Some baking terms and French ingredients from the UK to USA and their equivalents.
| UK Terms | US Terms |
|---|---|
| Baking Sheet | Cookie Sheet, Sheet Pan |
| Beetroot | Beet |
| Bicarbonate of Soda | Baking Soda |
| Bitter Almond Extract | Almond Extract. All almond extract is made from bitter almonds whether it is labelled “bitter” or not |
| Caster/Castor Sugar (sucre extra fin) | Superfine Sugar |
| Clingfilm (papier cuisson) | Saran wrap/plastic wrap |
| Coriander | Cilantro |
| Cornflour | Cornstarch (the thickening agent, a white powder). Maïzena |
| Crème Fraîche | 30% fat sour cream. Good alternative is Greek yoghurt |
| Demerara Sugar (vergeoise) | Raw or Turbinado brown (cane) sugar |
| Dessicated Coconut | Flaked or Shredded coconut |
| Double Cream | Heavy Cream (40-48% butterfat); Crème Fleurette, crème liquide/fluide/entière (30%). |
| Fan Oven | Convection Oven |
| Plain Flour (T55 in France) | All-Purpose Flour |
| Plain Fine Flour (T45 in France) | Cake/Pastry Flour |
| Golden Syrup (Tate & Lyle) | Nearest equivalent in consistency is corn syrup. Depending on recipe, a closer taste than corn syrup is light brown sugar. |
| Greaseproof Paper | Baking Parchment |
| Ground Almonds (amandes en poudre) | Almond Flour, Almond Meal |
| Icing Sugar (sucre glace) | Powdered, 10X, or Confectioner’s Sugar (in the USA, ensure it’s organic so not too much cornstarch in it) |
| Muscovado Sugar (sucre vergeoise brune) | Sticky dark brown sugar |
| Flower Salt (fleur de sel) | Alternatives: Celtic sea salt, Maldon salt flakes, real salt (fine) |
| Single Cream | Light Cream (crème légère 15-30% fat). In the USA, use Half-and-Half (half whole milk, half heavy cream) |
| Tomato Purée | Tomato Paste |
| Unsalted Butter (beurre doux) | Don’t assume butter labelled “sweet butter” is unsalted. Check the packaging. Use 'European-style butter' with over 82% butterfat, not whipped butter or low-fat spreads. |
| Whipping Cream (Crème Fleurette @ 30% fat - beware of lègère versions which don't whip under 30%) | Light whipping cream (30–36% butterfat), heavy whipping cream (36 – 40% butterfat). Choose light whipping cream where whipping cream is indicated in these recipes. |
| Whisk (verb) | Beat, whip |
| Whole Milk (lait entier) | Full-fat (full-cream) regular milk, not skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. UK and US whole milk has the same butterfat content. Lait entier (with red top) both fresh and UHT popular in France but best with fresh. |