Practice Test Geeks(ACF) American Culinary Federation Certification Practice Test
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Culinary Techniques & Food Preparation Flashcards

7 cards from real ACF practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Culinary Techniques & Food Preparation flashcards as text

  1. What is the term for the process of cooking pasta, rice, or vegetables briefly in boiling water then immediately cooling in ice water?

    Answer: Blanching

    Blanching involves briefly boiling food then shocking it in ice water to stop cooking, preserve color, and set texture.

  2. In sauce making, what does 'mounting with butter' (monter au beurre) accomplish?

    Answer: Adds richness, sheen, and body by emulsifying cold butter into a finished sauce

    Mounting with butter finishes a sauce by whisking cold butter pieces in off-heat, creating a glossy, rich, emulsified texture.

  3. Which cooking technique involves cooking food gently in fat at low temperatures (140°F–190°F) for an extended period?

    Answer: Confit

    Confit is the technique of slow-cooking food fully submerged in fat at low temperatures, traditionally used for duck legs.

  4. A recipe calls for a sachet d'épices. Which combination of ingredients would correctly make one?

    Answer: Bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, parsley stems, and garlic wrapped in cheesecloth

    A sachet d'épices is a cheesecloth bag containing bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, parsley stems, and garlic used to flavor stocks and sauces.

  5. What term describes the carryover cooking that occurs in a large roast after it is removed from the oven?

    Answer: Carryover cooking

    Carryover cooking refers to the continued rise in internal temperature after food is removed from the heat source due to stored thermal energy.

  6. Which of the following describes the 'nappe' consistency of a sauce?

    Answer: The sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a line drawn through it

    Nappe consistency means the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds cleanly.

  7. When sautéing, the pan should be preheated before adding fat. What problem does this prevent?

    Answer: Food sticking to the pan by preventing protein bonding to cool metal

    A properly preheated pan with hot fat prevents sticking because proteins form bonds with other proteins rather than with the cooler pan surface.