TLE

• Classification/types of desserts:Fruits, Cheese, Gelatin Dessert, Custard, Puddings.
• Fruits - The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and serve
• Importance of dessert in a meal: Dessert balances out a meal and gives "closure" to the meal. Eating dessert is an opportunity to experience different flavors and textures that you cannot get in other foods like vegetables, meats, and fruits. Dessert can be an opportunity to be creative. You can make interesting mixtures thatyou otherwise may not have thought of.
• Characteristics of good fruit desserts: appetizing aroma, simple, slightly chilled.
• Cheese - is another excellent dessert that is ready to serve. It is made in all parts of the world from a variety of milks from cow, goat and sheep. Cheese differs depending on the kind of milk used, the kinds of cheese-making procedures, the seasonings and the ripening processes also distinguish its variety. Each variety has a definite character, a special appeal and particular uses.
• The three general types of cheese based on consistency are: 1. Soft (a. unripened cheese b. ripened by bacteria) 2. Semi-hard (a. ripened by mold b. ripened by bacteria) 3. Hard (a. with gas holes b. without gas holes)
• Gelatin Dessert - These are easily prepared, economical and vary in many ways. Gelatin is marketed in two forms. First, the unsweetened, granular type that must be softened in water before use, and the fruit gelatin to which flavor, color, and sugar have already been added.
• Characteristics of baked custard - firmness of shape, smooth tender texture, rich and creamy consistency, excellent flavor.
• Characteristics of soft custard - velvety smooth texture, rich flavor, has pouring consistency of heavy cream
• Puddings - are relatively simple to prepare and vary with sauces.
• Custard - Baked and soft custards vary in so many ways. Creamy, delicate, baked custards may be served in their baking cups or may be unmolded and served with fruit garnishes or with dessert sauces.
• Three clarified puddings: 1. Cornstarch pudding, sometimes called blancmange 2. Rice pudding 3. Bread pudding.
• Characteristics of Pudding - attractive appearance, excellent consistency, well-blended flavor, firmness of shape, an accompanying sauce to add interest
• Fruit Cobblers - These are not fruit pies. They have a depth of two or three inches and are topped with biscuit dough rather than being made with pie crust. They may be served either hot or cold
• Frozen Desserts: 1. Ice cream - smooth frozen mixture of milk, cream, sugar, flavorings and sometimes eggs. 2. Sherbet and Ices - made from fruit juices, water and sugar. American sherbet contains milk and cream and sometimes egg white. The egg whites increase smoothness and volume. Ice contains only fruit juice water, sugar and sometimes egg white. 3. Frozen Soufflés and Frozen Mousse - Made like chilled mousses and Bavarians, whipped cream, beaten egg whites or both are folded to give lightness and allow to be still frozen in an ordinary freezer.
• Gelatin - is used to set many cold molded desserts. It is the basis for jellies and is also used to set creams and mousses.
• Egg yolks - Egg yolks may be mixed with flavorings, sugar and cream or milk to make custard or they may be whisked together over hot water to create a sabayon.
• Sugar - The common element linking virtually all desserts is sugar. It may be used to sprinkle over fruit, beaten into egg yolks for custard or into whites for a meringue. Many desserts use sugar syrup, which involves boiling sugar and water to the desired temperature.
• Fruit - Ripe perfect fruit provides the basis for many desserts, with very little effort needed to make an attractive colorful display. Fruit may be pureed, baked or poached and can then be used for pies, soufflés and puddings.
• Cream - This ingredient is often used as a decoration or accompaniment for both cold and hot desserts, but may also be used as one of the recipe ingredients. Whipped cream may also be used as an effective layer for trifle. Cream may be combined with rice, sugar and milk to make a delicious rice pudding.
• Batters - This simple mixture of flour and water is used to make crepes and pancakes. Batter is also used to coat fruit for fritters.
• Nuts - are available whole, ground, roasted or caramelized. They are an important part of dessert cookery as they provide flavor for creams and ice creams.
• Sugar - Granulated sugar is used in most recipes. • Castor sugar is best for meringues and some cakes because it dissolves more easily. • Confectioner's sugar or icing sugar is used mostly for dusting the tops of desserts. •Brown sugar is commonly used in hot sauce as it produces a lovely rice caramel flavor.
• Gelatine - Many desserts are prepared using commercial leaf or powdered gelatine. Gelatines may be plain or flavored and colored for effect.
• Egg yolk - Take eggs out of the refrigerator prior to use so they are at room temperature. This way they will whisk up better and incorporate more air.
• Egg whites - should be fresh and grade a quality. • They may be purchased in bulk frozen or you may freeze them in small quantities if you have excess. • If egg whites have not been cleanly divided and contain traces of yolk, they will not whip up to satisfactory foam. A pinch of salt helps the whites to whip up better.
• Cream - The characteristics of cream will differ according to whether it is pure cream, double cream, reduced cream or cream that has had a stabilizer or gelatine added to it to make the texture seem thicker and improve the whipping qualities. • Creams vary in taste and texture so choose according to recipe specifications. • Used only pasteurized cream. • Pay particular attention to use-by dates.
• Batters - should be made up from the fresh ingredients. Batter is often rested at room temperature after it is made to reduce its elasticity so that it flows more freely over the pan Batters can be flavored with vanilla and other spices.
• Nuts - may be purchased natural or blanched • Freshness is always important. Keep nuts well wrapped and store in refrigerator to prevent the oils in the nuts becoming rancid. • If you require toasted nuts, toast them yourself to ensure the nuts are fresh in the first place.
• Chocolate - is available in various types, namely bitter sweet, semi-sweet, white, dark and milk chocolate. • Milk and white chocolate because of their milk content are more difficult to work with than dark chocolate.
• Sweet Sauces sauce a flavored liquid blend of ingredients that adds flavor and enhances the appearance of the food: 1. Fudge - a soft confection made of butter, sugar, chocolate. 2. Sauces - can give an entirely different appearance, flavor, color, and moisture to desserts.
• Rich sauce - is well suited to a simple dessert.
• Light sauce - is suited to a rich dessert.
• Hot fudge - is a delightful contrast to a cold cornstarch pudding or to vanilla ice cream.
• Hot sauces - are made just before they are to be used
• Cold sauces - are cooked ahead of time, then cooled, covered and put in the refrigerator to chill.
• Thickening agents improve the quality of the sauces :Starch, Grains, Creams, Cornstarch, Eggs, Rice flour.
• Storage of Sauces:Sauces should be kept in airtight containers and stored in a cool dry place away from moisture, oxygen, light and pests. Food made with starches that contain egg, milk, cream and other dairy products are prone to bacterial contamination and to food-borne illness. Sauces made with these ingredients should be kept out of the temperature danger zone. Thickened sauce should also be prepared, served and stored with caution. These products should be stored in the refrigerator and never left to stand at room temperature too long.
• Guidelines in Preparing Vanilla Custard Sauce

  1. Use clean, sanitized equipment and follow procedure

  2. When combining the egg yolks and sugar, whip the mixture as soon as the sugar is added. Letting the sugar and egg yolks stand together without mixing creates lumps

  3. Scald milk before combining with the yolks

  4. Slowly beat the hot milk into the beaten eggs and sugar

  5. Place bowl with egg mixture in a pan of simmering water and stir constantly to prevent curdling

  6. To test for doneness, the mixture lightly coats the back of the spoon

  7. Immediately cool the sauce by setting the pan or bowl in ice water. Stir occasionally to cool evenly

  8. If the sauce curdles, immediately stir in one (1) to two (2) ounces cold milk, transfer the sauce to a blender, and blend at high speed
• A.Most dessert sauces fall into one of three categories: Custard Sauces - Vanilla custard sauce, Chocolate or other flavor may be added to create varieties. Fruit Purees - These are simply purees of fresh or cooked fruits, sweetened with sugar. Other flavorings and spices are sometimes added. Syrups - Includes such products as chocolate sauce and caramel sauce.