The dessert world has seen many trends in recent years – cake pops, specialty cupcakes and who can forget the infamous Cronut™. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas asked two chefs from its Culinary Council, Chef Jenny McCoy, and Chef Scott Green, to look into their crystal ball and offer insights on where they believe desserts are headed in the months ahead.
Nielsen-Massey and its culinary council recently released their third annual Flavor Guide. This guide will take you on a journey, exploring current food trends and flavor forecasts from the chef’s perspective. Here’s a sneak peek into the guide. You can download the full Flavor Guide by visiting: NielsenMassey.com/FlavorGuide
Éclair: The New Cupcake
Get ready for the éclair invasion – and we believe it has serious staying power. It may even become, dare we say, the next cupcake? In France, éclair and choux pasty shops are opening under big pastry names, and it’s only a matter of time before American restaurants and retailers follow suit.
Colorful & Crazy Indulgencies
Modest desserts will take a step into the shadows while fun, unique and wildly colorful desserts take the spotlight. We anticipate more Hong Kong waffle cones, French macaron ice cream sandwiches, rainbow-colored croissants, and more.
Bark Infusion
Bark-infused creations using Douglas fir, cherry tree, sweet birch, pine and more are about to make their debut on creative dessert menus. A staple ingredient in root beer, bark has a unique, woody sweetness that lends itself to innovative ice creams, custards, pastries and dessert wines. Expect to see everything from Douglas firs infused brandy (eau de vie) to croissant dough wrapped around cherry tree branches and baked to infuse flavor.
Lamination Techniques & Viennoiserie
Experimentation in lamination techniques and viennoiserie will be a growing trend in 2019. Whether baking in geometric shapes, applying patterns to dough surfaces or exploring new structures for layered pastries, new forms and looks are being developed to modernize classic products like brioche, puff pastry, croissants, among other things.
Intricate Design Patterns
A resurgence in attention to detail and technique means chefs will incorporate intricate and tessellated (a repeating pattern of geometric shapes) designs, as well as extravagant piping techniques into their creations. These aesthetically-pleasing touches appeal to those who like to get lost in the order and precision of a well-designed and executed pattern.
Ingredients, Foods & Flavors on The Rise:
• Bitter stone fruit
• Sorghum
• Moringa
• Matcha
• Tahini
• Savory yogurts
• Honey or bee pollen
• Nasturtium (edible flowers)
• Artisanal butters
• Global breakfast offerings
Turn This Into That:
Fast, economical ways to freshen up menu staples by adding one or two ingredients.
Use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Flavorings to delight and enhance a myriad of creative applications. From seasonal inspired Vanilla Cocktails to Spiced Whipped Cream, Maple Tahitian Butter, or a seductively savory Orange and Vanilla Beurre Blanc for unforgettable seafood entrees.
Warehouse Highlight:
Pure Lemon Paste
Crafted with the same passion and attention to detail that has always set apart Nielsen-Massey products, their Pure Lemon Paste inspires creativity by providing a convenient way to add a layer of sweet, bright, citrus flavor to a variety of recipes. Use as a glaze, or in frosting for cakes, cookies, scones, and muffins, add to yogurt or whipped cream, brush on fish before grilling or broiling, even use in dressings for cold pasta or vegetable salads. Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Paste is all-natural, allergen-free, GMO-free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free.
With over a century’s worth of experience, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas delivers premium, high-quality, versatile vanilla and flavorings to the foodservice industry. For consistent flavor and reliable quality, chefs of all disciplines have grown to trust and depend on Nielsen-Massey for all flavor ingredient needs with a wide variety of products that are all-natural, allergen-free, GMO-free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. Organic and Fairtrade Certified options are also available.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Pastry Chef Jenny McCoy is a well-traveled food entrepreneur, cookbook author, and award-winning pastry chef with more than 20 years’ experience, including time spent working in some of the country’s top restaurants including Charlie Trotter’s, Blackbird, Emeril’s Delmonico, Craft and more. From restaurant kitchens to food start-ups, Chef McCoy created two lines of baking mixes, one of which was exclusive for Crate & Barrel stores nationwide. She also spent several years as a chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC.
Chef Scott Green is an award-winning pastry chef with more than 17 years’ experience in the culinary world. In 2016, Dessert Professional named Chef Green one of the top 10 pastry chefs in North America. He has taught at the French
Pastry School in Chicago and has worked for several well-known and respected restaurants and resorts, including the Langham and the Four Seasons Resort Aviara. Chef Green is the Exec Pastry Chef and author of the Devil’s Food Kitchen baking and pastry blog.
