Biscuit (pottery)

Biscuit[1][2][3][4] (also known as bisque) refers to any pottery that has been fired in a kiln without a ceramic glaze.

Confusingly, "biscuit" may also be used as a term for pottery at a stage in its manufacture where it has not yet been fired or glazed, but has been dried so that it is no longer plastic (easily deformed).

[5] The porous nature of (fired) biscuit earthenware means that it readily absorbs water, while vitreous wares such as porcelain, bone china and most stoneware are non-porous even without glazing.

[7] The firing of the ware that results in the biscuit article causes permanent chemical and physical changes to occur.

These result in a much harder and more resilient article which can still be porous, and this can ease the application of glazes.