Hot and Cold Desserts

Hot and Cold Desserts

Hot and Cold Desserts

Contents

Hot and Cold Desserts ...................................................................................................................................3
Classification .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Ingredients................................................................................................................................................. 3

Cold Desserts .................................................................................................................................................4
Trifles .........................................................................................................................................................4
Egg yolk-based desserts ............................................................................................................................4
Egg white based desserts ..........................................................................................................................5
Moulded Creams .......................................................................................................................................6
Set Custards...............................................................................................................................................7
Mousses ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Rice based cold desserts............................................................................................................................7
Jellies.......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Flans and Tartlets ......................................................................................................................................8
Short pastry ...........................................................................................................................................8
Pate a foncé...........................................................................................................................................8
Sweet pastry ..........................................................................................................................................8
Pate Sable ..............................................................................................................................................8
Almond pastry .......................................................................................................................................8
Characteristics of pastry. ...........................................................................................................................9
Tarts ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Flans ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Fruit based desserts ..................................................................................................................................9
Baked fruits..............................................................................................................................................10
Stewed Fruits...........................................................................................................................................10

Hot Desserts ................................................................................................................................................11
Crêpes ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
Sponge based hot desserts......................................................................................................................12
Egg based hot desserts............................................................................................................................12
Milk based hot desserts...........................................................................................................................13

Hot Fruit based Desserts .............................................................................................................................13
Hot Pies and Tarts....................................................................................................................................14

Finishing Desserts ........................................................................................................................................15
Cooling ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Filling........................................................................................................................................................ 15
De-moulding ............................................................................................................................................15
Chilling .....................................................................................................................................................15
Glazing .....................................................................................................................................................15
Piping .......................................................................................................................................................16
Dusting, dredging and sprinkling.........................................................................................................16

Storing Hot and Cold Desserts.....................................................................................................................17
Quality Points in Desserts............................................................................................................................18

Texture of the dessert .............................................................................................................................18
Consistency .............................................................................................................................................. 18
Appearance.............................................................................................................................................. 18
Aroma ......................................................................................................................................................18
Flavour .....................................................................................................................................................18
Problems with desserts ...............................................................................................................................19
Healthy Options...........................................................................................................................................19
Allergy Advice ..............................................................................................................................................19

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Hot and Cold Desserts

Desserts whether quick and simple or complex and spectacular, should end the meal on a delicious note.
Desserts should not dominate the food that goes before it, but it should not be lost or ignored either.

Desserts are served to finish the meal – a hearty main course does not warrant a large stodgy dessert
after it, but for a light main course a heavier dessert could be the perfect end.

A simple fruit cup or pudding can be as appropriate as crêpes flambéed at the table.

Depending on the main course, you must also remember some desserts are best served warm while
others are served chilled.

The range of desserts is enormous, from something as simple as ice cream or a fruit compote to highly
complex desserts which are produced using several cooking methods and techniques.

As a range of dishes, it is almost impossible to try and classify them. The list of cold desserts might go
on for many pages and certainly the number would easily double if hot desserts were added to it. Add
to that the list of fruits, ices and sorbets and the list would probably double again.

Some of the more common desserts will be dealt with under their main unit. Gateaux for example, will
be dealt with in the Cakes and sponges’ unit and many of the pies and pastry-based desserts will be
covered in the pastry unit.

Classification

The first and simplest classification will be hot or cold. Followed by the principal ingredient

Egg based – Soufflés, custards

Cream based – Eton Mess, Athol Brose

Ice cream and sorbet

Milk based

Complex desserts – Trifles

Tarts and Flans

Jellies

Ingredients
Many of the ingredients used in the preparation of hot and cold desserts are high risk items. Eggs carry
the threat of salmonella and campylobacter jejuni whilst cereals such as rice and grains carry the risk of
Bacillus cereus. Consequently, it is vital that all ingredients are correctly stored and only removed from
storage when preparation is about to commence. The only exception is eggs which should be allowed to
reach room temperature before use, but only remove the required amount from storage.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Cold Desserts

Trifles

Trifles are a classic cold British dessert. It is made by combining jelly or jam with sponge and fruit along
with Sherry or fruit juice and cold set custard and whipped cream making it a complex dessert. They are
then garnished with a variety of ingredients from glace cherries, angelica, fresh fruit, vermicelli,
chocolate run outs or shapes, toasted nuts, etc.

The trifle can be made with egg yolks and cream with sugar and vanilla pods or milk and custard powder
for a cheaper, healthier alternative.

The trifle itself may be made in a large glass bowl or individual dishes or goblets and is layered in stages
with fruit and sponge at the base which is often spread with jam or jelly before being soaked in sherry or
fruit juice. The fruit is then added as the next layer and smoothed before the custard is poured over and
left to cool.

Finally, the dessert is finished with whipped cream and the garnish.

Once made the trifle should be stored chilled below 5°c and covered with cling film until required for
service.

Egg yolk-based desserts

Egg based desserts are common and popular. One of the classic English dessert sauces Crème Anglaise
or custard as it is more commonly known in the UK is made using egg yolks and cream or milk with a
vanilla pod.

Whilst this is often used in cold desserts such as the trifle above, it is more commonly served warm as
an accompaniment to other hot desserts as a pouring sauce.

The production method is straight forward the milk and / or cream and vanilla pod is brought to the boil
and set aside to cool.

The egg and sugar are then whisked together in a mixing bowl. Do not combine the egg and sugar until
immediately before you need it, or the sugar will burn the egg yolks. Now the milk or cream has cooled
it is then poured onto the eggs, whisking all the time, to avoid cooking the eggs. The mixture is then
strained to remove any vanilla pod or eggshell and returned to a clean pan to be gently heated until it
thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil the sauce.

Any custard not for immediate use should be stored warm, covered with cling film in a Bain Marie.

All other egg-based desserts are variants of this simple sauce, varying either the cooking method or the
flavouring.

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Hot and Cold Desserts Description

Cold Egg Dessert as above, but baked in the oven
Baked Egg Custard
Crème Caramel baked egg custard topped with caramel cooked in Bain Marie
Crème renversée
Crème St Claire as crème caramel but without the caramel
Crème Viennoise
Diplomat Pudding as above but with apricot sauce
Petits pots de crème
vanillé / chocolaté as Crème caramel but with the caramel stirred through the sauce
Flan Normande jam sponge with glace fruit and sultanas filled with egg custard and
Custard Tarts baked, served with raspberry sauce
Manchester Tart
an enriched cream, flavoured, custard served in a small pot
Crème Brulée
Flan lined with cooking apples and custard and baked

Small pastry tartelettes filled with custard and baked
Flan case lined with jam, coconut and sultanas filled with egg custard
and baked
A cream and egg enriched custard baked in a ramekin and finished with
sugar which is caramelised to a toffee under the grill or with a blow
torch

Egg white based desserts

Egg white based desserts are those which involve meringue or its derivatives.

There are four principle types of meringue:

• Cold plain meringue
• Warm Swiss meringue
• Hot boiled Italian meringue
• Almond meringue

The whites used for meringue should be free of yolk particles, shells or blood spots.

The only other ingredient of significance is sugar which should be added at a rate of 60g or 2oz per egg
white. It should be noted that a “standard egg” for the purposes of meringue is a medium sized egg not
the large or super-large eggs available in supermarkets. It should have an un-cracked weight of around
60g.

All equipment must be scrupulously clean as any trace of grease will prevent the egg whites from
whipping.

A stronger meringue can be obtained by freezing the egg whites before use and adding a little vinegar or
lemon juice to the yolks will improve the foam and help to stabilise the meringue.

Meringues should always be cooked in a hot cupboard rather than an oven if possible, to prevent any
dark colouration of the finished product.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Cold meringue is made simply by placing egg whites and a little cream of tartar or lemon juice in with
the yolks and whisking until a light foam begins to form. The sugar is then added slowly over the period
of about a minute to produce a light meringue which has a pearly finish to it.

It is quite easy to over-whip meringue, especially if using a machine, the water and sugar will come into
contact and the sugar will dissolve leaving a sticky liquid when cooked. If the meringue does break
down, continue to whisk for a further 10-15 minutes at which point the foam will stiffen slightly and
though the product will not be perfect, the meringue can be used and does not need to be disposed of.

Warm Swiss meringue is made the same way, but the whites are first whisked over a pan of boiling
water until very warm - 50°c and then whisked continuously until cool before piping for petit fours or
dry meringues.

Boiled Italian meringue is widely used in Patisserie and confectionary. Cube sugar is heated with a little
water and boiled to the soft ball stage at 118°c.

As the sugar temperature rises, whisk the egg whites until they are half as big again and then pour on
the boiled sugar with the whisk at full speed. If the whites are over whipped the albumen in the egg will
be cooked by the heat of the sugar and it will leave a grainy finish to the meringue. The meringue
should then continue to be whisked until cool.

This meringue is used for baked Alaska, soufflés, ice-cream, marshmallow, nougat, mousses, vacherin,
meringue shells, swans and figures.

Almond Meringue or meringue Japonaise is a slightly different product as it has ground almond flour
added to it. The almonds are rich in oil and when blended this oil is released and will make the flour
clumpy. To prevent this a little flour or cornflour needs to be added along with a little icing sugar. This
gives a light dry flour which can incorporated into the beaten egg whites of a basic meringue. It is used
as tiers in gateau, tea fancies, petit fours and biscuits.

Moulded Creams

Moulded creams are used in France in much the same way we use whipped cream in the UK. The basis
of moulded creams is egg yolks, vanilla, sugar and milk in much the same way as Crème Analgise;
however, in this case the sauce is thickened further with flour.

Once the sauce has been reheated to thicken it, sprinkle the surface with caster sugar and place a
buttered cartouche or cling film on the top to prevent a skin forming.

The crème pâtissière can be flavoured with essences or liqueurs.

Crème mousseline is made by adding crème pâtissière to well creamed butter to produce a filling for
desserts, biscuits and sponges

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Set Custards

A set custard dessert is also known as a Bavarois and utilises crème pâtissière as its base or in some
cases fruit. Like the crème pâtissière the recipe is the same as Crème Anglaise but this time with the
addition of gelatine to set the sauce and whipped cream to lighten it.

To make the fruit-based version, simply exchange 50% the milk in the recipe for fruit puree. The puree
should be added only when the custard is just about to set to prevent the acid from the fruit affecting
the setting properties of the gelatine.

Mousses

By increasing the amount of cream in a Bavarois and reducing the amount of milk, a mousse can be
produced which can be lightened with Italian meringue or whipped cream. Fruit based mousses can
also be produced by replacing all the milk with puree and adding sugar to sweeten the acid. Semi
whipped cream can then be folded through, but caution should be exercised as the gelatine may not
fully set if the fruit is too acidic.

Rice based cold desserts
The rice based cold desserts are served plain with a fruit or set to produce multiportion desserts.

Cold Rice Dessert Description
Empress Rice Rice and gelatine mould topped with jelly and whipped cream
Rice Conde Col, cooked rice covered with apricot glaze, finished with glace or
Pear conde maraschino cherries and angelica
Apricot conde Cold cooked rice with poached pears and apricot glaze
Pineapple Creole
As above but with poached apricots
Cooked cold rice shaped to resemble a pineapple. Decorate with apricot
glaze flavoured with kirsch and strips of angelica for leaves

Jellies

Jellies are usually bought as flavoured crystals or concentrated jelly slabs.

They are dissolved in boing water with the remainder of the water required added cold to reduce
cooling time.

Jellies are usually used as dessert bases or as garnishes

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Hot and Cold Desserts Description
Jelly served with fresh whipped cream
Jelly Dish Layers of different coloured and flavoured jelly
Gelée à la crème Jelly served very cold and often whipped
Gelée Rubanée Orange jelly served with orange fillets
Gelée Moscovite Fruit jelly and whipped cream
Gelée Maltaise Whipped set jelly pipe into moulds and allow to reset.
Gelée aux fruits
Gelée à la Russe

Flans and Tartlets

There are not only a huge range of flans, tarts and tartelettes, but also several different pastries with
which they can be made.

Short pastry
The most common is short pastry – a simple mixture of 50% fat to flour a little salt and
bound with as little water as possible. The best texture and flavour comes from a 50:50 mix
of butter and lard.

Pate a foncé
The next pastry is one used for moulding or lining known as Pate a fonce which is used for
pasties, quiches and savoury products and baked jam rolls and apple dumplings.

Pates, croustades, timbales and meat and game pies use French pie pastry or Pate a Pate

Sweet pastry
Sweet pastry or Pate sucrée is used for desserts and is simply an enriched form of short
pastry with sugar added in place of some of the flour and it is often bound with beaten egg
rather than water.

Pate Sable
Pate Sable or shortbread pastry can be used for simple shortbread or as bases for other
desserts or it can be piped for petit fours and tea biscuits.

Almond pastry
Finally, Almond pastry or Pate Allemande is used widely for desserts of German origin and
replaces some of the four with ground almonds. It is also used for biscuits and petit fours.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Characteristics of pastry.

All types of pastry should be short. This is a term used to describe the crumbliness of the pastry. The
more delicate the pastry, the more it melts in the mouth and the better the quality. This shortness is
caused by not over working the gluten in the flour. The term “short refers” to the length of the gluten
strands in the cooked pastry, they should be short in length unlike those in a dough which is deliberately
worked to make the gluten long and elastic to give the bread strength and elasticity. The more the
gluten is worked, the tougher the pastry will become until it becomes so hard it is brittle and shatters. It
is the absolute opposite of dough making.

The fat used is also important a 50:50 mixture of Lard and Butter is widely recognised at the best but
cooking margarine and shortening can be substituted to reduce costs. Hydrolysed vegetable fats such as
some margarines and spreadable butters should be avoided as the fat is mixed with water and this will
toughen the pastry.

Traditionally, plain white flour has always been used to make pastry, but today with increasing interest
in the healthier options, brown or wholemeal pastry is becoming increasingly popular and is produced
by using entirely wholemeal flour or by lightening it a little in a 50:50 mixture with white flour.

Tarts
Tarts may be open or closed and the base can be cooked blind, filled and then baked or filled and then
baked. Fruit tarts will often have a pastry cream base added before the fruit, but this is not essential.

Closed tarts will be lined with short or sugar paste and have a lid made of the same pastry. Dutch apple
tart is a closed tart with apple and sultanas flavoured with cinnamon.

Tarts are not always made in flan tins or rings; they can be made on plates using any type of fruit, fresh,
frozen or tinned.

Tarts described as open may not always be “open” sometimes they will have a lattice of pastry applied
to the top to improve the appearance.

Flans
Flans tend to be almost exclusively produced in a flan ring or tin. The only difference being the tin has a
base whereas the ring is just that. The pastry should not be too thin as there is a tendency for thin
pastry to collapse and spoil the presentation. The flan case is usually baked blind by fist docking the
pastry with a docker or fork and then lining the pastry with greaseproof paper or tin foil and using
baking beans to stop the base rising. An alternative to baking beans is to use small copper coins as
these will transfer the heat much better and are a little heavier, however, you should ensure they are
thoroughly cleaned before use.

The finished flans are often brush with melted and strained apricot jam to provide a glossy finish or a
process gel can be sprayed onto the top.

Fruit based desserts
There are many desserts which include fruit, and these are often thought of as healthier alternatives to
those with cream, chocolate and higher levels of fat. This is not always the case, as very often the fruit
will need sweetening with additional sugar on top of that which it contains naturally. This can leave

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Hot and Cold Desserts

fruit-based desserts high in sugar and care should be taken with the addition of sauces, cream, etc. to
ensure that it does not become excessive.

Baked fruits
Baked apples are perhaps one of the most common baked desserts although other fruits can be used.
Baked fruits are usually served with crème Anglaise, cream or ice-cream. A healthier option would be to
serve it with yoghurt.

Stewed Fruits
Stewed fruits are often referred to as a compote of fruits. A compote is usually made up of
complimentary fruits which are cooked in juice, wine or syrup until tender. Fruits may be stewed,
poached or baked, depending on the type and are all referred to under this term. Some are simply so
delicate that if they were stewed, they would disintegrate. Others may still need gentle handling but
can withstand the heat of poaching. Whilst hard fruits such as Apples can withstand the heat of boiling
and the oven temperatures for baking. When served cold, a compote of fruit should be offered with
fresh cream and shortbread biscuits. When poaching fruit, the cooking liquid should just cover the fruit
and then be brought to the boil. When it boils the heat is turned down to a very gentle simmer. If the
item is to be served cold the fruit should be left in the cooking liquid to cool and then the liquid can be
thickened and served as an accompaniment to the fruit. Fruit should be stewed in the same way as
poaching but at a steady simmer.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Hot Desserts

Just like cold desserts, hot desserts are an integral part of the meal and thought and planning should be
given to the type, nature and style of dessert to be served in the same way the main course is carefully
considered.

As with cold desserts, there is a huge range of types of desserts with a variety of cooking and finishing
methods. Whether a steamed pudding, baked pudding or something as exciting as a crepe cooked in
front of the customer in a restaurant, hot desserts are an exciting and challenging course on the menu
for any chef.

Hot Desserts are primarily produced using batters or pastries.

The batters vary from simple batters using egg, milk and flour to the complex batters used to produce
sponges. The range of hot desserts utilises most cooking methods from simple stove top or gueridon
preparation to convection ovens and pressure steamers.

Crêpes
As one of the simplest and yet popular hot desserts, crêpes are a good place to start. The batter is made
using milk, eggs, sugar a little salt and clarified butter.

Crêpes are cooked in flat based crepe pan and the batter is swirled onto the base to give the round
shape of the pancake. The batter will cook almost instantly if the pan is at the correct temperature and
as soon as signs of moisture has disappeared the pancake should be flipped to cook on the other side for
a few seconds. Crepes can be made in bulk in advance of service and should be stacked, interleaved
with greaseproof paper to stop them sticking together. They can also be frozen if necessary.

The pan used to produce the crepes should never be washed, simply wipe it clean with kitchen paper
and with a clean piece of paper wipe a film of fresh cooking oil over the surface.

Crepe type French name Description

Lemon Crêpe au citron Dust pancakes with sugar and lemon juice, fold into four
and place on a serving dish. Dust again and glaze under a
grill, garnish as needed

Orange Crêpe d’orange As above but with Orange rather than lemon

Jam Crêpe a la confiture Spread with melted jam and fold into four and dredge in
icing sugar. Place on a serving dish and mark a trellis patter
Suzette Crêpe au Suzette with a hot poker.

Soufflé Crêpe souffle These classic pancakes are reheated in a hot orange and
liqueur sauce with orange fillets. Folded and presented on
© Tim Webb 11/2011 a dish dusted with icing sugar and garnished as needed

Crepes are half filled with a mixture of flavoured pastry
cream and Italian meringue. They are folded in half, dusted
with icing sugar and placed in a very hot oven to cook the
meringue. Serve immediately with an appropriate sauce.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Sponge based hot desserts

From the simple batters used to make crepes, the next step is to produce a more complex batter for
sponge-based desserts. Included in these sponges are suet puddings. Although a pastry, suet is
included because it uses a raising agent to aerate the product and a good suet pudding should have a
sponge like texture and be light and aerated.

In both instances, baking powder is used as the raising agent comprising two parts cream of tartar and
one-part bicarbonate of soda. The amount of raising agent in self raising flour is insufficient for hot
dessert production.

Sponge based desserts tend to be cooked in one of two ways, either baked to produce a drier product or
steamed to produce a much more moist product.

The range of hot desserts produced by these methods is enormous, but a sample is listed below

Cherry
Currant
Golden Syrup
Ginger
Apple
Apple and Blackberry
Sultanas
Jam
Lemon / Orange
Honey
Almond
Christmas pudding

For steamed puddings which are not required immediately, they should be stored in a steamer but with
the door slightly open to prevent the dessert becoming waterlogged. Baked desserts can be stored in a
hot cupboard, but care should be taken to ensure they do not dry out. Microwaves can be used to
reheat sponge puddings, but care should be taken once again to avoid over heating as they will dry very
quickly.

Egg based hot desserts

The range of hot, egg-based desserts once again sees the egg being used to form a custard along with
milk, sugar, vanilla and other flavourings.

Examples of hot egg-based desserts are listed below:

• Bread and Butter Pudding
• Queen of Puddings
• Baked Egg custard
• Cabinet Pudding

The important factor when cooking egg-based custards for service hot or cold is to be aware of how the
protein in egg yolk and egg white behaves when it is heated. In order for the egg custard to set
correctly, great care is required to ensure the heat in the Bain Marie is controlled.

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Egg whites will start to coagulate or set at 58°c whilst yolks will start at 68°c. When the two are whisked
together they will start to coagulate at around 65°c. The coagulation will break up if the temperature
rises above 83°c. This will allow the water bound by the protein to escape and leave the custard looking
as if it has curdled. It is therefore vital that the temperature of the water in the bain Marie does not
exceed 83°c or that the custard remains in the water bath longer than is necessary.

Milk based hot desserts

Milk based hot desserts have been widely served in schools and hospitals for many years as they are
easily digestible and nutritious. The lack of popularity today is probably down to recipes becoming more
and blander and the use of cheaper and cheaper ingredients. The profit margin on these dishes is very
good and no one should be surprised to see their re-emergence when todays chefs realise what is
available to them.

The preparation is similar for each cereal, some recipes require the dessert to be cooked in the oven,
others on the stove top. All the dishes will require butter and sugar and most commonly a flavouring
which is commonly vanilla but there are many other choices.

The range of desserts include the following dishes with the ratio of each to 500ml of milk.

Dessert Cereal Milk
Rice pudding 100g short grain rice 500ml
Sago pudding 50g sago 500ml
Ground rice pudding 40g ground rice 500ml
French rice pudding 100g short grain 500ml
Macaroni pudding 75g macaroni pasta 500ml
Semolina pudding 40g semolina 500ml
Tapioca pudding 50g tapioca 500ml
Flaked rice pudding 40g flaked rice 500ml

Hot Fruit based Desserts

Hot fruit-based desserts have become increasingly popular as people look for more healthy alternatives
to the rich cream laden desserts of the past.

Once again, the fruit-based desserts make use of many cooking methods including baking, stewing and
deep frying.

As with all seasonal foods the dishes produced will always be at their peak when the fruit is in season
and the flavours are far superior to those produced by imported produce which has been forced in
warmer climates.

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Some classic fruit-based desserts are listed below:

Dessert
Baked Apple
Stewed Rhubarb
Poached pears
Grilled pineapple
Hot black cherries in Kirsch
Apple Fritters
Banana Fritters
Compote of plums and crème anglaise
Apple Strudel

Hot Pies and Tarts

Pies and tarts are the foundation stones of the British hot dessert. Served with custard, cream or
yoghurt as a healthier option, pies and tarts remain as popular today as ever.

Pies and tarts can be made from sweet or short pastry and may be open or closed. Perhaps the most
common is the plate pie where a simple plate is covered with pastry the filling placed on top and a lid
applied which is crimped around the edge. This is then baked with a sprinkle of caster sugar on top.

More complex dishes may be made in flan rings or tins and multi portion dishes can be produced in
larger trays which can then be cut down into portions.

A list of popular pies and tarts are listed below:

Pies Tarts
Apple Treacle
Apple and Blackberry Manchester
Bakewell pudding Mincemeat
American apple pie Jam
Lemon Meringue pie Fruit

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Hot and Cold Desserts

Finishing Desserts

Cooling
Most desserts will need to be cooled at some point, whether it is a sponge for a gateau or a shortbread
biscuit to accompany a compote of fruit. Care should be taken to ensure that the food is not exposed to
contamination, especially high-risk foods which contain egg, milk and cream. Where rapid cooling is
needed the food should be placed in a bowl or tray over crushed ice. This will stop fruit continuing to
cook and will accelerate the setting times for gelatine and starch thickened products. Accelerated
cooling should be avoided for all baked items as this can cause moisture to be absorbed and the food
can become damp which I turn shortens its shelf life and causes the texture to deteriorate.

Filling
When filling desserts either before or after cooking it is important to ensure that they are not overfilled.
Tarts which are overfilled will overflow making the appearance poor and cause the flan or tart to stick to
the ring or tray. Pasties and puffs may split open during cooking if they are over-filled. If foods are
under-filled the dish may not cook properly or the customer will be unhappy. When presenting fruit
tarts or flans, always ensure the fruit is of a similar size to give consistency to the presentation.

De-moulding
Very often it is easy to get food into a mould, however, getting the food out of the mould after cooking
can be more challenging.

A seal will form between the top edge of the food and the mould. The first step is to break this seal by
gently prising the edge away from the mould all the way round. The mould should then be tested to see
if it will release the dessert, if not the mould should be placed in some hot water for a few seconds. This
will have the effect of melting the surface of the dessert slightly or increasing the air pressure below the
dessert cause it to pop out. This should release the dessert onto the plate. If the dessert refuses to
budge, warm the mould again and tap it on the plate. Never push a knife down the side of the mould or
the dessert presentation will be ruined.

Chilling
Warm food should never be placed in a fridge or freezer to cool as not only will the fridge be damaged,
but it will cause condensation to form which could contaminate the rest of the products in the fridge or
freezer.

Where temperatures need to be reduced quickly, the desserts should be placed over ice or in a cool
room until it is approaching 10°c at which point it can be placed in a chiller. This chilling process from
cooking temperature to storage should be managed to ensure the process is completed within 90
minutes.

Glazing
Glazing is part of the finishing process for desserts. The shiny finish on pastry or fruit is eye catching and
makes the food look appetising.
Glazing ca be done using a number of methods, commercially a product called “Process gel” is used
which can be used hot or cold and not only gives the dessert a shiny glossy finish but also prevents
oxidation and so extends the shelf life of the finished dessert. Care should be taken to ensure that any
air bubbles which may form are eliminated with the tip of a knife or a cocktail stick.

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Icing sugar can also be used for glazing. A light dusting of icing sugar which is then placed into a hot
oven will give a brown caramelised glaze, especially on pastries.

Egg wash is a common choice, especially on pastry. The colour can be improved by adding a little salt to
egg wash. Colour can be enhanced further by combining a little sugar and cream in the egg wash and
brushing this on puff pastry products to provide a golden gloss finish.

Apricot jam is another glazing choice. The jam is melted and strained and if a little needed water added.
It can then be brushed over the dessert to provide a glaze finish.

Piping

Piping is a very important technique and skill in dessert cookery. Just like writing, it takes practice to
pipe well. The way in which the bag is held and how the pressure is applied will all affect the outcome.
Cream should not be too stiffly whipped, or it will split as it is piped, and chocolate may need thickening
before it will hold its shape when piped.

It is important that you practice which different bags, nozzles and thicknesses of ingredient before you
will become proficient and able to pipe competently time after time.

Dusting, dredging and sprinkling
There are several ingredients used to dust over desserts including icing sugar and cocoa, icing sugar
mixed with a little cinnamon and so on. There is a tendency to want to cover the dessert quickly so
coarser sieves are used – do not!! Use a fine sieve and take time to ensure the item is evenly covered
and not excessively to the point where the dusting overtakes the taste of the dessert.

Dredging is a technique where a heavier layer of dusting is required. The dessert item is simply dipped
and moved around in finely sieved ingredient. This will cause a thicker layer to form which, if placed
under the grill or in the oven will cause a caramelised crunchy later to form.

Sprinkling is often used to decorate with vermicelli or coarse sugar. Remember, this is a garnish only
and not an integral part of the dish. The item should not be covered with ingredient when sprinkling is
finished.

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Storing Hot and Cold Desserts

Both hot and cold desserts contain high risk ingredients including eggs, milk and cream. This will make
the desserts themselves high risk, especially mousses which may have been lightened with raw egg
white. It is therefore essential that all such desserts are stored at or below 5°c. In some instances, the
desserts may be stored chilled below 8°c but always check in each case.

Those which need to be kept hot should be held above 63°c 65°c for cereal based dishes

If a dessert is to be cooled after service, it should be cooled as quickly as possible and stored in a fridge
within 90mins of the temperature dropping below 63°c.

Sauces containing crème and crème anglaise should also be cooled quickly and stored in the fridge.
Cling film placed directly on top of the sauce will prevent a skin forming

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Quality Points in Desserts

There are five criteria upon which a dessert is judged for quality

Texture of the dessert
The overall texture should never be too coarse and never too smooth. When a dish is very smooth such
as in a bavarois or mousse, it is common to serve a crisp biscuit to contrast the smoothness of the
mousse. When a dessert is coarse in texture, we often serve whipped cream or crème anglaise as a
contrast.

Consistency
Consistency is the second factor – a dessert should have the correct consistency, not too thin and runny
and not too thick, tending towards lumpiness.

Appearance
Appearance assesses the overall look of the dish. Is it the correct colour? Sometimes foods can
discolour during the cooking process. Is it cooked sufficiently or as it taken on too much colour because
the oven was too hot? Is it attractive and appealing? Is it appropriately garnished with the correct
amount of sauce or cream to accompany it?

Aroma
Aroma deals with the smell of the dessert. Does it smell as it should? There should be no sourness from
the cream and the acidity of the fruit should have been regulated. Does the pastry smell fresh and
buttery?

Flavour
Finally, flavour. Does the dish taste as it should? Does it taste of the principal ingredient, has the
flavour been overpowered by the addition of too much flavouring? Is the sweetness correct?

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Problems with desserts

It is important to always ensure that the quality of the ingredients is good, and the quantity is sufficient
for the task in hand. Care needs to be taken to ensure that account is given to the loss of ingredients
through peeling, trimming, cutting etc. There is no point in attempting to produce a dish unless there is
sufficient ingredient to achieve the outcome.

Any problems you identify with any ingredient should be reported to your line manager for a decision
before any further preparation takes place.

Healthy Options

It is difficult to find ways of making desserts healthier without compromising or changing the dish.

As discussed earlier, wholemeal flour can be used as an alternative or part alternative to plain white
flour and this will introduce more fibre into the diet.
Low fat spreads can be used to replace butter and lard, but again care should be taken to ensure these
are not hydrolysed fats or when they melt the fat content will be reduced and water content increased
which may unbalance the recipe completely.
Brown sugar can be used to replace white sugar, but consideration should be given to the colour change
which will occur as a result.
Salt could be reduced, but in some cases, salt is an essential part of the dish so care should again be
taken.
Oils can be used to replace fats in some instances but where a rubbing in method is used this is simply
not practical.
Yoghurt or crème fraiche can be used to replace dairy cream, especially where single cream is used as a
pouring cream.

Care should be taken to ensure any such changes on health grounds alone are done with care. Recipes
can be unbalanced leading to failure of the product, leading to unnecessary wastage and stock losses.

Allergy Advice

There has been an increase in the number of people who suffer with allergies to certain food stuffs and
hot and cold desserts can be a significant factor. The protein in flour is called gluten and some people
are allergic to this protein meaning they have difficulty in eating any produce which contains flour or
more specifically, gluten. Special flours have been developed which do not contain gluten or alternative
flour such as gluten free flour can be used instead. There may also be allergens in the dairy products
which are widely used. Furthermore, there may be other allergens added to some desserts in the form
of nuts or nut oils, seeds such as sesame and so on. You should never comment on the presence of
allergens in food unless you are sure. If you have any doubts always refer any questions to your line
manager.

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