advanced desserts

Orange County Public Schools

Advanced Dessert Preparation


4 parts of a plated Dessert 1. Sauce 2. Crunch 3. Garnish4. Main item

Friday 2


Bakeshop Review TipsAlways sift and measure Knead or “over mix”

only if necessaryUse good quality

ingredientsMonitor hot spots and

time/temperature of the oven

Test cake for doneness

Use liquid measuring cups for liquids and dry measuring cups for dry ingredients

Spray or line pan with fat and dust with flour/sugar and use parchment

Follow the recipe Do not open the oven

unless necessaryFriday 3


Syrups, Creams and Sauces

Syrup Strength

Sugar Crystallization• Sugar Crystallization is when a

simple syrup “breaks”

• Tips for preventing crystallization:– Brush down sides of the pan– Cover the pan– Use glucose or corn syrup to control

crystallization

Friday 4


Syrups, Creams and SaucesStages of Sugar Cooking• Use a candy thermometer• Drop a bit of the syrup into

cold water

Stage Temperature °F

Thread 230

Soft Ball 240

Firm Ball 245

Hard Ball 250-260

Small Crack 265-270

Crack 275-280

Hard Crack 290-310

Caramel 320-340

Friday 5


Syrups, Creams and SaucesBasic Syrups

• Simple Syrup: A dissolved mixture of equal parts water and sugar– 1 oz water _____ sugar– 10# water _____ sugar– Some chefs prefer a sweeter (1 ½

parts sugar) or less sweet (2 parts water) syrup

• Dessert Syrup: A flavored simple syrup – Add flavorings after the

simple syrup is made

Friday 6


Syrups, Creams and SaucesWhipped Cream

• Volumes doubles when liquid cream is whipped

• Cream with over 30% fat can be whipped into a foam– Light cream: 25% fat– Half and Half: 10% fat– Milk: 2% fat

Guidelines for Whipped Cream

Chill cream and all equipment Use wire whip or whip

attachment Use extra fine sugar or

powdered sugar to sweeten Stop beating when peaks hold

their shape Store covered in the walk in Fold in flavoring ingredients last Do not overwhip

Friday 7


Syrups, Creams and SaucesStabilizing Whipped Cream• To stabilize:– Add 1% gelatin and 6% cold

water to cream– Soften gelatin in cold water

and warm until gelatin dissolves

– Whip gelatin into whipped cream

– Great for display desserts or desserts done ahead of time

• 32 oz cream– Gelatin:– Water:




Friday 8

Find Out how much water and gelatin is needed


Syrups, Creams and SaucesCrème Chantilly

Heavy Cream 8 ozConfectioners Sugar 1.25 ozVanilla Extract ½ tspTotal Weight 9 oz1. Make sure all utensils and equipment

are chilled2. Whip cream until soft peaks3. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to

whip until stiff peaks4. Do not overwhip

1. What minimum % must the dairy be to whip?

2. What is another name for confectioners sugar?

3. Why does all utensils and ingredients need to be chilled?

4. How can you tell the difference in soft and stiff peaks?

5. When should flavorings be added to whipped cream?

Friday 9


Syrups, Creams and SaucesMeringues• Meringue: Whipped egg

whites sweetened with sugar– Used to give lightness to

desserts and icings and as toppings

– Meringues can be baked in a low oven until crisp

– Chopped nuts may be added to meringues

– Beaten until stiff peaks

Friday 10


Syrups, Creams and SaucesMeringue Types• Common Meringue or “French Meringue”

– Made by beating egg whites and granulated sugar

– Decent stability• Swiss Meringue

– Same as common meringue but warmed over a double boiler as they are beaten

– Better stability• Italian Meringue

– Made by beating a hot sugar syrup into egg whites

– Best stability

Guidelines for Meringues Fats are bad for meringues

– Egg yolk, greasy bowls Have egg whites at room temp

– Remove 1 hour before whipping

Do not overbeat– Shiny not dry and curdled

Acids help with foaming– Cream of tartar, lemon juice

Sugar helps stabilize egg whites– Usually equal parts

Friday 11

Orange County Public SchoolsCommon Meringue Recipe

• Egg whites8 oz

• Granulated Sugar 8 oz• Powdered Sugar 8 oz1. Whip egg whites until soft peaks2. Add granulated sugar a little at a time.

Whip until stiff peaks form3. Fold in powdered sugarSwiss Meringue• Egg Whites

8 oz• Granulated sugar 8 oz• Powdered Sugar 8 oz1. Place egg whites and sugar over a

double boiler and beat until warm2. Transfer to mixer and whip until stiff

peaks form and coolFriday 12

• Granulated Sugar16 oz

• Water 4 oz

• Egg Whites 8 oz

1. Heat sugar and water until candy thermometer reaches 243 F

2. While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites until soft peaks form

3. With the machine running, beat in sugar syrup

4. Continue beating until meringue is cool and forms stiff peaks

Italian Meringue


Compare & Contrast

Friday 13

Common Meringue Swiss Meringue

Italian Meringue


Syrups, Creams and SaucesCrème Anglaise• A cooked vanilla custard

sauce– Sauce can curdle if too high a

heat is used (eggs)

Crème Anglaise Tips• Heat dairy to scalding (just

below simmering)• Temper hot milk to eggs• Sauce is done when:

– 185 F never above 190 F– Nappe

• Stir to cool in ice water bath

Friday 14


Crème AnglaiseChocolate Crème Anglaise

1. Melt 6 oz sweet chocolate and stir into custard sauce while warm

Coffee Crème Anglaise2. Add 2 tbsp instant coffee to custard sauce

• Egg Yolks 8 oz• Sugar 8 oz• Milk 2 lb• Vanilla 1 T1. Cut recipe in half2. Combine egg yolks and sugar.

Whip until thick and light3. Scald milk over direct heat4. Temper hot milk to egg yolk

mixture5. Set bowl in simmering water and

stir constantly until nappe or 185 F

6. Set in cold ice water to cool and stir to cool

Friday 15


Syrups, Creams and SaucesPastry Cream

• Also called “crème patisserie”• Vanilla Pudding• Used as fillings for cakes and

pastries• Can be stabilized with gelatin• Cornstarch is thickening agent• Chiboust: Pastry Cream with

italian meringue

Chocolate Creams• Ganache: A mixture of heavy

cream and chocolate– Fruit purees and other

flavorings can be added– Truffles or Candy Filling: 2

parts chocolate 1 part heavy cream

– Chocolate Mousse: equal parts cream to chocolate

– Icing: 75% heavy cream• 1lb Chocolate____oz cream• 3.5lb Chocolate____oz cream

Friday 16


Syrups, Creams and SaucesDessert Sauces• Coulis: Purees of fresh or

cooked fruits• Caramel: Sugar cooked to

the caramel stage with added cream

• Chocolate Sauce• Melba Sauce: Raspberries

and red currant jelly

• Sabayon: Whipped custard

Friday 17


Mixing• High Fat

• Creaming

• Two Stage Method

• Low Fat or Foam Type

• Sponge Method

• Angel Food Method

• Chiffon Method


Creaming Method1. Scale and have all

ingredients at room temp

2. Beat sugar, salt and flavorings with butter and beat until light and fluffy

3. Add eggs one at a time

4. Add sifted dry and wet ingredients alternatively

5. Scale and pan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhx2EbfFfDA


Two Stage Method1. Scale and have all ingredients at

room temp

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt with shortening and mix at low speed

3. Sift in remaining dry ing. and add part of the water and milk

4. Add remaining liquid ingredients slowly, scraping the bowl continuously

5. Batter will be quite liquid


Sponge Method1. Scale ingredients

2. Combine eggs, sugar and salt over a hot water bath and beat until warm (110)

3. In a mixer beat warmed eggs at high speed until light and fluffy (10 minutes)

4. Stir or whip in liquids to egg foam

5. Fold in sifted flour in stages


Angel Food Method1. Scale and have all ingredients at room

temp

2. Sift flour with half the sugar

3. Beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar with whip attachment

4. Beat in sugar until soft peaks

5. Fold in flour/sugar mixture

6. Scale, pan and bake immediatelyAngel Food Method relies only on air for leavening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5tvtg2rQMQ


Chiffon Method1. Scale and have all ing. at room temp

2. Sift part of the sugar and all dry ing. Into the mixing bowl

3. With paddle attachment slowly add all liquid ingredients and eggs

4. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks

5. Fold in egg whites to flour/liquid mixture

6. Pan and bakeChiffon Method is leavened by baking powder and air from whipped egg whites


• Preheat the ovens

• Make sure shelves are level

• Don't let pans touch each other

• Too hot-humped center

• Too cold-poor volume, falling

• Do not open oven or cakes will fall

Tests for doneness

• Center of cake springs back when touched

• A came tester comes out clean

• Releasing from the sides of the pans

Cooling

• Cool angel food and chiffon upside down

• Cool in pans, slice around edges and allow to cool then turn out

Baking and Cooling


Assembling and Decorating Cakes7 basic types of icing

1. Fondant2. Buttercreams3. Foam type icings4. Fudge type icings5. Flat type icings6. Royal or decorators icing7. Glazes

Fondant• Smooth, glossy and white• Can be used hot as a icing

or cold as a sheet• Can be colored

– Knead in powder or liquid colors

Friday 25


Buttercream• Easiest to make and most

popular• Combination of butter and

confectioners sugar– Egg white or DMS may be added

• 5 basic kinds of buttercream– Simple buttercream– Meringue type buttercream– French buttercream– Pastry cream buttercream– Fondant buttercream

Foam Type Icings• Meringues flavored with

various ingredients• Unstable

Friday 26

Assembling and Decorating Cakes


Fudge Type Icings• Rich and heavy• Very stable and can store

well• Warm over a double boiler

for icing cakes• Candy beaten to a lighter

consistency

Flat Icings• Used for coffee cakes,

danishes and sweet rols• Mixture of confectioners

sugar and water• Warmed for application

Friday 27



Royal Icing• AKA Decorators Icing• Similar to flat icings but use egg

whites and much thicker• Exclusively used for decorative

work

Glazes• Apricot-most popular• Simple Syrup Glazes-easiest

to make• Applied while hot• Melted jam or jelly can be

used as a glaze

Friday 28



Tools for Decorating

• Palette knife-straight blunt spatula

• Offset Spatula• Serrated knife• Icing screens• Turntable• Icing Combs• Plastic or Steel Bench Scraper• Brushes• Cake card-cardboard circles

Pastry Bag and Tips

• “The paper cone”– Use a stencil for

paper cone work

• Star tips –rosettes and shells

• Plain tips-lettering• Rose Tip-roses• Leaf Tips• Ribbon tips-

basketweave

Friday 29



Decorating Techniques• Shells• Scrolls• Basketweave• Lettering

• Marbling– Using 2 colors and dragging

them through with a toothpick

• Stenciling– Using a stencil and cocoa

powder or confectioners sugar to create a design

• Masking the Sides– Applying nuts or chocolate

shavings to the sides of cakes

Friday 30



Custards• Basis of all puddings• Custard: a liquid set by the

coagulation of egg protein• Do not heat above 185 F

– Exception of Pastry Cream

• Custard bound with Gelatin– Panna Cotta– Mousses and Bavarian Cream

• 2 basic kinds– Stirred Custard: Crème Anglaise &

Pastry Cream– Baked Custard: Crème Brulee

Puddings• Pastry Cream: basis for all

puddings

Custards and Puddings

http://youtu.be/tV0b_EzTvY8


Custards and PuddingsBaked Custards• Egg yolks make a richer and

softer custard than whole eggs

• A good baked custard holds a clean edge when sliced– Bread Pudding

Custard Production• Temper egg to scalded

cream• Remove any bubbles• Bake at 325 F• Bake in a water bath• Doneness

– Insert knife between edge and middle, must come out clean


Custards and PuddingsCrème Brulee• Use brown sugar or

granulated sugar for brulee• “Burnt Cream”

– Raspberry – Chocolate– Coffee– Cinnamon – Blueberry

Baked Custard• Pot de Crème

– Very rich baked custard

• Crème Caramel– Caramel on the bottom and

unmolded

http://youtu.be/-xxuhrRx0fY

http://youtu.be/-xxuhrRx0fY

http://youtu.be/KA52xdPZmxg


Bavarians and MoussesBavarians

• Classic gelatin desserts made with gelatin and whipped cream

• Much more stiff than mousses• Fruit purees can be added to

the custard base• Used to make elegant plated

desserts• Made using 3 Elements

– Crème Anglaise– Gelatin– Whipped cream

Mousses

• Desserts made without gelatin or only a small amount of gelatin

• Softer texture than bavarians• Meringue or whipped cream or both

are folded in– Egg whites can be folded into hot base

(crème anglaise)– Never fold whipped cream into hot

base

http://youtu.be/putNaWOa1TQ


Souffles• Souffles: A baked sweet or

savory dish that rises due to air incorporated into egg white proteins– Should rise 1-2” above rim– Serve immediately-deflate

• 3 components– Base– Flavoring Ingredients

• Chocolate, Orange, Raspberry, etc

– Egg Whites• Stiff peaks beaten with sugar

• Frozen Souffles: Mousses that have a band of parchment paper wrapped around the top, frozen and served.– Look gives the

appearance of a risen “baked” souffle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH8yn4x8_Xs

advanced desserts

Food

cream gelatin

whip cream

whipped cream chill

liquid cream

cream volumes

whipped cream great

parts sugar

confectioners sugar