A dessert buffet compromising a variety of layered tortes, small pastries, fruit tarts, mousses and puddings

• Viennese table

Fruit preserves or coulis firmed with gelatin

• Gelees

A rich batter used to create designs on the surface of the baked joconde cake

• Decor paste

Delicate sheets of pure gold used to decorate chocolates and iced cakes; the thin sheets, separated by tissue paper, are sold in packs and are available from cake decorating suppliers

• Edible gold leaves

A paste made of sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin; it may be cut or molded into decorative shapes

• Pastillage (pahst-tee-azh)

Any type of pastry small enough to be consumed in one to two bites

• Petit fours

A small pastry or sweet delicacy often served between or after meals; from m the french word for a treat, it usually refers to a petit four

• Friandise (free-yon-DEEZ)

A small sweet delicacy; a small pastry, confection or chocolate offered after a meal; petit four

• Mignardise (mee-nyar-DEEZ)

A small, boat-shaped pastry shell used for miniature cakes or tarts serves as canapes or petit fours

• Barquette

A paste of ground almonds, sugar, and glucose syrup used to fill and decorate pastries

• Marzipan

Utensil used to hold chocolate or small pastries for dipping into chocolate or other coating; consists of a narrow handle with two, three, or four long, thin prongs which are easily inserted into small pastries

• Dipping fork

Important step in making  macarons in which you fold the almond flour into the batter until it becomes shiny and falls from the spatula

• Macronnage

A decorative sculpture made from chocolate, sugar, or other confections; used as a table display and to demonstrate the skills of a pastry chef

• Showpiece

The process of delivering foods to diners in the proper fashion, appropriately prepared and presented at the correct time

• Service

A completed plate’s structure of colors, shapes, and arrangements

• Composition

The process of offering the selected foods to diners in a manner that is visually pleasing

• Presentation

Desserts that combine several components and are presented in a manner similar to that of the main meal are called…

• Plated desserts

The place on the plate to which the customers eyes are drawn; typically the middle or highest

• Focal point

Flavors that go well together are…

• Complimentary

Flavors that differ from each other are…

• Contrasting

Stirring melted chocolate with large stone or metal rollers to create a smooth texture in the finished chocolate

• Conching

How easily chocolate snaps cleanly without crumbing

• Break

A physical characteristic of chocolate; its ability to flow when melted; it is determined by the percentage of cocoa butter or fat in the chocolate

• Fludity

High quality chocolate containing at least 32% cocoa butter

• Couverture (koo-vehr-TYOOR)

What percentage of fat does chocolate liquor have and what is it called?

• Cocoa butter; 53%

Flexible sheets of acetate printed with edible designs; used to apply decorative patterns and images onto tempered chocolate

• Transfer sheets

Utensil made from hard plastic or rubber with sharp teeth curbed into one or more of its sides; used to create patterns in chocolate and icings

• Chocolate comb

Grayish white surface on incorrectly tempered or improperly stored chocolate

• Bloom

Two types of bloom that can develop on chocolate

• Fat bloom

• Sugar bloom

Type of chocolate bloom that occurs when cocoa butter crystals rise and crystallize on the chocolate surface

• Fat bloom

Type of chocolate bloom that occurs when moisture collects on the surface of chocolate and blands with the sugar in the chocolate, leaving a white sugar film

• Sugar bloom

Firm or soft fillings for chocolate candies

• Centers

Steel or aluminum bars of varying lengths and thicknesses used to contain fillings for candies; the metal bars may also be used to roll pastry doughs to a uniform thickness

• Candy rulers

Cans that dispense compressed air at freezing temperatures which are used to quickly set the bonded area of chocolate so pieces do not have to be held while they set

• Cold spray

Modeling identical pieces of molded candies such as marzipan

• Serial work

A composition of fats, lecithin and other edible ingredients used to create a shine on marzipan and other confections

• Edible food lacquer

A water-soluble gum obtained from several species of the acacia tree

• Gum arabic

A candy made from caramelized sugar, almonds and egg whites

• Nougat

A still-frozen dessert composed of whipped cream, italian meringue, chopped nougatine and candied fruits

• Nougat glace

Any of several products used to remove humidity from the air; particularly useful when storing sugar work, nougatine and other dry cookies, which soften under moist conditions;

• Drying agent

A type of invert sugar used to make pulled sugar decorations

• Isomalt