet enriched doughs. Organic yeast is produced under different certified-organic rules, but should still be chosen by format and judged by performance in your process.

Related terms:Commercial Yeast, Osmotolerant Yeast, Inoculation, Proofing
0
0-System: What it is:The Italian flour grading system. “00” is very finely milled and refined. “0” is a little less refined. Higher numbers contain more bran.

Why bakers care:It hints at refinement and typical use (pizza and pasta vs bread), but strength still depends on protein and W value.

How to use it:Use “00” where fine milling matters (pizza and pasta styles), then choose by strength metrics for your fermentation method. Shop our Italian flours and find out more about the Italian 0-System.

Related terms:Semolina, Rollermilled Flour, Protein Percentage, W Value

Bread & Flour Glossary: Baking Terms Explained

A

Acidity (in Bread)

Active Dry Yeast

Al dente

All-Purpose Flour

Alveograph (Chopin Alveograph)

Amylase

Ash Content

Autolyse

B

Baker’s Percentages

Banneton

Bench Rest

Best Before

Best Before End

Biga

Blistering

Bran

Bread Flour

Bread Improver

Bronze-die (Bronze-die extruded)

Brotform

Bulk Fermentation

Butter Block (Beurrage)

C

Cacao

Candied Peel

Chocolate Drops

Chocolate Extract

Cocoa

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa Solids

Conching

Cold-pressed oil

Colomba Pasquale

Commercial Yeast

Coratina

Corn Flour (UK)

Cornmeal

Couverture Chocolate

Croissant Dough

Crumb

Crust

D

Danish Pastry

Degassing

Diastatic Malt Flour

Diax

Dough Strength

Dough Temperature

Dark Chocolate

Drinking Chocolate

Durum Wheat

E

Einkorn

Enkir

Elasticity

Emmer

Enriched Dough

Enzyme Activity

Extensibility

Extraction Rate

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

F

Falling Number

Fats & oils

Fibre

Finishing oil

Focaccia

Folic Acid in Flour

Fortification

Fresh Yeast

G

German Flour Classification

Gluten

Gluten Network

Granary (Malted Grain Bread Flour)

Gummy Crumb

Ganache