Cooking glossary

Also called Browned butter, Beurre noisette

Butter melted and kept over the heat until its milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty. Stir so the solids colour evenly, and take it off the heat as soon as it turns amber, because it burns quickly after that.

See it in: Halloween cookies

A small finishing touch added just before serving, such as chopped herbs, chilli flakes or a swirl of cream, for colour, freshness or texture.

See it in: Roasted pumpkin & vegetable soup, Beetroot chickpea salad, Cheesy chicken & mashed potato bake

Cooking food in a hot oven, uncovered, so the outside browns and the inside softens. Roasted vegetables taste sweeter and deeper than boiled ones, which is why roasting comes before blending a soup.

See it in: Roasted pumpkin & vegetable soup

A whole head of garlic cut across the top, drizzled with olive oil, wrapped and roasted until the cloves are soft and sweet enough to squeeze out and spread.

See it in: Roasted pumpkin & vegetable soup, Roast the garlic in a little parcel

Lifting and turning a salad or other ingredients so the dressing or seasoning coats everything evenly, without crushing them.

See it in: Beetroot chickpea salad

Resting cookie dough in the fridge before baking. Cold dough spreads less in the oven and the flavour deepens. Cover it, because dough picks up smells from the rest of the fridge.

See it in: Halloween cookies, Cover your cookie dough in the fridge

Pushing, folding and turning dough by hand or with a mixer until it goes from shaggy to smooth and stretchy. Kneading builds the gluten that traps gas from the yeast, so the bread or rolls rise and stay soft.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls

Also called Bloom yeast, Activate yeast

Stirring yeast into warm liquid with a pinch of sugar and waiting about 10 minutes. If it turns foamy, the yeast is alive and the dough will rise. If nothing happens, start again with fresh yeast before you use the flour.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls, Wake up your yeast before it meets the flour

Also called Proof the dough, Second rise

Leaving a yeast dough covered somewhere warm until it puffs up. Many doughs rise twice: once after kneading, and again after shaping, just before baking.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls

Passing flour or powdered sugar through a fine sieve to break up lumps and lighten it, so it mixes evenly into the other ingredients.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls

Also called Double cream, Cooking cream

Cream with a high fat content, so it can be heated without splitting and makes sauces, mash and soups rich and smooth. Use whichever full-fat cream your shop sells for cooking.

See it in: Cheesy chicken & mashed potato bake, Roasted pumpkin & vegetable soup, Cinnamon rolls

A ready-made dried herb blend, usually oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram. Sprinkle it on pizza, roasted vegetables or chicken when you want herby flavour without buying each herb.

See it in: Tuna tortilla pizza, Roasted pumpkin & vegetable soup, Cheesy chicken & mashed potato bake

Also called Parchment paper

Non-stick paper that lines a tray or tin so food lifts off cleanly and the tray stays clean.

See it in: Tuna tortilla pizza, Halloween cookies

Turning the oven on before the food goes in, so it is already at the right temperature. Baking times in recipes assume the oven is fully preheated.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls

Also called Conventional oven, Top and bottom heat

The oven setting that heats from the top and bottom elements without a fan. Fan ovens cook faster, so a recipe written for upper and lower heat is usually baked about 20 °C lower with the fan on.

See it in: Cinnamon rolls