2. TYPES OF DESSERTS AND THEIR
CHARACTERISTICS
I. FRUITS
- THE SIMPLEST DESSERT AND ONE OF THE BEST ARE FRUITS BECAUSE THEY ARE NUTRITIOUS,
APPETIZING, AND EASY TO PREPARE AND SERVE.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD FRUIT DESSERTS:
A. APPETIZING AROMA
B. SIMPLE
C. CLEAN WASHED APPEARANCE
D. SLIGHTLY CHILLED
3. II. CHEESE
- 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, SHEEP, LLAMA, REINDEER AND BUFFALO. CHEESE DIFFERS
DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF MILK USED. THE KINDS OF FUNGI AND
BACTERIA THAT DEVELOP THEM, THE KINDS OF CHEESE-MAKING
PROCEDURES USED, THE SEASONINGS AND THE RIPENING PROCESSES
ALSO DISTINGUISH ITS VARIETY. EACH VARIETY HAS A DEFINITE
CHARACTER, A SPECIAL APPEAL, AND PARTICULAR USES.
4. 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
5. III. 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 SECOND THE FRUIT GELATIN TO WHICH FLAVOR,
COLOR, AND SUGAR HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDED.
IV. CUSTARD
- BAKED AND SOFT CUSTARDS VARY IN SO MANY WAYS THAT AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF
DESSERTS CAN BE PREPARED. CREAMY, DELICATE, BAKED CUSTARDS MAY BE SERVED IN
THEIR BAKING CUPS OR MAY BE UNMOLDED AND SERVED WITH FRUIT GARNISHES OR
WITH DESSERT SAUCES. THE SOFT OR “STIRRED” CUSTARD IS INCORRECTLY CALLED THE
“BOILED” CUSTARD. THE INGREDIENTS ARE THE SAME AS THOSE USED FOR BAKED
CUSTARD BUT THE COOKING PROCESS IS DIFFERENT
6. CHARACTERISTICS OF BAKED CUSTARD
A. FIRMNESS OF SHAPE
B. SMOOTH, TENDER TEXTURE
C. RICH AND CREAMY CONSISTENCY
D. EXCELLENT FLAVOR
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOFT CUSTARD
A. VELVETY SMOOTH TEXTURE
B. RICH FLAVOR
C. HAS POURING CONSISTENCY OF HEAVY CREAM
7. V. PUDDINGS
-PUDDINGS ARE RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO PREPARE AND VARY WITH SAUCES. THESE ARE CLASSIFIED AS:
1. CORNSTARCH PUDDING, SOMETIMES CALLED BLANCMANGE
2. RICE PUDDING
3. BREAD PUDDING
CHARACTERISTICS OF PUDDING
A. ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE
B. EXCELLENT CONSISTENCY
C. WELL – BLENDED FLAVOR
D. FIRMNESS OF SHAPE
E. AN ACCOMPANYING SAUCE TO ADD INTEREST
8. VI. 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 EITHERHOT OR COLD.
VII. 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 MOUSSES– 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