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The process of cutting food into small cubes of equal size so that the food is evenly cooked and/or pleasant in appearance for the recipe. Dicing, unlike chopping or mincing, is a precision cut that is consistent in size.

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A rich white sauce made with milk infused with herbs and other flavorings

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A cooking utensil, made for whipping and beating

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When a liquid begins to bubble and evaporate

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A mixture of fat and flour used to make a souce

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How to Make a Roux Like a Pro | Food Network

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Fried quickly in a little hot pan

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Par-baking is a cooking technique in which a bread or dough product is partially baked and then rapidly frozen for storage. The raw dough is baked normally, but halted at about 80% of the normal cooking time, when it is rapidly cooled and frozen

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To work (moistened flour or clay) into dough or paste with the hands

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A device that is used to cut butter or other solid fat whem it is to be blended into flour for making pastry dough

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A device, also referred to as a pastry cutter, that is used to cut butter or other solid fat when it is to be blended into flour for making pastry dough, generally pie crusts. The pastry blender has a curved, slotted end with blades or wires that connect to a handle on the opposite end that is held and moved in an up and down or rocking motion to cut and blend the fat ingredients into the dry ingredients. The blender helps to remove lumps in order to mix the dough thoroughly and eliminate pockets of concentrated ingredients so they do not adversely affect the flavor of the food being prepared.

Recipes that refer to "cutting in the butter" as a procedure are suggesting that the butter be combined with all other dry ingredients in a manner that cuts the solid butter into smaller pieces, combining into the mixture of ingredients in a way that will not require melting and then combining. By using a pastry blender, this task is simplified and is easily accomplished.

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Pastry Blender cooking information, facts and recipes. A device, also referred to as a pastry cutter, that is used to cut butter or other solid fat when it is to be blended into flour for making pastry dough, generally pie crusts.

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A small brush made with nylon, or silicone that is used to apply glazes , marinades, juices, and egg washes

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A small round or flat shaped brush made with nylon, silicone or sterilized natural bristles. This type of brush is used to apply glazes to breads, pastries, cookies, meats, and poultry before or after baking. Egg washes, marinades, juices from pans, and various food glazes are all applied using Basting or Pastry Brushes. The brush handles may be constructed of stainless steel, nylon or wood with varying lengths. If made of metal or nylon, it is important to make sure they will withstand high temperatures without either transferring the heat to the handle or affecting the structure of the handle. Longer handled brushes are used for grilling or in areas where the length of the handles helps to keep hands away from heat. The coarse hairs of the brush may be made of nylon, silicon or natural bristles, each having properties that affect the basting process. Nylon and silicone bristles are easy to clean and maintain, resulting in a brush that will not retain flavors. The bristles stay uniform in shape and the silicon bristles do not fall out over time. However, nylon and silicone bristles have a tendency to retain less of various sauces or marinades within the bristles as the solution is transferred to the food being prepared. Also, heat can easily damage the nylon bristles if they become too hot. Most silicone bristles are made to be heat resistant. Natural bristles may hold greater quantities of sauces or marinades as well as having more or less flex than nylon or silicone. However, most of the silicon bristle brushes are very flexible. The tendency to resist fraying or being affected by heat may also be an attribute, depending on the type of natural bristle used for the brush bristles.

To clean Basting and Pastry Brushes, use hot water and a cleaning detergent, washing and rinsing thorougly when cleaning. Some brushes will have openings where bristles connect to the handle or in areas around the brush and bristle connection where bacteria can begin to grow. In an effort to remove these open areas around the bristles, some brushes have bristles sealed with epoxy where the bristles are adjoined to the handle. To assist with keeping bacteria from developing in crevices and open areas where food can become trapped, soak and clean the brush in a water and bleach solution, using a pint of water with a half of cap full of bleach. Allow the brush to soak and be cleaned in this solution for almost a minute in order to attempt to remove and cleanse any impurities that may cause bacteria to form.

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A small round or flat shaped brush made with nylon, silicone or sterilized natural bristles. This type of brush is used to apply glazes to breads, pastries, cookies, meats, and poultry before or after baking. Egg washes, marinades, juices from pans, and various food glazes are all applied using Basting or Pastry Brushes.

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Keeping fats and liquids cold so that they create little pockets of fat throughout the dough; this way, when the fat is steaming in the oven, it helps create rise

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Updated with a new photograph, expanded information, recipe links and shopping options on November 16, 2015

The biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as scones and, well, biscuits. That's American biscuits, not cookie-biscuits, if you're visiting from across the Big Blue Ocean.

The biscuit method is one of the only mixing methods that does not require you to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. Your fats and liquids should be cold for the biscuit method. The colder, the better. Why? Well, the whole point of the biscuit method is to keep discrete little pieces of fat dispersed throughout your dough. That way, when they melt in the oven, the steam the little pieces creates assists in with the rise. Also, you get all of these wee little buttery pockets. I love me some biscuits.

How to Perform The Biscuit Method

So, here's how it goes.

1. Mix all your dry ingredients together with a whisk: flour, baking powder and/or baking soda, salt, sugar, dry spices, etc.

2. Cut your very cold fat into about 1/2 inch chunks (if you're using shortening, or part shortening, put that stuff in the freezer. I vote all butter, personally, for flavor and for no trans fats, but do what you want).

3. Toss the butter/shortening with the dry ingredients.

4. Using your fingers, break up the butter/shortening, rubbing it into the flour. When you're done, the pieces should be anywhere from the size of grits to the size of peas. Nothing too much bigger than a pea. If your hands are warm, throw everybody into the fridge to firm up.

5. Pour in your liquid (milk/cream/half and half/buttermilk-whatever the recipe calls for). Toss together with the dry. Don't mix viciously.

6. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a square about 1/2″ thick.

7. Cut into squares (no waste) or circles. (You can re-roll the scraps, but those biscuits will be tougher. I vote squares).

8. Brush with cream/butter/egg wash. Bake at about 400 degrees, F, until risen and golden brown and lovely.

I will now take your questions. Yes? You in the back. "Why can't I mix viciously. I need to get out my aggression."

Me: If you need to take out your aggression on something, make some bread or take a kick boxing class. You want to handle your dough gently once the liquid is in there. Biscuits are supposed to be tender, and a bunch of mixing will just activate the gluten in the flour and you'll end up with chewy biscuits.

Yes, sir. You there, in the brown sweater. "Can I use my stand mixer or food processor?"

Me: I would stay away from the food processor because it can generate a bunch of heat, and you don't want your butter to melt. You can use a mixer as long as you use the paddle attachment and stop and check the consistency and the size of your butter pieces every 30 seconds or so. You don't want to end up with paste. Once you get the liquid in there, I would take the bowl off the mixer and fold the liquid in with a spatula. You don't want to develop that gluten."

That's enough for today. Thank you all for coming.

PS The Biscuit Method is also the method most often used for making pie crust. Any time you're cutting pieces of fat into smaller pieces of fat mixed into flour and adding a little bit of liquid, you can bet your biscuit you're using The Biscuit Method.

Biscuits and other Biscuit-like items on Ye Olde Blogge that Utilize The Biscuit Method for Mixing

Here are some biscuit and pie crust recipes you might want to try out. Take a look in the instruction section of all the recipes. I'm sure you'll be able to recognize the basic method.

Pie Crust Recipes on Ye Olde Blogge that Utilize The Biscuit Method for Mixing

Shop the Method

Like most of the basic mixing methods, you don't need a ton of fancy equipment to perform them properly, but here are a few of my recommendations for baking sheets, pie plates, biscuit cutters, etc, you might find useful. These are affiliate links. Thank you for helping me keep the lights on. I appreciate the support.

First up, a bench knife is a must-have. For me, I usually cut my biscuits in squares so I don't have any dough to re-roll. A bench knife does this beautifully. As well, you'll find tons of ways to use it in performing the biscuit method and beyond. Best less-than-six dollars you will ever spend.

If you do like round biscuits, I can recommend this set of graduated cutters. Choose your biscuit size from petite to mondo to any size in between. And of course you can use them to cut cookies and pie crust, as well. If you like fluted biscuits, this set of fluted cutters also gives you a choice of size.

I love a good aluminum pie pan. Light weight, conductive so you get great browning of the bottom crust, and inexpensive What's not to love? The standard size is 9″ or you can go crazy and get a 10″ pie pan.

Last up, it's absolutely necessary to have at least one heavy-duty half-sheet pan that will not warp in the oven. I like my Nordic Ware half-sheet pan. Give it a look.

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The Biscuit Method for Making Tender Biscuits and Flaky Pie Crust

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Updated with a new photograph, expanded information, recipe links and shopping options on November 16, 2015 The biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as scones and, well, biscuits. That's American biscuits, not cookie-biscuits, if you're visiting from across the Big Blue Ocean.

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Working solid shortening into dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender until well mixed.This creates a flaky texture by coating the flour proteins with shortening, interrupting the gluten formation.

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'Cut in' means working solid shortening into dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender until well mixed. When making a pastry, solid shortening, lard, or butter is cut in to a flour mixture until the particles are the size of small peas. This creates a flaky texture by coating the flour proteins with shortening, interrupting the gluten formation.

Pronunciation: kutt in * (verb)

Also Known As: blend

Examples: "Cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until the particles are the size of small peas."

The purpose of cutting butter or solid shortening into flour is to create a flaky texture in pie pastry and cookies. This isn't a difficult process, but it takes time and some patience. Use two knives and cut across the shortening, working it into the flour. If you have a pastry blender, this process takes less time. You can also use your fingers, mixing the fat with the flour lightly with your fingertips.

Don't work the shortening into the flour so much that it becomes a solid mass. You should stop when the pieces of shortening coated by flour are about the size of small peas. Sometimes the recipe will tell you to cut the shortening into the flour until the pieces are the size of crumbs. Just follow the recipe and do what it tells you to do.

Busy Cooks Glossary

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Learn the Definition of Cut In, a Baking Term

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'Cut in' means working solid shortening into dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender until well mixed. When making a pastry, solid shortening, lard, or butter is cut in to a flour mixture until the particles are the size of small peas.

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Sour cream contains fat and tenderizes gluten in the batter. It will balance out the flavors and structure of the batter.

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Get Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe from Food Network

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A crumble topping of flour, butter, and sugar

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Streusel Topping Recipe - Genius Kitchen

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this is good on muffins and cofeecakes, pies and other things...I like to keep this on hand in the freezer

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Usually done with a rubber spatula or whisk, where ingredient are gently incorporated into a mix

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Folding is a term used to describe the process of combining ingredients together gently without stirring, beating or otherwise agitating the mixture. It is a technique most commonly used when you are combining one or more ingredients that have already been whipped (such as egg whites or whipped cream). The term can also apply to a recipe that requires less mixing (for example, a tender crumb). Folding is usually executed with a rubber spatula for liquid and dry ingredients, or with a wire whisk for whipped cream and egg whites so that the mixture gently incorporates as it falls through the wires.

The first step in many of our baking recipes calls for: beating butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. But what does that actually mean and why do we need to do it?

The technique of beating or creaming butter and sugar (this also applies to shortening and margarine) lays the groundwork for your baked product. During this step, you're incorporating air into your batter. This process will determine how the texture of your baked goods will turn out. The coarse sugar crystals cut into the butter creating air pockets, or bubbles. These bubbles are what will give your cake or cookie "lift" and rise (with the help of baking soda and/or baking powder). The air bubbles will also cause your butter/sugar mixture to lighten, or pale, in colour. The amount of bubbles created will depend on what tool you use to cream your batter (electric mixers will work better than a whisk) and how long you cream the batter (the longer, the more air bubbles).

Watch me demonstrate this baking technique:

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Folding is a term used to describe the process of combining ingredients together gently without stirring, beating or otherwise agitating the mixture. It is a technique most commonly used when you are combining one or more ingredients that have already been whipped (such as egg whites or whipped cream).

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Mixing wet and dry ingredients seperately, and right before being put in the oven, the mixes are combined briefly

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No it's not some odd, pastry-based form of birth control. It's one of the simpler of the Big Five mixing methods, something every baker should know. Simply put, the Muffin Method is a technique whereby two mixes are created: a mix of wet ingredients (eggs, soft or liquid fat, milk and sugar) and a mix [...]

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A cooking tool used to help scoop and place even amounts of dough, batter, etc.

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A type of cookie that is made from relatively soft dough that is dropped by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet

Example: Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Follow our simple tips to form the perfect bite-size cookies.

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A type of cookie that is made from a relatively stiff dough that is broken off into pieces and molded with the fingers

Example: Cresents

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how to use silicone molds to shape cooki...

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How to Make Embossed (aka Molded) Cookies - An In-Depth Technique Video

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Lately I've been on an embossed cookie kick! Did you notice?! I've been using these lovely textured cookies left and right on so many of my cookie projects that I thought it was high time to REALLY explain how I make them.

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A type of cookie that is made from a relatively soft dough that is spread evenly in a pan and has a chewy or cake-like consistency

Example: Brownies

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Condensed Milk Bar Cookies : Sugar & Spice

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Subscribe Now: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Cookingguide Watch More: http://www.youtube.com/Cookingguide Condensed milk bar cookies start off with one stick of butter in a bowl. Make condensed milk bar cookies with help from a baker and culinary professional in this free video clip.

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A white, crystalline, acidic compound obtained as a byproduct of wine fermentation and used chiefly in baking powder

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Video shows what cream of tartar means. potassium hydrogen tartrate (also called potassium bitartrate), a byproduct of wine manufacture, used in baking powder and in cooking to stabilize beaten egg whites.. Cream of tartar Meaning. How to pronounce, definition audio dictionary. How to say cream of tartar.

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A chemcial reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor

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What Is the Maillard Reaction? - Instant Egghead #44

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The oxidation of sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the result of a nutty flavor and brown color

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Mixing together fats and sugars and incorporating air into a dough or mixture to help the product rise