Candidates should have knowledge and understanding of a range of

processes used to make products and have the opportunity to use the

following skills and processes in their

practical work:

Baked products: rubbing in, creaming, melting, whisking, all-in-

one, kneading, folding, rolling, shaping, cutting

Rubbing in

• Technique where flour is rubbed into a fat to make dishes such as shortcrust pastry, crumbles and scones.

• Using your fingertips, rub the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs

• Lift the mixture up as you rub it in so that the air going through it keeps it cool.

• Shake the bowl every so often to bring the larger lumps of butter to the surface.

Creaming Method

• 'Creaming' means combining sugar with a solid fat used in cake making.

• Ensure the fat has softened to room temperature before you start.

• Beat the fat with the sugar to a light and fluffy texture - start mixing quite slowly and, as the mixture becomes softer and well combined, you can mix faster.

• As you beat it, the mixture should increase in volume and take on a paler colour.

Melting Method

• This is also classified as a rich cake as there is half the amount of fat to flour so these cakes also have good keeping qualities, flapjack, gingerbread.

• The texture and flavour of these cakes would improve if they were kept for at least a day before serving. The crust will have softened and the flavour would have developed.

Whisking Method

• Contains no fat. The eggs and sugar are whisked together until thick and creamy.

• Swiss roll, flans, gateaux.

• An electric mixer facilitates whisking but with hand whisking, placing the bowl over hot water helps to give a faster result.

• Then gently fold in the flour with a metal spoon or spatula.

All-in-one Method

• Exactly as the name suggests, these cakes are mixed all in one go.

• Victoria sponge and fairy cakes.

• All the ingredients go into the bowl together and the mixing is done in seconds.

Kneading - dough

• Kneading means working and stretching dough, either by hand or using an electric dough hook.

• The process makes the dough smoother and softer and develops the elasticity of the gluten in the flour.

• It also evenly incorporates air and any additional ingredients.

Folding

• Folding is to combine a light ingredient or mixture with a much heavier mixture while retaining as much air as possible.

• Carefully cut through the mixture with the edge of the spoon, working in a gentle figure of eight and moving the bowl as you go.

• Scrape around the sides and base of the bowl at intervals to incorporate all of the lighter ingredients into the mixture.

Shaping and Cutting

• Shaping – using your hands or a pastry cutter to style the product into desired shape (bread rolls)

• Cutting – using a pastry cutter to cut out shapes (scones, biscuits)

Rolling Out - pastry

• Be as cool as possible.

• Firm consistency.

• Lightly floured survey.

• Use short, even strokes.

• After each stroke, spin the pastry through a quarter turn, do not turn the pastry over.

Standard and pre manufactured components.

e.g. flour is a standard component of pastry and pastry is a standard component of an apple pie.

• Quicker • Cheaper• Simpler to buy in ready prepared ingredients• Match the 8 definitions to either advantages or

disadvantages and stick them down on A4

A cake manufacturer wants develop a new rangeof cake products which:• Are attractive to school children• Include fruit for fibre• Are suitable for a packed lunch box

Working in small groups, each group using adifferent method of cake making, design and makea range of products which fits in with thespecification. You will then individually pick a design and plan amethod for the design and make it next Thursday10th Feb.