Reasons for eating desserts and sweets 1.

Ice cream- smooth frozen mixture of milk, cream, sugar,

flavorings and sometimes eggs.
 Dessert balances out a meal and gives “closure” to the meal. 2. Sherbet and Ices – made from fruit juices, water and
sugar. American sherbet contains milk and cream and
 Eating dessert is an opportunity to experience different flavors and sometimes egg white. The egg whites increase
textures that you cannot get in other foods like vegetables, meats, smoothness and volume. Ice contains only fruit juice water,
and fruits. sugar and sometimes egg white.
3. Frozen Soufflés and Frozen Mousses Made like chilled
 Dessert can be an opportunity to be creative. You can make
mousses and Bavarians, whipped cream, beaten egg
interesting mixtures that you otherwise may not have thought of.
whites or both are folded to give lightness and allow to be
Classification/types of desserts and their characteristics still frozen in an ordinary freezer.

A. Fruits Ingredients needed in preparing desserts and sweet sauces

The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because
1. Sugar The common element linking virtually all
they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and
desserts is sugar. It may be used to sprinkle over fruit,
serve.
beaten into egg yolks for custard or into whites for a
Characteristics of good fruit desserts:  appetizing aroma
meringue. Many desserts use sugar syrup, which
 simple  slightly chilled
involves boiling sugar and water to the desired
B. Cheese
temperature.
Cheese is another excellent dessert that is ready to serve.
2. Gelatine is used to set many cold moulded desserts. It
It is made in all parts of the world from a variety of milks
is the basis for jellies and is also used to set creams
from cow, goat and sheep. Cheese differs depending on
and mousses.
the kind of milk used, the kinds of cheesemaking
3. Egg yolks may be mixed with flavourings, sugar and
procedures, the seasonings and the ripening processes
cream or milk to make custard or they may be
also distinguish its variety. Each variety has a definite
whisked together over hot water to create a sabayon.
character, a special appeal and particular uses.
4. Egg whites When raw egg whites are beaten, air is
trapped in the mixture in the form of bubbles. Egg
The three general types of cheese based on consistency
whites beaten to soft peaks will support soufflés and
are:
mousses while whites beaten to firm peaks are
1. Soft a. unripened cheese b. ripened by bacteria 2.
suitable for meringues.
Semi – hard a. ripened by mold b. ripened by bacteria
5. Fruit Ripe perfect fruit provides the basis for many
3. Hard a. with gas holes b. without gas holes
desserts, with very little effort needed to make an
attractive colourful display. Fruit may be pureed,
C. Gelatin Dessert
baked or poached and can then be used for pies,
These are easily prepared, economical and vary in many
soufflés and puddings.
ways. Gelatin is marketed in two forms. First, the
6. Cream This ingredient is often used as a decoration or
unsweetened, granular type that must be softened in water
accompaniment for both cold and hot desserts, but
before use, and the fruit gelatin to which flavor, color, and
may also be used as one of the recipe ingredients.
sugar have already been added.
7. Whipped cream may also be used as an effective
layer for trifle. Cream may be combined with rice,
D. Custard
sugar and milk to make a delicious rice pudding.
Baked and soft custards vary in so many ways. Creamy,
8. Batters This simple mixture of flour and water is used
delicate, baked custards may be served in their baking
to make crepes and pancakes. Batter is also used to
cups or may be unmolded and served with fruit garnishes
coat fruit for fritters.
or with dessert sauces. Characteristics of baked custard  9. Nuts are available whole, ground, roasted or
firmness of shape  smooth, tender texture  rich and caramelised. They are an important part of dessert
creamy consistency  excellent flavor Characteristics of cookery as they provide flavour for creams and ice
soft custard  velvety smooth texture  rich flavor  has creams.
pouring consistency of heavy cream 10. Chocolate Chocolate may be melted to easily blend
E. Puddings into fillings and batters. It can also be poured over
Puddings are relatively simple to prepare and vary with desserts such as cakes and puddings. When melted
sauces. These are classified as: 1. Cornstarch pudding, chocolate is cooled it can be shaped and moulded into
sometimes called blancmange 2. Rice pudding 3. Bread many attractive decorations.
pudding Characteristics of Pudding  attractive
appearance  excellent consistency  well – blended Sweet Sauces
sauce - a flavored liquid blend of ingredients that adds flavor and
flavor  firmness of shape  an accompanying sauce to
enhances
add interest. the appearance of the food.
fudge - a soft confection made of butter, sugar, chocolate.
F. Fruit Cobblers Sauces can give an entirely different appearance, flavor, color, and
These are not fruit pies. They have a depth of two or three moisture to desserts.
inches and are topped with biscuit dough rather than being
made with pie crust. They may be served either hot or cold. Kinds and Varieties of Sauces
1. Rich sauce is well suited to a simple dessert.
2. Light sauce is suited to a rich dessert.
G. Frozen Desserts
3. Hot fudge is a delightful contrast to a cold cornstarch pudding or to greater thickening power). Used as pie fillings, as a dessert by itself
vanilla ice cream. and as a
4. Hot sauces are made just before they are to be used. basis for many bake puddings.
5. Cold sauces are cooked ahead of time, then cooled, covered and
put in the refrigerator to chill. Art of Dessert Plating
Desserts should turn heads in the dining room. Garnishing and
Thickening Agents for Sauces plating
Thickening agents improve the quality of the sauces. desserts shouldn't be an afterthought. It should be an integral part of
1. starch 5. grains how you build your recipe.
2. cream 6. cornstarch
3. eggs 4 Garnishes that add attraction
4. rice flour 1. FRUIT GARNISH
2. NUT GARNISH
Most dessert sauces fall into one of three categories: 3. CHOCOLATE GARNISH
1. Custard Sauces 4. COOKIE GARNISH
Vanilla custard sauce, Chocolate or other flavor may be added
to create varieties. Guidelines in plating dessert:
2. Fruit Purees 1. Make garnishes edible. Everything on the dessert plate should be
These are simply purees of fresh or cooked fruits, sweetened edible and delicious.
with sugar. Other flavorings and spices are sometimes added. 2. Keep it clean and simple. Don't crowd the plate. If your dessert is
3. Syrups beautiful, it shouldn't need a lot of garnishes. And keep the rim of the
Includes such products as chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. plate clear, so the servers aren't touching the food when they place
the
Guidelines in Preparing Vanilla Custard Sauce desserts in front of the customers.
1. Use clean, sanitized equipment and follow procedure. 3. Make your garnishes relate to the dessert on the plate. The only
2. When combining the egg yolks and sugar, whip the mixture as time you should garnish with fresh mint is if you're serving mint ice
soon cream. Don't put it on there just because you think the dessert needs
as the sugar is added. Letting the sugar and egg yolks stand together color. If you have a brown dessert, like apples in puff pastry, then
without mixing creates lumps. make sure all of those elements are executed well—puff pastry
3. Scald milk before combining with the yolks. should
4. Slowly beat the hot milk into the beaten eggs and sugar. look beautiful and crisp.
5. Place bowl with egg mixture in a pan of simmering water and stir 4. Layer flavors and textures in your dessert. Textures and flavors hit
constantly to prevent curdling. the palate at different times. Ask yourself, "How can I make this
6. To test for doneness, the mixture lightly coats the back of the better?" If the answer is a little lemon zest, then add it as a garnish.
spoon. All
7. Immediately cool the sauce by setting the pan or bowl in ice water. the components on the plate should build on the dessert, making it
Stir occasionally to cool evenly. better.
8. If the sauce curdles, immediately stir in one (1) to two (2) ounces 5. Try different plates—various sizes and shapes. The right plate can
cold milk, transfer the sauce to a blender, and blend at high speed. add or enhance the theme really well.

Storage of Sauces Plating and presenting tips and techniques

Sauces should be kept in airtight containers and stored in a cool dry
place away from moisture, oxygen, light and pests. Food made with There are many factors and techniques to consider in food plating
starches that affect the overall appearance of a dessert. Applying one of the
that contain egg, milk, cream and other dairy products are prone to tips may enhance presentation.
bacterial
contamination and to food- borne illness. Sauces made with these 1. The plate – when plating desserts, the choice of plate is critical
ingredients to the final presentation. Remember, the plate is the frame of
should be kept out of the temperature danger zone. Thickened sauce the presentation. There are many sizes, shapes, and colors
should available. Choosing the right size of plate is important because
also be prepared, served and stored with caution. These products food should not be crowded onto the plate.
should be 2. Color - always consider color as an important part of plate
stored in the refrigerator and never left to stand at room temperature presentation. Always try to have a variety of colors on the plate.
too long. Green is fresh and cool, and can be soothing.
Red is passion and excitement.
Accompaniments, Garnishes and Decorations for Desserts Black is sophisticated and elegant.
Dessert Syrup Blue is a natural appetite suppressant, since it can make
Flavored simple syrup use to moisten cakes. Flavorings maybe food look unappetizing.
extracts like vanilla, liquors like rum. Add flavorings after the syrup 3. Texture - texture is critical to food presentation, as well as
has cold, enjoyment. Contrasting hard and soft, smooth and coarse, adds
flavor may lost if added to hot syrup. Lemon or orange rind may also visual interest to your food, and it will enhance your customers'
add enjoyment to the food.
flavor to syrup. 4. Keep things clean
Cream Anglaise Remember that neatness counts. Food should be
Stirred vanilla custard sauce; consist of milk, sugar, egg yolks and contained within the rim of the plate, yet it should not be
vanilla stirred over low heat until lightly thickened. crowded in the center. Take a look at the plate and ask yourself
Pastry Cream if it is pleasing to the eye. It should not look sloppy and dirty.
Contains starch as well as eggs, resulting in a much thicker and 5. Garnish to Impress
more stable product. It is used as a cake and pastry fillings for cream Garnishes and decorations can enhance your plate
pies presentation. Choose garnishes that are appropriate to the
and pudding. With additional liquid, it is used as custard sauce. ingredients. For example, using a chocolate curls for chocolate
Custards cake.
Consist of milk, sugar, eggs and flavorings. (Whole eggs are used
for
 Here are some other techniques to keep in mind when garnishing: Storage Techniques
Never decorate a plate with something inedible 1. Refrigerate – to keep cold or cool below 400F
Ensure the garnish complements and enhances the dish. 2. Cold Storage – the process of storing food by means of
Choose garnishes that are the correct size; they should be easy to refrigeration at 230C
eat. 3. Chilling – to refrigerate or to reduce the temperature of food below
80C
Storing cold and hot desserts
As many desserts contain egg and dairy products, they present a
potential health
hazard if not stored properly.
Remember: proper storage means cooled desserts must be covered
with plastic or
placed in lidded containers before storing in the cool room.
Observe the following guidelines:
Desserts containing uncooked eggs should be handled with
extreme care, as raw
egg is a medium in which dangerous bacteria such as salmonella
can thrive. This
means you need to be really careful with foods like chocolate
mousse and uncooked
cheesecakes that contain egg whites for aeration.
Egg custards contain protein, which provides good food for bacteria.
If custards are
not heated and cooled properly and quickly, bacteria that are present
in the custard
can grow quickly to dangerous numbers.
Any dessert that is not required for immediate consumption must be
cooled rapidly
and stored in the cool room until required.
If you plan to keep a pre-prepared dessert hot until service, make
sure that the
temperature of the food is over 65oC. Never leave an egg mixture in
a Bain-Marie for
any length of time. Any dessert that has been kept hot in the Bain-
Marie for a while
should be discarded at the end of service.
If milk and cream are used in desserts like trifle and custards, they
must not be left
to stand at room temperature for any length of time. They should be
kept in the
refrigerator until the last possible moment to prevent the risk of food
poisoning.
Many desserts have a limited storage life. Make sure you check
with your supervisor
and follow organisational requirements.
Direction: Answer the following questions and discuss your
answer with your seatmate.
1. What are the important factors to be considered in plating
and presenting desserts?
2. How do you plate desserts?
3. Why do we do the proper plating of desserts before
presenting them to the guest?

Learning Outcome 4
Store desserts
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to store/package
Desserts

Packaging Materials for Storing Desserts

1. glass container
2. plastic container
3. plastic/cellophane
4. aluminum foil
5. packaging tapes
6. boxes
Equipment
1. chiller
2. freezer
3. refrigerator
Sanitary Practices When Storing Desserts
1. Handle the food properly to prevent spoilage and contamination.
2. Wash utensils and equipment thoroughly.
3. Keep away from food when you are ill.
4. Store foods and ingredients properly.
5. Safeguard the food during distribution and service.