This page contains the glossary of terms with an explanation of the terms and abbreviations used on the site.
The list is not final and will be updated frequently.
Do not hesitate to Contact Me for improvements or suggestions.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dough | A mix of ingredients, mixed and processed together. This term also identifies the mechanical action. Kneading Methods (TO ADD LINK). |
| Rising boxes | Alimentary cases with non-hermetic lid used to store the dough balls to rise. |
| Plain flour | All-purposes flour (AP), visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| AP | All-purposes flour also called Plain flour, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| KAAP | King Arthur All-Purpose flour where King Arthur is the brand name of the flour, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| KABF | King Arthur Bread Flour where King Arthur is the brand name of the flour, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| KAWW | King Arthur Whole Wheat flour where King Arthur is the brand name of the flour, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| RT | Room Temperature. |
| CT | Controlled Temperature refers to a period of fermentation in a device with fixed temperature, for example a Fermabiga at 18 ℃ or the fridge at 4-6 ℃. |
| CF | Cold Fermantation, usually refers to a period of fermentation in the fridge at 4-6 ℃. |
| Fermabiga | A Fermabiga is a temperature-controlled chamber used by professionals to maintain the Biga at a stable 16–20°C (ideally 18°C), visit the full guide on Biga. |
| Panetti or Panielli | Dough divided in small dough balls, in Napoletan called also “criscitielli”. |
| "Staglio" - Dough Divider | Dough hand cut and rolled into small dough balls also known as "panetti". |
| "Puntata" | First stage of dough rise aka first fermentation or bulk fermentation. |
| High Hydration | Hydration greater than 60%. |
| Low Hydration | Hydration minor than 60%. |
| Fresh Yeast | To learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| CY | Complesse yeast, same as Fresh Yeast. To learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| IDY | Instant Dry Yeast, to learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| ADY | Active Dry Yeast, to learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| Fermentation | Is the process where the yeast cells convert cereal-derived sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide gases (CO2). |
| Maturation | Is the time from Mixing all the way to baking our your doughs, often used to specify when the dough is ready. |
| Hydration | Percentage of water in the dough calculated on the total amount of flour. To calculate it, a simple mathematical proportion is enough, for example 65% of hydration out of 1000 g of flour is 650 g of water. If you want to know the hydration percentage of a recipe, the formula is Hydration Percentage = Water * 100 / Flour You can use the Hydration Percentage Calculator. |
| "Pirlatura" - Dough Rounding | Rolling a dough means rounding it by turning it in your hands or on the work surface, giving it a regular spherical shape, in order to homogenize its strength, allowing it to grow regularly during leavening. |
| "Appretto" | Second stage of dough rise, after the dough is divided in small dough balls and placed in rising boxes, aka second fermentation and maturation. |
| Final Temperature | Temperature of the dough at the end of the kneading. |
| Baking Powder (Chemical Yeast) | To learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| Cream of Tartar | To learn more about this and other varieties, visit the full guide on Types of Yeast. |
| Pasteurized | Refers to a process of heating food or liquid (usually dairy, juice, or eggs) to a specific temperature for a set period of time, then quickly cooling it down. This process kills harmful bacteria and pathogens without significantly affecting the taste or nutritional value. To learn more about how to pasteurize in-shell eggs, visit the page Pasteurized in-Shell Eggs. |
| W Index | A measure of flour strength and gluten potential. Higher W = stronger dough, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| P/L ratio | Part of the technical specs of a flour, represents a measure of dough tenacity vs. extensibility. |
| Falling Number (FN) | Part of the technical specs of a flour, represents a measure of its enzyme activity, specifically alpha-amylase, which is an indicator of pre-harvest sprouting and its impact on baking quality. Higher falling numbers generally indicate lower enzyme activity and are preferred for baking, while lower numbers suggest more enzyme activity, potentially leading to dough issues. |
| Tipo 00 | Italian classification for ultra-fine flour, ideal for pasta and pizza, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| Protein Content | Indicates gluten-forming ability. Higher protein = more structure, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| Gluten Strength | Affects dough elasticity, rise, and chewiness, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| Spolvero | In Italian baking, “spolvero” refers to the flour (or flour blend) used to dust the work surface, pizza peel, or dough to prevent sticking during shaping or transferring. This flour is not meant to be absorbed into the dough but to act as a barrier, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| Durum | It's a type of wheat, visit the full guide on Types of Flour. |
| SD | Sourdough |
| SSD | Stiff Sourdough or Solid Sourdough |
| LSD | Liquid Sourdoug aka Licoli |
| BF | Bulk Fermentation |
| EVOO | Extra Virgin Olive Oil |