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Daniel NYC /B. Milne

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he ability to artfully present pastries and desserts is important. Part III of Pastry & Dessert Techniques explains the importance of using well-executed garnishing and presentation techniques with appropriate dessert sauces or chocolate to create beautiful plates and displays that look as good as they taste.

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Dessert sauces are used to add appealing flavor components and to visually enhance plated pastries and desserts. Proficiency in making different types of dessert sauces, knowledge of how to pair sauces with different pastries and desserts, and the ability to use sauce painting techniques are important skills to have. The flavor of a dessert sauce may complement, add to, or oppose the main flavor of the plated pastry or dessert.

Artistic plate presentation enhances the visual appeal of finished pastries and desserts. For example, the pictured dessert sauce beneath the banana-chocolate phyllo purses is an artfully swirled Grand Marnier速 orange sabayon sauce that creates a dramatic and beautiful plate presentation. With practice, a chef can use this and other types of sauce painting techniques to produce stellar pastry and dessert presentations.

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MAKING DESSERT SAUCES An artfully plated pastry or dessert always offers contrasts in color, texture, and flavor. See Figure 7-1. Dessert sauces made from fruits, sugars, chocolates, creams, wines, liquors, liqueurs, and a variety of thickeners offer ample opportunity to provide all kinds of contrasts. A dessert sauce is thicker than a syrup and should nappe the back of a spoon. If a dessert sauce is too thin, the sauce will not hold its shape and will run all over the plate. If a dessert sauce is too thick, the sauce will run slowly or not at all.

To produce quality dessert sauces, it is important to understand how various thickeners are used to obtain the proper viscosity, or flow factor.

Some dessert sauces can be brought to the proper viscosity simply by being puréed or reduced. Many dessert sauces require the addition of cornstarch slurry, arrowroot slurry, egg yolks, or powdered pectin to achieve the proper viscosity. Note: Thickeners such as tapioca, potato starch, and instant modified starch are not often used to make dessert sauces.

Purées. A food that is crushed or ground until it becomes a thick liquid or paste is simply referred to as a purée. A purée can be made into a fruit dessert sauce by pushing it through a strainer to attain the desired smoothness. See Figure 7-2.

Daniel NYC / E. Kheraj

Figure 7-1. An artfully plated pastry or dessert offers contrasts in color, texture, and flavor.

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Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-2. A purée can be made into a fruit dessert sauce by pushing it through a strainer to attain the desired smoothness.

Reductions. Reduction is the process of cooking a sauce until the liquid evaporates in order to concentrate the flavor. For example, wine sauces are typically reduced in order to concentrate the flavor of the wine while also cooking out most of the alcohol.

Dessert sauces made from dried fruits are commonly reduced because the natural pectin in dried fruits helps the sauce obtain the proper viscosity.

However, ripe fruits are not commonly reduced to make dessert sauces because the flavor nuances can be lost during the cooking process.

Cornstarch Slurry. A cornstarch slurry is made by combining cornstarch with just enough cold water or wine to liquefy the cornstarch and form a slurry*.

A slurry can be slowly added to simmering fruit sauces and then brought to a boil and cooked for a few minutes until the starch becomes translucent and the proper viscosity is attained. While cornstarch slurry can mask subtle flavors, it has a tendency to tighten over time and does not freeze well.

Arrowroot Slurry. Arrowroot is the edible starch from the rootstock of an arrowroot plant. Similar to cornstarch slurry, arrowroot is mixed with cold water or wine and then added during the last stage of cooking. Arrowroot has a cleaner taste and yields a finer powder and a softer gel than cornstarch. However, arrowroot can be easily overcooked and become stringy.

*A slurry is a mixture of equal parts of cool liquid and a starch and is used to thicken other liquids. A watery slurry will dilute the flavor of a dessert sauce.

History note Rote Grütze is a German dessert made with fresh raspberries, fresh cherries, fresh red currants, sugar, cornstarch slurry, fruit juice, and sometimes liquor and is typically served with whipped cream or a vanilla sauce. Rote Grütze means “red grits” in German. Historically, Rote Grütze was made with grits and fruit juice instead of whole fruits, which resulted in a very grainy texture, like grits.

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Egg Yolks. Egg yolks are most often used to thicken a crème anglaise or a sabayon, as explained in Chapter 1: Creams. When mixed correctly, egg yolks add a silky texture to dessert sauces. See Figure 7-3. However, egg yolks can scramble when they are introduced to hot liquids too quickly.

TYPES OF DESSERT SAUCES Dessert sauces are most often made from different types of fruit, chocolate, caramel, or custard. Fruit-based sauces can be classified as either puréed sauces, called fruit coulis, or fruit and wine sauces. Chocolate sauces can be made with dark, milk, or white chocolate. Caramel sauces can be light or dark in color and flavored with a variety of alcohols. Custard sauces can be classified as either crème anglaise or sabayon sauces, both of which are thickened with egg yolks.

Fruit Coulis

Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-3. A crème anglaise is thickened with egg yolks to give it a silky texture.

Pectin. Pectin is a carbohydrate found in some plant tissues that helps cell walls remain firm and hold their shape. Pectin is available in powdered form and is commonly used to make jellies and jams. When pectin is cooked with sugar and an acid such as lemon juice, it thickens and forms a gel-like solution. Although pectin alone is not typically used to thicken dessert sauces, finishing a puréed fruit sauce such as a raspberry coulis with raspberry jam can turn it into a cohesive and shiny dessert sauce.

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A fruit coulis is a puréed fruit sauce made with fresh or frozen fruit that has been slightly sweetened. Fruit coulis is often made with berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries, and can be uncooked or cooked. Tropical fruits such as papayas and mangoes can also be used to make a fruit coulis.

See Figure 7-4.

To make an uncooked fruit coulis, ripe fruit is peeled, diced, and then puréed with a little lemon juice and enough powdered sugar or simple syrup to achieve the proper sweetness.

The purée is then strained before use.

Although this type of fruit coulis is very fresh and natural in color, it has a tendency to separate during storage.

A cooked fruit coulis is made by bringing fruit, sugar, and water to a light boil and then adding a cornstarch or arrowroot slurry to thicken it. The cooked fruit coulis is then puréed and strained. Jam made from the same type of fruit can be added at the end of the cooking process to further thicken the cooked fruit coulis and give it a very shiny appearance.

Frieda’s Specialty Produce

Figure 7-4. Many tropical fruits can be used to make a fruit coulis.

Raspberry Chambord ® Sauce

YIELD: 3 cups (16 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: raspberries, frozen granulated sugar* water cornstarch raspberry jam, seedless Chambord® liqueur 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2 cups (259 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (100 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (118 g) 2 teaspoons (5.5 g) 1 cup (338 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (118 g)

Add the first three ingredients to a small pot and bring to a slight boil.

Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.

Create a slurry by whisking equal amounts of cornstarch and water. Add the slurry to the mixture and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in raspberry jam and liqueur.

Strain and cool. Note: If sauce is too thick, thin with a simple syrup.

*Chef’s Tip: More sugar may be needed to suit personal taste.

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Fruit and Wine Sauces Fruit and wine dessert sauces are made in a similar manner as a cooked fruit coulis, but wine is more prominent than water and the sauce may or may not be puréed. The reduction process strengthens the flavor of the combined fruit and wine. Also, the alcohol content of the wine diminishes during reduction.

Fruit and wine dessert sauces are often made with fresh figs, cherries, plums, or similar stone fruits. Dried figs, apricots, cherries, and golden raisins also make good fruit and wine dessert sauces because the flavor of dried fruit is highly concentrated.

Spices such as star anise, ginger, and cinnamon can be used to further enhance the flavor of fruit and wine dessert sauces. See Figure 7-5. At the end of the cooking process, fruit and wine dessert sauces are often bound with an arrowroot or cornstarch slurry.

ginger

Star anise cinnamon Figure 7-5. Spices such as star anise, ginger, and cinnamon can be used to further enhance the flavor of fruit and wine sauces.

Kiln-Dried Cherry Beaujolais Wine Sauce

YIELD: 1¹⁄₂ quarts (32 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: Bing cherries, kiln-dried vanilla bean, split and scraped cinnamon stick, 2 inches long granulated sugar Gamay Beaujolais arrowroot 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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1¹⁄₄ pounds (568 g) 1 each (3.7 g) 1 each (0.05 g) 10 ounces (249 g) 1¹⁄₂ bottles (1.12 kg) 3 tablespoons (23 g)

In a stainless steel pot, bring the first five ingredients to a boil.

Create a slurry by whisking equal amounts of arrowroot and water. Add the slurry to the sauce and reduce heat.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick prior to use.

Pastry & Dessert Techniques

Fig and Blackberry Port Wine Sauce

YIELD: 1¹⁄₂ quarts (24 servings, 2 fl oz each)

Sauce Ingredients: port wine water granulated sugar cinnamon stick vanilla bean, split and scraped arrowroot blackberries, whole fresh figs, cut into wedges

2 cups (474 g) 1 cup (237 g) 1 cup (201 g) 1 each ¹⁄₂ each 3 tablespoons (23 g) 1 cup (144 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (85 g)

Garnish Ingredients: fresh figs, cut into wedges blackberries, split in half

3 cups (510 g) 2 cups (288 g)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

In a stainless steel pot, bring port wine, water, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to a boil.

Create a slurry by whisking equal amounts of arrowroot and water. Add the slurry to thicken the sauce to a thin nappe consistency.

Add blackberries and figs.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove the vanilla bean pod and cinnamon stick. Purée if desired. Note: If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of simple syrup to thin it.

6. Garnish each plate with a fresh fig wedge and a blackberry half.

Chef’s Tip: If fresh figs are unavailable, substitute dry figs rehydrated with port wine. Note: This substitution may affect the consistency of the sauce. Use more or less slurry to compensate.

dessert sauces

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CRITICAL CONTROL POINTs

• The flavors of dessert sauces diminish as they cool. When tasting a hot dessert sauce, remember that the flavor will diminish as the sauce cools.

• To produce a strongly flavored dessert sauce, steep items such as vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, star anise, or lavender for as little as 15 minutes to as much as overnight in the refrigerator prior to straining the sauce.

• When using a cornstarch or arrowroot slurry, add the slurry after the dessert sauce has come to a boil and then cook 3–5 minutes longer to thoroughly cook the starch.

• Dessert sauces made without a starch to bind the solids with a liquid must be used as soon as possible because they will separate during storage.

• A sweet dessert sauce that is too thick can be thinned to the proper viscosity by adding a small amount of simple syrup. Note: A slightly thick sauce is preferable to a thin sauce. A sauce that is too thin will require more time and effort to fix by recooking, thickening, straining, and cooling it.

• Dessert sauces need to be strained and then cooled quickly to inhibit bacterial growth. Cool dessert sauces in an ice bath or in shallow containers in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally until chilled. Then transfer the dessert sauce to a bain-marie and cover tightly before storing it.

• When two or more dessert sauces are used for sauce painting, the sauces must be the same viscosity to ensure that they will hold a design on the plate when swirled together or pulled through one another.

Chocolate Sauces Chocolate dessert sauces made with dark, milk, or white chocolate pair well with many pastries and desserts.

See Figure 7-6. Chocolate sauces can be made with a ganache or simple syrup. A chocolate sauce made with syrup contains less fat than a sauce made with ganache. Chocolate sauces

can also be finished with brandy, cognac, Grand Marnier®, or other flavored liqueurs. Each type of alcohol creates an entirely different flavor profile when added to a chocolate sauce. Therefore, it is important to determine whether the alcohol flavor is appropriate for the pastry or dessert before it is used in a chocolate sauce.

Daniel NYC/T. Schauer

Figure 7-6. Chocolate dessert sauces made with dark, milk, or white chocolate pair well with many pastries and desserts.

Chocolate Sauce

YIELD: 1 quart (20 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: granulated sugar water dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces heavy cream brandy 1.

2.

3.

4.

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8 ounces (201 g) 8 ounces (237 g) 1 pound (454 g) 2 ounces (59 g) 2 ounces (59 g)

Add sugar to water and cook for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat and add chocolate, stirring until the pieces have melted.

Add cream and brandy.

Strain before use.

Pastry & Dessert Techniques

Caramel Sauces A caramel dessert sauce is a sugar solution that has been cooked to the caramel stage and is dark amber in color. If a caramel sauce is too light, it will not have a distinctive caramel flavor. However, if a caramel sauce cooks too long, it will become bitter and can burn. Once the caramel sauce is the proper color, it is removed from the heat and hot cream is stirred in slowly. Brandy or cognac is then added to finish the caramel sauce. A butterscotch sauce can be made by adding butter to a hot caramel sauce.

Bobby McRee Watson

Caramel Sauce

YIELD: 1 quart (20 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: granulated sugar water corn syrup heavy cream brandy 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1 pound (399 g) 2 cups (473 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (170 g) 2 cups (473 g) 2 ounces (59 g)

Cook sugar, water, and corn syrup to the caramel stage*.

Bring heavy cream to a boil and slowly add it to the hot caramel. Note: Use a long whip to prevent being burned by the steam.

Let the caramel cool slightly.

Add brandy.

Cover and refrigerate.

*Chef’s Tip: When making caramel sauce, use a pot that is at least five times larger in size than the amount of sugar solution being cooked to prevent the caramel from boiling over when the cream is added.

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Crème Anglaise Sauces Crème anglaise dessert sauces are made by whipping egg yolks and sugar together until they are thoroughly mixed and the mixture is pale yellow in color. Then, scalded half-and-half that has been steeped with a vanilla bean pod and its seeds is added. The mixture is then returned to the pot and cooked until a nappe consistency is reached. The crème anglaise is then strained into a clean bowl over ice and stirred until chilled.

Crème Anglaise

Crème anglaise sauces can be infused with many different flavors.

For example, a coconut crème anglaise goes well with tropical-flavored desserts. Unsweetened coconut milk is simply substituted for half of the half-and-half and shredded coconut is used instead of a vanilla bean.

YIELD: 1¹⁄₄ quarts (27 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: half-and-half vanilla bean, split and scraped granulated sugar egg yolks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1 quart (946 g) 1 each (3.7 g) 12 ounces (299 g) 9 each (161 g)

Scald half-and-half, vanilla bean pod and seeds, and half of the sugar in a nonreactive pot.

Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes.

Mix remaining sugar with yolks in a nonreactive bowl and set aside.

Bring heated liquid back to a scald. Remove the bean pod and discard.

Whisk scalded liquid into yolk and sugar mixture.

Pour entire mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.

Cook until the crème anglaise creates a nappe on the back of a spoon.

Immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl over crushed ice and stir until chilled.

VARIATIONS Espresso Crème Anglaise Sauce espresso power, instant

3 tablespoons (10.5 g)

1. Add 3 tablespoons of instant espresso powder in step 1 of the recipe.

Pistachio Crème Anglaise Sauce pistachio nuts, lightly toasted light corn syrup

1 cup (120 g) 3 tablespoons (63.7 g)

1. Blend pistachio nuts and corn syrup in a food processer until a fine paste is obtained.

2. Add pistachio paste in step 2 of the recipe.

Cinnamon Crème Anglaise Sauce cinnamon sticks, whole

3 each (0.3 g)

1. Add 3 whole sticks of cinnamon in step 1 of the recipe.

2. Remove cinnamon sticks in step 4 of the recipe.

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Sabayon Sauces Sabayon is the French name for the Italian dessert, zabaglione, which is made from egg yolks, sugar, and a liqueur or sweet wine. Sabayon can be served hot or cold as a dessert and is often used as a dessert sauce.

Sabayon can also be used as the base for mousses and buttercreams. A savory sabayon can be made without the sugar and with other flavorings instead. Savory sabayon is often used as a sauce for fish and shellfish.

Sabayon sauces are made by vigorously whipping egg yolks, sugar, and a liqueur or sweet wine over a pot of boiling water until a thick foam double or triple in size is created.

Gentle heat is necessary in order to ensure the sabayon sauce does not coagulate. Variations of sabayon sauce can be made with Grand Marnier® or champagne and citrus juices such as orange or lemon juice. The finely grated zest of a citrus fruit further enhances the flavor of a sabayon sauce.

Grand Marnier ® Orange Sabayon Sauce

All-Clad Metalcrafters

YIELD: 2¹⁄₂ cups (12 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: Grand Marnier® orange juice, fresh squeezed orange zest, grated granulated sugar egg yolks

2 tablespoons (28 g) ³⁄₈ cup (93.75 g) ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (1.4 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (100 g) 3 each (54 g)

1. Whip all ingredients together over a double boiler until cooked, and the sauce is thick and frothy and its temperature has reached 160° F. 2. Use immediately.

Champagne Lemon Sabayon Sauce

YIELD: 3¹⁄₂ cups (18 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: champagne lemon juice lemon zest granulated sugar egg yolks whipped cream, soft peak

¹⁄₂ cup (118 g) 2 tablespoons (30.5 g) ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (0.83 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (100 g) 4 each (71 g) ¹⁄₂ cup (59 g)

1. In a stainless steel bowl over a double boiler, whisk the champagne, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and egg yolks until cooked to 160°F. 2. Chill over ice until the sauce reaches room temperature.

3. Fold in whipped cream and use immediately.

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SIMPLE SYRUPS Some plated pastries and desserts do not require a dessert sauce. Sometimes, a simple syrup is all that is needed to subtly flavor a pastry or dessert. A simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water that have been brought to a boil until the sugar completely dissolves. Herbs and spices such as mint, cinnamon, lavender, or ginger can be added to the water before it is boiled to make a flavored syrup. Flavored syrups may also be used to flavor dessert sauces.

A classic example of a dessert is simple syrup poured over bite-size pieces of fresh fruit. See Figure 7-7.

A more exotic example is an Asian pear compote served with a syrup infused with star anise, lemon, and candied ginger.

Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-7. A classic example of a dessert is simple syrup poured over bite-size pieces of fresh fruit.

Strawberry Lavender Syrup

YIELD: 3 cups (16 servings, 1¹⁄₂ fl oz each)

Ingredients: water lavender flowers, dried granulated sugar strawberries, washed and sliced 1.

2.

3.

4.

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2 cups (473 g) 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) 1 cup (201 g) 1 quart (680 g)

Bring water, lavender flowers, and sugar to a boil.

Pour the hot mixture into a stainless steel bowl and add sliced strawberries.

Let the mixture come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Strain sauce, pressing on the strawberries to extract all of the juice. Discard the strawberry pulp.

Pastry & Dessert Techniques

FLAVOR PAIRING OPTIONS The flavor profiles of many plated pastries and desserts can be further enhanced by being paired with one or more dessert sauces. Making dessert sauces requires developing flavor through the proper balance of ingredients. It is especially important to balance the sweetness of ingredients because a dessert sauce that is too sweet can overpower the main flavor of the pastry or dessert.

Dessert sauces need to complement, add to, or oppose the main flavor of the plated pastry or dessert.

Regardless of the pairing option chosen, it is imperative that it does not overpower or detract from the main flavor of the pastry or dessert. See Figure 7-8. Inspiration for creating pairings can be found in the classic dessert flavor combinations that have stood the test of time or have been mass marketed as candy bars or cocktails.

Flavor pairing options Complementing the Main Flavor

Adding to the Main Flavor

• Vanilla + Dark Chocolate (e.g., Chocolate Sundae)

• Peaches + Raspberry Sauce (e.g., Peach Melba)

• Apple + Caramel (e.g., Caramel Coated Apples)

• Strawberry + Chocolate (e.g., Chocolate Dipped Strawberries)

• Lemon + Raspberry (e.g., Lemon Tart with Raspberry Sauce)

• Bread + Bourbon (e.g., Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce)

Opposing the Main Flavor • Sweet + Salty (e.g., caramel and salt) • Sweet + Spicy (e.g., cantaloupe and black pepper) • Sweet + Bitter (e.g., orange and dark chocolate) • Sweet + Tart (e.g., strawberry and balsamic vinegar)

Figure 7-8. Regardless of the pairing option chosen, it is imperative that it does not overpower or detract from the main flavor of the pastry or dessert.

Complementing the Main Flavor

Adding to the Main Flavor

Complementing the main flavor is accomplished by adding either the same flavor or a neutral flavor to a plated pastry or dessert. Chocolate ice cream served with chocolate sauce is a classic example of complementing the main flavor with the same flavor.

In contrast, serving a warm apple tart with caramel sauce and crème anglaise adds two neutral flavors that complement the main flavor of the apples. Another example is a lemon meringue tart served with raspberry sauce. The sour lemon flavor is enhanced by the tart flavor of raspberry. Neutral flavors that complement many different flavor profiles include vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, and almond.

Adding to the main flavor is accomplished by combining flavors that make the plated pastry or dessert more tantalizing. A classic example of adding to the main flavor is making a banana split with one scoop of strawberry ice cream topped with pineapple sauce, one scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, and one scoop of chocolate ice cream topped with strawberry sauce, which are all topped with whipped cream, crushed nuts, and maraschino cherries. Another classic example is Italian spumoni ice cream made by combining chocolate, pistachio, and cherry flavors. In both examples, several different flavors that neither complement nor oppose one another are combined to make a delicious dessert.

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Opposing the Main Flavor Opposing the main flavor is accomplished by combining flavors that are direct opposites, such as sweet and sour. For example, opposites are often used to create interesting wine and food pairings, such as serving a sweet wine with a spicy Cajun dish.

Another popular opposing flavor combination is mocha, in which sweet chocolate opposes bitter coffee. Semisweet dark chocolate is itself a good example of bitter opposing sweet. Some less pronounced examples of opposing flavors include pairing sweet Bavarian cream with a tart raspberry coulis or rice pudding with a lemon curd. When done in proper balance, opposing flavors can be exhilarating. However, if done incorrectly, this flavor pairing option can ruin an otherwise tasty pastry or dessert.

SAUCE PAINTING In addition to being a flavorful addition, dessert sauces allow a chef to express creativity by “painting the plate.� While there is no given formula for sauce painting, it is best to make a test plate before actually plating a pastry or dessert. The test plate allows the chef to check the viscosity of the sauce or sauces and to confirm color combinations and the intended artistic effect. A pastry and dessert plating station consists of appropriate tools, plates, dessert sauces, and garnishes. See Figure 7-9.

Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-9. A pastry and dessert plating station consists of appropriate tools, plates, dessert sauces, and garnishes.

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Empty dessert plates can be painted by drizzling, pooling, or layering dessert sauces or adding swirls or shapes such as dots or interwoven lines in different colors. Even synthetic-bristle paintbrushes can be used to apply a dessert sauce that directs the eye from one portion of the plate to another. Dessert sauces can also be applied using spoons, ladles, plastic squirt bottles, or cone-shaped dispensers called sauce guns. Squirt bottles and sauce guns are often used to create designs, especially when many plates are being painted at one time. See Figure 7-10.

Squirt bottle

The viscosity of each dessert sauce is particularly important, especially when more than one sauce is being used on a plate. Two or more dessert sauces that have the same viscosity can be successfully swirled together or pulled through one another using a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife. See Figure 7-11.

However, if the two sauces are not the same viscosity, the painting will not have the desired result.

Sauce Gun

Photos: Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-10. Dessert sauces are frequently applied using a squirt bottle or a sauce gun.

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Technique: Painting with Sauces A. Dessert sauces can be swirled together using a toothpick to create different effects.

B. Two or more sauces can be piped in a straight or curved line and then pulled through one another to create interesting designs.

C. Teardrops are made by pulling a second sauce through a base sauce in one clean stroke.

Photos: Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-11. Two or more dessert sauces that have the same viscosity can be successfully swirled together or pulled through one another using a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife.

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Outlines or border designs can be made by piping chocolate onto a plate using a small parchment paper piping bag called a paper cornet. As it is relatively easy to make a cornet, several cornets should be made before beginning to pipe any design.

Making several paper cornets allows maximum creativity and the use of differently colored sauces without having to stop and make more. See Figure 7-12.

Bobby McRee Watson

Technique: Making Paper Cornets 1. Fold a piece of parchment paper in half and use a sharp knife to cut the paper in half across the bottom.

2. Fold the two half sheets into two triangles and then cut the bottom again to make a total of four triangles.

Photos: Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-12. Making several cornets allows maximum creativity and the use of differently colored sauces without having to stop and make more. (continued on next page)

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Technique: Making Paper Cornets 3. Hold a single triangle at the bottom between the thumb and the fingers.

Then, roll and twist the paper into a cone while firmly holding the point at the bottom with the other hand.

4. Continue to twist and roll the paper until it forms a cornet. Then, tuck the top inside the cone to secure the cornet.

5. Pinch the cornet tightly at the fold so that the paper will not unravel.

Photos: Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-12. (continued from previous page and continues on next page)

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Technique: Making Paper Cornets 6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 until all four cornets have been made.

Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-12. (continued from previous page)

Dessert sauces can be used to fill in the spaces outlined after tempered chocolate has been piped onto a plate.

The technique of tempering chocolate is covered in Chapter 8: Chocolate.

Piping thin, delicate lines is a refined skill that takes practice. Using two hands for piping enables better control

of the paper cornet. Inflated piping is a technique used to pipe chocolate bullets or other accents onto curved portions of a chocolate outline to create more dimension. Once the chocolate piping is complete, the negative spaces are then filled in with colorful dessert sauce. See Figure 7-13.

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Technique: Piping Chocolate Designs 1. Tempered chocolate is often used to pipe detailed outlines or patterns onto a plate.

2. The negative spaces of a chocolate outline are filled in with colorful dessert sauces to enhance the presentation.

Photos: Bobby McRee Watson

Figure 7-13. Dessert sauces can be used to fill in the spaces outlined after tempered chocolate has been piped onto a plate.

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Many exquisite plate presentations can be created using a variety of sauce painting techniques. A pastry or dessert plate that has been painted with one or more dessert sauces can also be garnished with fruit, chocolate, sugar,

and/or other edible decorations. See Figure 7-14. A variety of exquisitely plated pastries and desserts created using well-practiced sauce painting techniques will fascinate any guest.

Daniel NYC / T. Schauer

Figure 7-14. A pastry or dessert plate that has been painted with one or more dessert sauces can also be garnished with fruit, chocolate, sugar, and/or other edible decorations.

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