Filling Techniques & Recipe Development Flashcards
7 cards from real CPM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Filling Techniques & Recipe Development flashcards as text
When developing a fruit pie filling, what is the primary purpose of macerating the fruit before adding thickener?
Answer: To draw out excess moisture and concentrate flavor
Macerating fruit with sugar draws out natural juices, concentrating flavor and allowing the baker to control the filling's moisture level before thickening.
A custard pie filling that weeps liquid after slicing most likely suffered from:
Answer: Over-baking causing protein over-coagulation and syneresis
Over-coagulated egg proteins contract and expel liquid (syneresis), causing weeping in custard fillings.
Which ratio of cornstarch to fruit juice is most appropriate for a standard fruit pie filling that needs a medium-firm set?
Answer: 3 tablespoons per cup of juice
Approximately 3 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup of liquid produces a medium-firm set suitable for sliceable fruit pie filling.
When scaling up a lemon curd filling recipe from 1 quart to 5 gallons, which ingredient requires the most careful proportional adjustment?
Answer: Lemon zest, as its flavor compounds intensify non-linearly at scale
Lemon zest contains volatile aromatic oils that can become overpowering at large scale, requiring sensory testing and proportional reduction.
A pecan pie filling fails to set properly after baking and remains runny. The most likely cause is:
Answer: Insufficient eggs or sugar was used in the corn syrup base
Pecan pie filling sets through egg protein coagulation combined with sugar concentration; too few eggs or insufficient sugar prevents proper gelling.
In recipe development for a reduced-sugar apple pie, which thickener works best to compensate for the reduced sugar's gelling contribution?
Answer: Pectin, which gels independently of sugar concentration at low levels
Low-methoxyl pectin can gel with minimal sugar when calcium is present, making it ideal for reduced-sugar fruit pie fillings.
What technique prevents a chocolate cream pie filling from forming a skin on the surface during cooling?
Answer: Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the hot filling
Plastic wrap pressed directly onto the filling surface prevents air contact, which causes protein and starch oxidation that forms a skin.