Bakery glossary

The terms used in product specs — sourdough, par-baked, proofing, parve and more — in short definitions.

Bake-off

A way of working where the business receives frozen dough or par-baked product and bakes it as needed — fresh bakes without a baker or a bakery.

Convection oven

An oven with a fan that circulates hot air. It bakes faster and more evenly at 10–15 °C lower than a conventional oven — the standard for bake-off.

First in, first out (FIFO)

An inventory rule: use what arrived first before newer stock. In the freezer, date every bag.

Hydration

The ratio of water to flour in a dough, in percent. Standard bread: 60–65%. Ciabatta: 75–80% — hence the large holes and open crumb.

Parve

Food that is neither meat nor dairy, so it can be served with either. Parve pastry uses margarine or oil instead of butter.

Proofing

The stage where yeast raises the dough before baking. Frozen yeasted pastry dough needs 45–120 minutes at 24–27 °C.

Puff pastry

Laminated dough without yeast. It rises from steam between the layers while baking, so it bakes straight from frozen with no proofing. The base of burekas.

Sourdough

A natural culture of wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria that raises dough instead of commercial yeast. A long ferment (12–24 hours) gives a tangy flavor and bread that keeps longer.