METHODS OF
PREPARING
DESSERTS
Jasmine B. Cruz
12-H.E-B
Desserts have always given home cooks the chance
to show off their presentation skills and serve
something that's designed to impress. They tend to
be the most outspoken, memorable course of a
meal, full of vivid colours, intense flavours and
interesting combinations of taste and texture.
Obviously, the quality of ingredients, skill of the
cook and the way a dessert is presented all have a
profound effect on the finished dish, but what about
the different cooking methods/techniques? So here
are some methods on hot to prepare desserts.
1. Cooling
is removal of heat, usually resulting in a lower
temperature and/or phase change. Dessert should be
cooled rapidly to 5°C or below. Chef must ensure that
dessert products are cooled at appropriate times.
Cooked products served cold like Bavarios (a dessert
containing gelatin and whipped cream), flan, cases,
fillings, stock syrup and ice cream.
Ways to cool:
•Ice
•Blast chiller
•Cool Area
1. Cooling
2. Filling
is a thick mixture which is used between the
layers of cake. It may be some of the frosting
to which nuts, marshmallows or fruits are
added. Whipped cream and custard mixtures
are sometimes used for fillings. Each of
these desserts toppings clearly has its place.
Filling pastry products may be carried out
before or after the cooking process,
depending on the filling to be used i.e pastry
cream or sweet egg custard.
2. Filling
•Always prepare the filling according to the
recipe and cool if necessary, before use.
•Never over fill and cold sweets
•If the cold sweet is made from pastry, make
sure that it is carefully sealed using egg wash or
water.
•Add a vent to each cold sweet if any steam will
be produced from the filling during the cooking
process
•Dock the pasty bases before filling (if required)
2. Filling
Using Cream
When filling and product with whipped cream,
ensure every effort is taken to minimize the risk
of cross-contamination. Observed the following
recommendations
•Ensure the product is cold
•Use clean, sterilized piping bags and tubes
•Carry out the process in a cold room
•Serve immediately
2. Filling
3. De-moulding of set
cold desserts
moulds are used to form the shape for
many types of cold desserts. To ensure
that desserts can easily be removed
from the mould make sure that sufficient
time is given to allow the contents of the
mould to fully set. The greatest success
is obtained if the dessert is allowed to
remain in the mould for 12 hours prior to
3. De-moulding of set
cold desserts
Steps to remove cold desserts from moulds
•Dip the mould in very hot water for a few seconds to
release the dessert from the walls and bottom of the
mould, being careful not to allow the dessert to begin
to melt from the effect of the hot water
•Turn the mould on a tray and shake to allow the air to
enter the mould
• Allow the dessert to fall from the mould onto the
serving dish without touching the dessert with the hand
3. De-moulding of set
cold desserts
4. De-moulding of hot desserts
some desserts need to be released from
their moulds following cooking. In most
cases it is better to remove the dessert
from the mould while still hot. Great care
must be taken to avoid burns and scalds.
Always use thick, dry cloths and
remember that fillings from freshly cooked
items can be very dangerous if they are
allowed to spill over hands of forearms.
4. De-moulding
of hot desserts
5. Glazing
is a mixture of sugar and liquid thin
enough to be poured - about the
consistency of thin corn syrup. Glazes
are used to coat fruit cakes, cupcakes
and pieces of cake which are to be
used for tea cakes or petite fours is
necessary to give the finished product
an attractive brown surface and so
5. Glazing
There are two methods used to glaze cold desserts.
Pre-cooked glazes:
•A mixture of icing sugar, water and egg can be used to
give a variety of different colour finishes to cold desserts. If
milk and egg us added to the glaze, the finished colour will
be darker and cream will enhance the glaze.
Post cooking glazes:
•This is based on jellies or jams. Each us warmed, strained
and then brushed on the surface of the cooked desserts.
This will produce a long lasting and sticky finish.
5. Glazing
6. Piping
to squeeze a pastry bag in order to force frosting or other
paste-like mixtures through the tip of the bag for the
purpose of decorating and creating special shapes. Piping is
a difficult process that requires practice; to achieve a
professional result the following points may help:
•Carry out the piping process in a cool room
•Do not overfill the piping bag
•Keep hands clean and tidy
•Fill the piping bag carefully without allowing the filling to
come into contact with the outside
•If a small amount of filling is to be used, learn to make and
use a disposable piping bag made from greaseproof paper
6. Piping
7. Dusting
refers to the process of
lightly sprinkling a fine
layer of a powdered or
granulated ingredient
onto food.
7. Dusting
The term dusting can be applied to several processes.
•The dusting of raw pastry with flour to prevent sticking when
rolling and shaping the pastry
•It can also mean the dusting of some finished cold desserts
with flour, semolina or ground rice before cooking to give a
variety of non-shiny finishes
•The surface of finished cold desserts can be dusted with icing
sugar using a sugar dredger or fine sieve
•Products may be brushed with raw egg white and then dusted
with caster sugar before cooking to give a caramelized finish
caused by the effect of the heat on the sugar
•Raw pastry products can be dusted with icing sugar before
cooking to give a shiny and crisp finish after cooking
7. Dusting
8. Portioning
is the amount of a food you choose
to eat - which may be more or less
than a serving. All desserts should be
portioned evenly and the number of
portions should be determined
before the decorating stage so that
each customer can be given a
8. Portioning
THANK
YOU!
