CANNOLI
A Sicilian pastry, cannoli is actually the plural form of the word. The singular is cannolo (cannolu in Sicilian dialect), meaning “little tube.” The crunchy, fried pastry dough tube (sometimes dipped in chocolate) is filled with a sweetened ricotta cream (sometimes mascarpone), which can be flavored with vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, marsala, rosewater and other flavorings. Chocolate chips or candied citron can be mixed into the filling; the open ends of the tube can be decorated with chopped chocolate or pistachio nuts. Cannoli range in size from finger-sized “cannulicchi” (mini-cannoli) to five inch-long tubes.

CHEESECAKE
A cheesecake is actually a custard pie made in a springform pan. It generally has a bottom crust, although savory cheesecakes are often crustless and are served with crackers as an appetizer or as a first course (see our review of Savory Secret cheesecakes). The weight and texture of a cheesecake varies greatly according to the type of cheese used (cream cheese, ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, other cheeses for some savory recipes) and other recipe elements. There are light and airy cheesecakes, rich and dense cheesecakes and everything in between. Crusts can be pastry, cookie crumbs or bread crumbs. Cheesecakes made in a rainbow of flavors and are served chilled, plain or with a variety of topping including sour scream, fresh fruit, fruit toppings and sauces. See cheesecake royale, below.

CHEESE STRAWS
Cheese straws are strips of pastry, topped with cheese and baked until crisp. They are sometimes twisted for a more festive shape. Today popular with cocktails, the original cheese straws are believed to be a result of leftover biscuit dough, which was mixed with cheese and rolled into long strips that were baked along with the biscuits to be enjoyed as snacks. There are also sweet cheese straws, flavored with cinnamon, citrus and other flavors. Read the history of cheese straws.

CHIFFON PIE
Egg whites and gelatin are incorporated into a custard base to provide a lighter, fluffier filling than custard pie or cream pie. Examples include chocolate chiffon, coffee chiffon, lemon, lime, orange and pumpkin chiffon pie. For the holidays, chiffon candy pie with crushed peppermint stick candy, and egg nog chiffon pie, are popular. The recipe was invented  by Monroe Boston Strause of Los Angeles. In his 1939 cookbook, Pie Marches On, he also lays claim to inventing the black-bottom pie.
See also chiffon cake.

CHOUX PASTE or CHOUX PASTRY
See pâte à choux.

 

CHOUQUETTE
Choux pastry is used to make cream puffs, eclairs, and other pastries. When the dough is simply baked with sanding sugar, it is known as a chouquette or sugar puff. puffs of choux pastry, sprinkled with coarse sugar—very popular with French children.

CINNAMON ROLLS
A sweet roll or yeast pastry made of layers of flaky pastry and rolled with a cinnamon and sugar filling, and often raisins and nuts. It is topped with is topped with a sticky vanilla icing or glaze. (See photo at right.) See also viennoiserie.
 

CLAFOUTIS or CLAFOUTI
Clafoutis is a type of cherry tart of with pockets of fruit in a baked flan (custard) base. The fruit is covered with a thick batter and baked until puffy. The recipe originated in the Limousin region of France, where tart griotte black cherries were plentiful. Red cherries can also be used. When other kinds of fruit are used instead of cherries—apples, berries, plums, etc.—the dish is properly called a flaugnarde. The dish’s name derives from the old Occitan language of southern France: clafotís is derived from the verb clafir, meaning “to fill” (i.e., the batter is filled with with cherries). It spread to other parts of France in the 19th century. Clafoutis can be served hot or cold. Here’s a recipe from Foodbeam.com.

COBBLER
A cobbler is a cooked fruit dish, but the topping is different from other cooked fruits with toppings. A crisp or crumble has a crumb topping (see below). Although some might see the cobbler as a crustless pie or “spoon pie” (a fruit pie with a filling so juicy it should be eaten with a spoon instead of a fork), it is often classified as a cake. Fruit is baked in a baking dish or casserole, then shortcake batter or biscuit dough is dropped onto the fruit before baking. The dish got its name because the lumps of cooked dough resembled cobblestones.

Confectioners’ sugar, also known as icing sugar, is a very finely-ground form of granulated sugar with the consistency of talcum powder. It dissolves quickly to make icing, and is used to dust a powdery garnish onto unfrosted cakes. 10x refers to the number of times the sugar is processed to produce fine powder. Commercial brands of powdered sugar are generally mixed with cornstarch, wheat flour, or calcium phosphate to improve its flowing ability, which is why it is not used to sweeten beverages. You can make powdered sugar by grinding table sugar in a coffee grinder. See our Sugar Glossary for more types of sugar.

COTTAGE PIE
A shepherd’s pie with a bottom crust, this traditional British dish serves up slow-roasted beef in gravy (season yours with garlic and mushrooms). Like shepherd’s pie, the top crust is made of mashed potatoes, browned until they are crispy.

CREAM HORN
A cream horn is an individual “cornucopia” made from puff pastry that is baked, cooled and filled with whipped cream or custard. The horn is garnished with cascading cut fruit and dusted with powdered sugar.

CREAM ROLL
A cream horn is a sausage-shaped pastry filled with custard and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The ends are typically garnished with chocolate sprinkles.

CREAM PIE or CREME PIE
A plain pastry or crumb pastry shell with a pudding filling (butterscotch, chocolate, frangipane and vanilla are most common). Try a banana cream pie, coconut cream pie or a strawberry or raspberry cream pie.

What’s the difference between cream and creme? Just the spelling. Creme is an Americanization of the French word for cream, crème (pronounced KREHM), most likely adapted to make the dish sound more special. But why mispronounce another language’s word for cream? Unless it’s a French recipe, such as Coeur à la Crème, stick to cream.

CREAM PUFF
Of those two pastries that people consider siblings, the cream puff and the éclair, the cream puff is the elder, dating back to the late 16th century. It is is believed to have originated in Italy with the head chef of Caterina de’ Medici named Panterelli, who invented a dough he called called pâte à Panterelli, later known as pâte à Popelin. Popelins were cakes made in the shape of large puffs. When Caterina moved to France to marry Henry, Duke of Orléans, her court included her chefs. The pastry was later perfected in the early 19th century by Jean Avice, a pastry chef at M. Bailly in Paris (famed pâtissier Sylvain Bailly had a shop near the Palais-Royal).

CREME PIE
“Creme” is an Americanization of the French word for cream, crème (pronounced KREHM). It has been mis-adapted in the U.S. to make the dish seem more special. But spelling it “creme” and pronouncing it “cream” is just wrong. Why use a word from another language unless you pronounce it the correct way? Best advice: If it’s American, use cream, e.g., coconut cream pie. If it’s French, e.g., crème brûlée, use the accent mark and pronounce it “krehm.” Also see cream pie.

CRÈME PRALINÉE
Crème pralinée is crème pâtissière flavored with praline powder. It is used to fill pastries.

CRISP or CRUMBLE
A crisp is a deep-dish fruit dessert made with a crumb or streusel topping and baked. The British term is crumble. A cobbler has a pastry top instead of a crumb top). Also see betty.

 

CROQUILLANT
Crunch balls of yeast dough, which can be sweet or savory; a more elegant rendition of “doughnut holes.” The name comes from croquer, the French verb “to crunch” or “to be crunchy.”

CROQUE EM BOUCHE
A traditional French wedding cake in the shape of a large cone, constructed of small choux puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream. The puffs are held together by caramelized sugar and finished with a web of caramel. Decorations such as candied almonds, flowers or ribbons may adorn the cone as well. The cone usually rests on a base made from nougatine, an edible mixture of caramelized sugar and sliced almonds. Croque em bouche is also traditionally served during baptisms and other special occasions. The name means “cracks in the mouth,” which is what the caramelized sugar does! (Photo at right.)

CROSTATA
A crostata is a rustic style of tart baked free form rather than in a pan or mold. The pastry is rolled into a round circle, the filling is piled into the middle and the edges of the dough are folded up over the filling. The French word is galette.

CUSTARD
A sweet or savory mixture of milk and eggs that can either be baked or stirred on the stovetop. Stirred custards are softer than baked custards and can be used as a sauce (or the base for ice cream). Custards require slow cooking and gentle heat in order to prevent separation (curdling); stirred custards are generally made in a double boiler and baked custards in a water bath. Custards may be flavored. See our Custard Glossary.

CUSTARD PIE or CUSTARD TART
Custard is a combination of milk or creme plus egg yolks and flavoring, and can be baked in a pie or tart shell. Variations include caramel custard pie and coconut custard pie. Pumpkin pie is a pumpkin-flavored custard; cheesecake is a actually a custard pie flavored with cheese.  A Key lime tart is flavored with Key lime juice and often, the zest.