Preparing and Cooking Biscuit, Cake and Sponge

1 Prepare and cook biscuit, cake and sponge products

• Biscuit cake and sponge products: biscuits: biscuits à la cuillère, shortbread, cookies, langue du chat, sable a la poche, tuile.  
• Cakes and sponges: scones, fruitcakes, muffins, sponge-based e.g., Madeira, cherry, Victoria, Genoise, Swiss roll
• Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, vegetable oil, fruit, dried fruit, spices, preserves,
• Quality points in ingredients: appearance, colour, aroma or smell, texture
• Tools and equipment: ovens, salamander, deep fat fryer, mixing bowls, wooden spoons, metal spoons, rubber spatulas, baking trays, whisks, wire cooling trays, measuring jugs, rolling pins, cutters, palette knife, piping bag, sieves, scales
• Preparation: weighing and measuring, defrosting, lining (moulds, pastry), aeration, folding in, rubbing in, mixing, boiling, creaming, piping, filling, rolling, resting, portioning
• Dish qualities: appearance, colour, aroma or smell, texture
• Cooking methods: time, holding, baking blind, baking, boiling, temperature control, use of steam, testing.
• Storing: appropriate temperatures, light and air exposure, use of airtight containers, display cabinets, including temperature-controlled cabinets, refrigeration, chilling and freezing

2 Finish and cook biscuit, cake and sponge products

• Tools and equipment: ovens, salamander, deep fat fryer, steamer, mixing bowls, wooden spoons, metal spoons, rubber spatulas, baking trays, whisks, wire cooling trays, measuring jugs, rolling pins, cutters, palette knife, sieves, scales
• Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, vegetable oil, fruit, dried fruit, spices, preserves
• Quality points of ingredients: colour, flavour, texture and finish: appearance, taste, aroma or smell, glaze
• Techniques: balance piping, piped motifs, run outs, cigarettes, cut outs, moulding, glazing, dusting, portioning, icing, filling, rolling (roulade), smoothing.
• Product qualities: appearance, colour, aroma or smell, texture
• Storage: temperatures, dates, labelling, covered, position, stock rotation.

3 Work as an effective member of the team

• Communication:
• ~spoken e.g., tone of voice, terminology
• ~written e.g., documents, forms, reports, presentations
• ~body language e.g., posture
• Situations: formal, informal, queries or requests, complaints
• Codes of conduct: workplace policies, rules and procedures
• Reporting: supervisor, line manager, challenges, issues, queries

4 Follow health and safety procedures

• Common workplace hazards: slips, trips, falls, breakages, hot surfaces, chemicals
• Health and safety procedures: following fire regulations, fire drills, evacuation, manual handling, safe use of chemicals, report accidents, first aid
• Workplace emergencies: accidents, fire, breaches of security, illness
• Emergency procedures: raising alarm, calling emergency services, firefighting equipment, evacuation procedures
• Security procedures: control of keys, electronic systems, surveillance, control of entrances and exits, staff and visitor identity badge, reporting of suspicious persons and packages to line manager

5 Follow hygiene procedures

• Personal hygiene:
• ~clean clothing, footwear and headgear
• ~hair neat and tidy
• ~wear a head covering e.g., hairnet, hat
• ~washing hands
• ~no jewellery
• ~cover cuts and grazes
• ~report illness and infections to the proper person
• Cleanliness of work areas: clean cloths for wiping and cleaning between tasks, equipment used for preparing, displaying and serving food are clean and in good condition, waste disposed of promptly, hygienically and appropriately, use of correct cleaning chemicals
• Handling and storing food:
• ~covering food, separation of raw and cooked food, contact surfaces and equipment,
• ~storage temperatures e.g., fridge, freezer
• ~food labelling and dates
• ~food temperatures e.g., cooking, serving re-heating
• ~cleaning and washing-up procedures
• ~handling of food waste