From Taste of Home · Lindsay Parrill · · 4m
British baking terms from The Great British Baking Show
A guide to the wonderfully peculiar vocabulary of British baking that often baffles American viewers.
In brief
A guide to the wonderfully peculiar vocabulary of British baking that often baffles American viewers. British baking has its own distinct language where words like stodgy, claggy and soggy bottom describe specific texture and appearance problems, while common words like pudding, biscuit and jelly mean something…
Why British baking sounds foreign
The Great British Baking Show uses vocabulary that doesn't always translate across the Atlantic. A cake can be stodgy, claggy or craggy, and the word pudding seems to operate without boundaries.
Stodgy means heavy and dense
A stodgy bake is excessively heavy and dense, lacking the light, airy texture it should have. Think of a sponge cake that feels more like a doorstop than a dessert.
Claggy is sticky and clingy
Claggy describes an unpleasantly sticky texture that clings to the roof of your mouth, like peanut butter. It's different from stodgy, though both are criticisms.
Craggy means rough and uneven
Craggy describes a rough, uneven surface like the exterior of rustic bread or irregular peaks of a scone. Unlike stodgy or claggy, it's not necessarily a criticism.
Pudding means many things
In Britain, pudding can refer to dessert in general or a specific dish that might be steamed, baked, sweet or savory. Sticky toffee pudding is a sponge cake with sauce, while Yorkshire pudding is a savory batter.
Jelly is gelatin, not jam
In Britain, jelly is what Americans call Jell-O: a sweet, wobbly dessert made with gelatin. What Americans call jelly, the fruit spread, is generally called jam across the pond.
Biscuit means cookie, not roll
In Britain, a biscuit is generally what Americans would call a cookie, usually a crisp one like shortbread. A fluffy, buttery American biscuit doesn't exist in British baking.
Soggy bottom is a real problem
A soggy bottom refers to a pastry base that hasn't baked properly or has absorbed too much moisture from its filling. Instead of a crisp crust, the bottom is wet and soft.
Plait is a braid of dough
A plait is simply a braid. When a contestant announces they're making a six-strand plaited loaf, they're planning to weave six strands of dough together.
Traybake is a sheet pan dessert
A traybake is a cake, bar or baked treat made in a rectangular or square pan and typically cut into individual portions. Brownies, blondies and sheet cakes all fall under this category.
Fairy cake is a small cupcake
A fairy cake is a small, traditionally British cake similar to an American cupcake, generally smaller and more simply decorated. Some are turned into butterfly cakes by cutting and arranging the top as wings.
Treacle is sugar syrup
Treacle is a British term for sugar syrup. Black treacle is similar to molasses, while golden syrup is a lighter, amber-colored syrup with a buttery, caramel-like sweetness.
Moreish means you want more
Moreish describes food that's so appealing you immediately want another helping. It's the opposite of claggy and much more encouraging than being told your cake could double as a paperweight.
Bicarb is baking soda
Bicarb is short for bicarbonate of soda, which is simply what the British call baking soda. It's the same ingredient Americans use, just with a name that sounds more scientific.
Cornflour is cornstarch, not corn flour
British cornflour is what Americans call cornstarch, the fine white powder used to thicken custards and sauces. American corn flour is finely ground corn and the two are not interchangeable.
Double cream is richer than heavy cream
Double cream is the British dairy product closest to American heavy cream, but it has a considerably higher fat content at around 48% milk fat compared with at least 36% in American heavy whipping cream.
What matters most
British baking has its own distinct language where words like stodgy, claggy and soggy bottom describe specific texture and appearance problems, while common words like pudding, biscuit and jelly mean something entirely different than in America.
