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Bread baking glossary
The words bakers meet in recipes, guides and on equipment, each in plain words and linked to the page that explains it.
All 40 terms
Boule and bâtard: round and oval loaves
- Flatten to a rectangle
- Fold in thirds
- Roll up tightly
- Seal the seam
A boule is round; a bâtard is oval. Shape matters at both proofing and baking stages: an oval basket does not establish that the baked loaf will fit a round pot. The bread-oven shape guide explains that pairing with concrete loaf examples.
Banneton, brotform and proofing basket
These names describe a support for shaped dough during proofing. The dough is normally transferred out to suitable bakeware; a proofing basket is not an oven vessel. Read how to choose basket capacity using total dough weight and any manufacturer guidance.
Cloche, Dutch oven and shallow-base pan
A cloche is a cover or covered baking arrangement. A Dutch oven combines a deep vessel and lid; a shallow-base bread pan puts the dough on a lower base before its cover is added. These change how you load the loaf and lift hot parts. Compare the loading arrangements.
Pullman pan
A straight-sided loaf pan with a sliding lid. The loaf fills the pan and comes out square, with a fine, even crumb for sandwiches. See how to use a Pullman pan.
Outside size, inside space and the weight you lift hot
Outside size is the full width and depth, including handles or a larger steel underneath. Inside space is the room left for the dough or another container. The weight you lift hot is the part you handle during the bake, which can be lighter than the whole set. The oven fit checker checks each of these on its own and tells you which ones it can't answer until you add a measurement.
Scale capacity, resolution and accuracy
Capacity is the maximum total load, including a bowl even after it is tared. Resolution is the smallest displayed step: a whole-gram display does not establish ±1 g accuracy. Accuracy describes the allowed measurement error under the stated conditions. See why one can't stand in for another.
Instant-read thermometer and leave-in probe
An instant-read thermometer takes a spot measurement and is removed. A compatible leave-in probe can remain in place while its meter stays within the meter-body temperature limit. The probe, cable and meter may have different ratings. The leave-in thermometer guide explains the DOT example and the body-versus-probe distinction.
Baker’s percentage and preferment
Baker’s percentages express ingredients relative to flour weight, with all base flours together set to 100%. A preferment brings its own flour and water. Enter those components separately to calculate total dough and overall hydration in the baker’s percentage calculator; an ingredient with unknown water content is not automatically treated as water.
Oven spring and the ear
Oven spring is the fast rise a loaf makes early in the bake, before the crust sets. The ear is the ridge of crust that lifts along a score cut at a shallow angle. See what is oven spring.
Sourdough starter, levain and discard
A starter is the culture of wild yeast and bacteria you keep and feed; a levain is a portion of it built for one dough; discard is the starter you remove before feeding. See what a starter is and starter, levain and poolish.
Hooch
The grey or dark liquid that collects on a hungry starter: water and alcohol from fermentation, and harmless. See hooch.
Peak and float test
A starter peaks when it has at least doubled since its feed and its top is domed, usually 4 to 8 hours after a 1:1:1 feed at 75 to 78°F: use it then. A spoonful that sinks in water is not ready yet; one that floats is not proof that it is ready. See when is my starter ready.
Feeding ratio: 1:1:1, 1:2:2, 1:5:5
The weight of starter to fresh flour to fresh water: 1:1:1 is 20 g starter, 20 g flour and 20 g water. The more fresh food per gram of starter, the longer it takes to peak and the milder it tastes. See feeding ratios and the feeding calculator.
Stiff and liquid starter
A liquid starter is fed equal weights of flour and water (100% hydration); a stiff starter gets about half as much water as flour (50 to 60%) and peaks later after a feed. See stiff vs liquid starter.
Hydration
The weight of water in a dough as a percentage of the flour weight: 700 g water to 1,000 g flour is 70%. See the hydration chart by flour.
Gluten and protein
The stretchy network wheat proteins form when flour and water are mixed and worked; it holds the gas that makes bread rise. Bread flour has more protein than US all-purpose flour (about 12 to 13% against 10 to 12%), so it forms more gluten. See bread flour vs all-purpose.
Autolyse and fermentolyse
Resting flour and water for 20 to 60 minutes before adding starter and salt (autolyse), or with the starter already in (fermentolyse). See autolyse.
Bulk fermentation
The first rise of the whole batch, before dividing and shaping. See bulk fermentation and the chart.
Desired dough temperature and friction factor
The temperature a recipe wants the dough to be when mixing ends. You reach it by choosing the water temperature, after counting the flour, the room, any preferment and the warmth that mixing adds, which is the friction factor. See the water temperature calculator.
Proof, final proof and cold proof
The rise of the shaped loaf before baking; a cold proof does it in the fridge, usually overnight. See proofing and cold proofing.
Poke test
Pressing a floured fingertip into a proofing loaf: a slow spring-back with a small dent means ready. See the poke test.
Under-proofed and over-proofed
Under-proofed dough still has too much rise left: it springs straight back when poked and bakes into a tight crumb with a few big holes under the crust, or bursts at the side. Over-proofed dough has gone too far: the dent stays, and the loaf bakes flat with a tight, even crumb. See proofing bread.
Stretch and fold, coil fold
- Wet hands underneath
- Lift until it releases
- Let it coil under itself
Ways of building dough strength during bulk fermentation without kneading. See stretch and fold vs coil fold.
Kneading, slap and fold, windowpane test
Kneading builds the gluten that holds gas: push, fold and turn a firmer dough for 8 to 10 minutes. Slap and fold is the hand method for wet dough, from about 67% hydration. The windowpane test checks the result: a small piece stretches thin enough to let light through before it tears. See kneading by hand.
Bench scraper
A flat, stiff blade for lifting, dividing and gathering sticky dough without adding flour. See kneading by hand and preshaping.
Preshape and bench rest
A loose first shape after dividing, rested 20 to 30 minutes before the final shape. See preshaping.
Score and lame
A score is the cut made in a loaf before baking so it opens where you choose; a lame is the razor-blade holder used to make it. See how to score bread.
Steam
Moisture in the oven for about the first 20 minutes keeps the loaf's surface soft so it can rise and the score can open; it also gives a glossy, crackly crust. A covered pot is the easiest way. See steam in a home oven.
Poolish and biga
Yeasted preferments made hours before the main dough: poolish is wet (100% hydration), biga stiff (about 50 to 60%). See preferments compared.
Tangzhong and yudane
Cooked or scalded flour pastes that let bread hold more water, for soft, long-keeping loaves. See tangzhong and yudane.
Crumb and crust
The crumb is the inside of the loaf, judged by its holes and texture; the crust is the outside. See reading the crumb.
Couche
A heavy linen cloth, floured and pleated, that holds baguettes in shape while they proof. See shaping baguettes.
Diastatic malt
Malted barley powder with active enzymes that turn starch into sugar, used in small amounts, starting at about 0.1 to 0.2% of the flour. See diastatic malt powder.
Whole wheat and whole grain flour
Flour that keeps the bran and germ. It tastes nuttier, absorbs more water and ferments faster than white flour, and its bran cuts gluten strands, so loaves are denser. See whole wheat flour.
Rye flour and pentosans
Rye builds very little gluten; gums called pentosans hold its water instead, so rye dough is sticky, paste-like and quick to ferment. High-rye loaves are proofed and baked in a pan. See rye flour.
Spelt and einkorn
Ancient relatives of modern wheat with weaker gluten. Spelt dough takes less water and tears if overworked; einkorn stays sticky and slack however long you knead it and bakes best in a pan. Neither is gluten-free. See spelt flour and einkorn flour.
Durum, semolina and semola rimacinata
Durum is a very hard wheat. Semolina is its coarse grind, good for dusting peels; durum flour and semola rimacinata are ground fine enough to make golden, tender bread. See durum and semolina.
Fresh-milled flour
Whole grain flour milled at home just before baking. It absorbs more water and ferments faster than bagged flour. See fresh-milled flour and home grain mills.
Instant, active dry and fresh yeast
Instant yeast mixes straight into the flour; active dry is traditionally dissolved in warm water first; fresh (cake) yeast is moist and perishable. Instant and active dry swap one for one, and a 7 g packet equals about 17 g of fresh yeast, by Red Star's chart. See yeast types.
Enriched dough
Dough with butter or oil, sugar, eggs or milk added, for softer, richer bread that keeps longer. It bakes cooler, at about 350 to 375°F, and is done at about 190°F inside. See enriched dough.