Pastry Chef Online: How to Think Like a Pastry Chef
How to Think Like a Pastry Chef
Dessert Garnishes
Okay, before we get way into this, let me tell you some really simple things you can do to add interest to your plate. Dusting powdered sugar, cocoa powder or both on a plate (or on top of a dessert) is a simple way to add more visual interest without drastically affecting the flavor/texture of your dessert. Cut a template out of a cake box or other thin cardboard, shake the powdered sugar or cocoa powder, then carefully remove the template. You'll have a design on your dessert. Yay! You can even use a plastic doily for an intricate design. One thing to remember, if you are plating individual desserts, you will have to actually pick up the plates, so you don't want fingerprints in your cocoa. Consider dusting only half the plate so you've got someplace to pick it up.
Here's a radical thought. Use powdered spices for dusting, or make a wee pile of the spice on the plate. You can also garnish with a finishing salt--fleur de sel (salt flowers) or sel gris (gray salt) both work well, but there are all sorts of salts out there. Use just a few flakes or grains, either on the dessert itself or on the plate. Remember, salt is a flavor enhancer. I plate our chocolate mousse with peanut dacquoise with a few grains of sel gris on top. You can also grind up a spice (vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, whatever) in your spice mill or coffee grinder and add that to your salt. Easy as that, you've got vanilla salt, or cinnamon salt as a garnish/finishing salt.
Please click here to read all about the importance of the quenelle. And I'm not kidding--the quenelle is a shape you must learn to make if you want to plate an elegant dessert.
Here's a listing, by no means exhaustive, of possible garnishes that you can add to your creation to complement or contrast with the main event. Please feel free to take these ideas and run with them. Put your own spin on them. Use the buttons to the left, or just click the links below. Enjoy!
Crunchy Creamy Crisp
Candied nuts creme anglaise tuiles
Brittles chocolate sauce streusel
Spiced nuts dulce de leche feuilletine
caramel sauce
creme fraiche
foams/sabayon
creme chantilly
Other
Paint
Coulis and Gastrique
Sand
Simple Syrup
Marshmallows
Looking for more ideas? Use the search feature.
Here's a radical thought. Use powdered spices for dusting, or make a wee pile of the spice on the plate. You can also garnish with a finishing salt--fleur de sel (salt flowers) or sel gris (gray salt) both work well, but there are all sorts of salts out there. Use just a few flakes or grains, either on the dessert itself or on the plate. Remember, salt is a flavor enhancer. I plate our chocolate mousse with peanut dacquoise with a few grains of sel gris on top. You can also grind up a spice (vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, whatever) in your spice mill or coffee grinder and add that to your salt. Easy as that, you've got vanilla salt, or cinnamon salt as a garnish/finishing salt.
Please click here to read all about the importance of the quenelle. And I'm not kidding--the quenelle is a shape you must learn to make if you want to plate an elegant dessert.
Here's a listing, by no means exhaustive, of possible garnishes that you can add to your creation to complement or contrast with the main event. Please feel free to take these ideas and run with them. Put your own spin on them. Use the buttons to the left, or just click the links below. Enjoy!
Crunchy Creamy Crisp
Candied nuts creme anglaise tuiles
Brittles chocolate sauce streusel
Spiced nuts dulce de leche feuilletine
caramel sauce
creme fraiche
foams/sabayon
creme chantilly
Other
Paint
Coulis and Gastrique
Sand
Simple Syrup
Marshmallows
Looking for more ideas? Use the search feature.
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