LESSON 1.

PRESENT AND SERVE PLATED

DESSERT
Technology and Livelihood Education

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After going through this lesson, the learners are expected to:
Home Economics A. Portion and present desserts according to
Bread and Pastry Production product items, occasion and enterprise
Quarter 4 – Module 4 (Week 7&8) standards and procedures; and

PRESENT DESSERT B. Plate and decorate desserts in accordance with

enterprise standards and procedures.

Overview of Dessert Plating

The art of the plated dessert is a fairly new aspect

today. Plating styles have changed. Gradually, pastry chefs
began to shift their focus back to flavor, discovering that they
could create great-looking and great tasting desserts without
building towering constructions.

An important factor in the development of plating styles

is the way pastry and kitchen chefs work together as a team to
shape the culinary identity of the restaurant. Dessert menus
are treated as continuations of the dining experience, not
simply as an unrelated sweet course tacked on at the end.
Teacher: CHRISTINE G. TANGAN
Dessert plating styles are constantly changing and
Cell #: 09389210788 evolving. Thanks to today’s creative pastry chefs.

Name of student:_________________________

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PLATING DESSERT C. To make a dessert that is affordable in the terms
of the restaurant
Components of a plated dessert
This is in terms of both complexity and price. A
dessert that is too complex will put too much stress
on the kitchen staff when it needs to be reproduced
and a dessert that is too expensive will never be
purchased by the customer.

Plated dessert presentations or simply plated desserts

Four components of plated dessert
are desserts that are served by an establishment such as
restaurant, resort, or dessert café after it is ordered by a guest
and enjoyed on site. 1. The Main Item
There are four components of a plated dessert: The main
item, the dessert sauces, the crunch component, and the
garnish. A plated dessert should have all of these items, but if
it lacks any one of these items except for the main item it can
still be a plated dessert. It is widely believed that all of the
components should be edible. Many chefs believe that each
component should be eaten as well. The main item can be anything such as a slice of pie, a mini tart, a
cluster of cookies, custard. It is the actual dessert itself. The
product should weigh between three and five ounces but it is not
Three main goals of plated dessert unusual for it to weigh as much as 8 ounces. The main item
should never be large that is overwhelming. It should be the main
focal point of the dessert presentation. It should be the main
A. To satisfy the customer source of flavor for the presentation while the other components
contrast and complement it.
This emphasizes flavor above all else, though you
can argue that the actual visual design of the plate 2. The Sauce
also satisfies a customer.

B. To complement the venue’s theme

This emphasizes the visual and creative expressions

of a dessert continue to bring customers back.

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 Plated desserts should have up to two sauces The garnish is the final component of a plated dessert.
each. Overall the sauces should not weigh more than Common garnishes include fresh mint leaves, powdered sugar,
one to two ounces with the exception of a flooded chocolate piping, fruit, chocolate and sugar work, and sorbet. Garnish
design. Sauce is very important for dry items like pies should be used with restraint just as much as it should be used
and cakes although a sauce can also be added to any tastefully. A garnish that is over used loses its effect and can ruin a
dessert. The sauces used should be about the same dessert. The most commonly over used garnish is the mint leaf.
consistency. The sauces should be able to hold their Although a mint leaf has a refreshing flavor and adds a color to
own shape. This allows for dessert sauces to be desserts, this garnish is very common. A pastry chef should push his
manipulated like paint to create fun designs. boundaries and use his creativity to find a garnish that works better
than a mint leaf.
3. Crunch Component
Portion control

Portion control means ensuring that the right quantity of food

is prepared and served every time a customer orders a menu item.
Dishes can be served in different profile.

-Single dessert: larger portion

-Buffet dessert: smaller portion.

A crunch component is an added component that adds a crunch to
the dessert. It is usually a dry decorative cookie or biscuit added to Restaurants can present greater variety while maintaining
any dessert to make it crunchy. exactly how it sounds. It enriches the cost control and quality. In other words, customers will be
dish and makes the flavor of the dish more enjoyable from the first consistently satisfied every time they visit.
bite up to the last. This is especially important to soft desserts like
custard and ice cream. Sample
dessert
[Link]
plating

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 Here is a picture from Pastry’s Best magazine last Here is another dessert from Grand Finales: The Art of
Nov. 2006 of Alicia Prescott’s coconut cream caramel with Plated Dessert by Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty. Notice the
pan fried banana bread, mango papaya piccalilli, and chocolate squiggles that give lots of height to an otherwise flat
pistachio lime tuiles. Note that the main item is the flan and dessert. Notice how the colors play off of each other so well
everything seems to draw your eye toward it. Notice all the but do not overwhelm one another as well. They work together
different shapes used to give the presentation life and energy. to make the plate look appetizing.

This is from Grand Finales: The Art of Plated Dessert

by Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty. Notice the size of the This is Chef Jim Graham’s White Coffee Ice Cream taken from
main item which is a scoop of sorbet compared to the rest of Grand Finales: The Art of Plated Dessert by Tish Boyle and Timothy
the dessert. While unmistakably stunning, the size of the main Moriarty. It is so simple and complex at the same time. It features a
item is a little underwhelming. In truth, this plate is normally simple style and a random arrangement but most of all, it is
used as an intermezzo or palate refresher and probably does monochromatic. It isn’t all white but shades of white and the result is a
not take much time to make. beautiful layer of depth.

NOTE: PLEASE PROCEED TO THE WORKSHEET AND

ANSWER THE ACTIVITY

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LESSON 2. PLAN, PREPARE, AND PRESENT Facilities
DESSERT BUFFET SELECTION OR  Electricity
PLATING  Working space
 Ability of the staff in the kitchen
 Ability of the staff front of house
After going through this lesson, the learners are expected to:
 Quality of the equipment that is given to work with
C. Plan and utilize dessert buffet services  Preparation of the product can be conducted elsewhere.
according to available facilities, equipment and 
customer/enterprise requirements; and All these possibilities need to be considered when planning the
dessert display.
D. Prepare and arrange variety of desserts in
accordance with enterprise standards and Desirable equipment for display
procedures.
 serving platters
 sauce jugs
Dessert Presentations  plates
 cutlery
Desserts can be presented in a variety of ways: as party  napkins
favors in a dessert buffet or as a grouping of delicious  tongs
confections aimed at dazzling your guests.  lifters
 refrigerated cooling
There are certain desserts that should be available for  hot display bain marie.
display but it depends on the available facilities.

Plan a dessert display appropriate to the location. Production, storage and service requirements.
A. Will it be displayed in a fully equipped commercial After the product has been produced and stored, the
kitchen in a five star location? equipment needed to display and serve desserts need to be
taken into consideration, as well as where it is going to be
B. Will it be displayed at a tranquil picnic spot by the river served.
25 kilometres from the place of production?
Choice of Location
C. If there is no electricity then the possibilty of having ice  Most establishments will be operating out of hotel
cream is now greatly diminshed and chilled cream and restaurant kitchens with all the required
cakes and desserts will not be on the menu. equipment.

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  Prudent management practices require a complete LESSON 3. STORE AND PACKAGE DESSERTS
list of all equipment that may be required to be taken
'offsite' for when customer desires a function 'by the
After going through this lesson, the learners are expected to:
river' or “in the park”.
A. Store desserts in accordance with the required
temperature and customer’s specifications; and
Complexity of dessert B. Package desserts in accordance with established
standards and procedures.
 Some desserts are more complex than others to serve. Storing desserts
 Hot souffle needs special consideration and teamwork Knowing the shelf life of a dessert or dessert
so it is not desirable to place on menu for dessert accompaniment can broaden a host's list of sweet selections
display.
for an appropriate ending to a holiday menu. Here are
 Cold souffle would be a better choice for a dessert suggestions that will inspire and assist a dessert cook.
display. It will stand at room temperature for short
periods if required.  Puff pastry shells, the crisp casings for fresh fruit or
pastry cream can be baked ahead and cooled. They
In summary, always keep in mind these general concepts may be left on the baking sheet for protection, covered
when planning dessert presentations. with foil and stored in the freezer for up to one week.

 Pate a choux or cream puff pastry for eclairs or cream

 Every component should have a purpose. Do not add
puffs. They can be stored in rigid airtight containers in
elements merely to make the plate fuller. Limit the items
added primarily for decoration. the freezer up to five days. Do not store in the
refrigerator because pastry absorbs odors and can be
 Components or elements can work together by stale quickly.
complementing or by contrasting.
 Baked cream puffs freeze beautifully up to one month
 When elements contrast, be sure they balance. For example,
when tightly covered. When filled with ice cream and
when you balance a rich mousse with a tart fruit sauce, be
sure the sauce isn’t so tart or strong flavored that it frozen cream puffs should be made with milk instead
overwhelms the mousse. of water which freezes more solidly, making the puffs
hard and dry.
 It is possible to get carried away with the concept of balance. It
is not necessary to garnish every soft dessert with something
crisp or every hot dessert with something old. Sometimes  Classic puff pastry dough can be wrapped in plastic
customers prefer just a plain, unadorned dish of ice cream or a and stored in the refrigerator up to three days. If
simple slice of warm apple pie. freezing, overwrap plastic wrapped dough with foil and
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 freeze up to three months. Thaw in refrigerator 24 up to one week. This may not work in humid areas. In
hours before rolling. humid or rainy weather, dry them in a 225 degree
oven, 20 to 30 minutes longer and use immediately.
Avoid odor absorption
 Butter cream filled and frosted meringue tortes freeze
 The butter cream when well-covered to prevent odor well up to three days but taste best at room
absorption can be stored in the refrigerator up to one temperature.
week in the freezer up to one month. Allow to stand at
room temperature one hour after removing from
Storing cold and hot desserts
freezer or refrigerator, then beat until smooth.
As many desserts contain egg and dairy products, they
 Whipping cream will be more stable if slowly beaten present a potential health hazard if not stored properly. Proper
and not over whipped. Granulated or extra fine sugar storage means cooled desserts must be covered with plastic
and vanilla may be added before whipping.
or placed in lidded containers before storing in the cool room.
 The royal icing keeps three to four weeks in the Observe the following guidelines.
refrigerator and can be rebeaten before used. To keep
it from hardening, cover with plastic wrap and place
damp towel over the top.  Desserts containing uncooked eggs should be handled
with extreme care, as raw egg is a medium in which
 Store baklava or other sweet, sticky filo pastries at dangerous bacteria such as salmonella can thrive. This
room temperature, uncovered, up to eight hours. To means you need to be really careful with food such as
refresh, bake for 10 minutes at 400 0 F. chocolate mousse and uncooked cheesecakes that
contain egg whites for aeration.
 Baked sweet or short crust pastry shells can be stored
in plastic bags in refrigerator up to two days or frozen
up to one month.  Egg custards contain protein, which provides good food for
bacteria. If custards such as crème caramel or trifle are
 Unbaked pastry dough can be shaped into a disc, not heated and cooled properly and quickly, bacteria that
placed in freezer plastic bag. Defrost at room are present in the custard can grow quickly to dangerous
temperature or refrigerator until softened but still very numbers.
cold for easier rolling.

 Pavlovas and other meringue sheets or circles may be

stored in airtight metal containers at room temperature
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  Any dessert that is not required for immediate Sanitary Practices When Storing Desserts
consumption must be cooled immediately and stored in
the cool room until required.  Handle the food properly to prevent spoilage and
contamination.
 Wash utensils and equipment thoroughly.
 If you plan to keep a pre-prepared dessert hot until  Keep away from food when you are ill.
service, make sure that the temperature of the food is over  Store foods and ingredients properly.
65oC. Never leave an egg mixture in a Bain Marie for any  Safeguard the food during distribution and service.
length of time. Any dessert that has been kept hot in the 
Bain Marie for a while should be discarded at the end of Storage Techniques
service.
A. Refrigerate – to keep cold or cool
B. Cold Storage – the process of storing food by means of
 If milk and cream are used in desserts such as trifle and refrigeration
custards, they must not be left to stand at room C. Chilling – to refrigerate or to reduce the temperature of food
temperature for any length of time. They should be kept in
Packaging desserts
the refrigerator until the last possible moment to prevent
the risk of food poisoning. When packaging desserts, there are several things to
consider, such as protection, tampering resistance, and
 Many desserts have a limited storage life. Make sure you special physical, chemical, or biological needs. The nutritional
check with your supervisor and follow organisational information must also be displayed in the product label.
requirements.
Packaging Materials for Storing Desserts The main aim of packaging is to keep the food in good
condition until it is sold and consumed. It should also attract
 glass container and encourage customers to purchase the product. Correct
 plastic container packaging is essential to achieve both these objectives.
 plastic/cellophane
 aluminum foil Packaging should provide the correct environmental
 packaging tapes conditions for food, starting from the time food is packed until
 boxes
its consumption. A good package should therefore have the
Equipment following functions:

 chiller  Provide a barrier against dirt and other contaminants

 freezer keeping the product clean.
 refrigerator

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 Prevent losses. For example, packages should be These include bamboo, banana, coconut, and cotton fibers.
securely closed to prevent leakage. These natural materials are converted into yarn, string, or cord which
will then form the packaging material. These materials are very
 Protect food against physical and chemical damage
flexible, with resistance to tearing, and are lightweight for handling
such as the harmful effects of air, light, insects, and
and transportation. All of these materials are biodegradable and re-
rodents. Each product will have its own needs.
usable because they came from vegetables.
 Provide protection and convenience in handling and
Paper
transport during distribution and marketing.

 Help the customers identify the food and instruct

them how to use it correctly.

 Prevents any wastage such as leakage or Paper is an inexpensive packaging material. It is, however,
deterioration which may occur during transportation highly absorptive, fairly easily torn, and offers no barrier to water or
and distribution.
gases.

Types of Packaging materials The degree of paper reuse will depend on its former
use. Therefore, dirty or stained paper should be rejected.
In many developing countries the most commonly used Newsprint should be used only as a outer wrapper and should
packaging materials include: not come into direct contact with food, as the ink used is toxic.
A. vegetable fiber Glass
B. papers, newsprint
C. glass
D. Plastics
E.
Vegetable fiber basket

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 Glass has many properties which make it a popular
choice as a packaging material.

 Glass is able to withstand heat treatments

such as pasteurization and sterilization.

 It does not react with food.

 It protects the food from crushing and bruising.

The use of various plastics for containing and wrapping food
 It is resistant to moisture, gases, odors and
depends on what is available. Plastics are extremely useful as they
microorganisms.
can be made in either soft or hard forms, as sheets or containers, and
 It is reusable, re-sealable and recyclable with different thickness, light resistance, and flexibility. The filling and
sealing of plastic containers is similar to glass containers.
 It is transparent which allows products to be
displayed. Colored glass may be used either to
protect the food from light or to attract customers.
NOTE: PLEASE PROCEED TO WORKSHEET AND ANSWER THE
Disadvantages of using glass as packaging materials ACTIVITIES

 Glass is heavier than many other packaging MAKE YOUR PROJECT MAKING IN THE POST- ASSESSMENT
materials and this may lead to higher transport FOUND IN THE WORKSHEET
costs.

 It can be easily fractured, scratched and broken

when heated or cooled too quickly.

 Potentially serious hazards may arise from glass

cracks or fragments in the food.

Plastics

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