NUTR 210 Module 11: Desserts and Non-Nutritive Food Substances

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MODULE 11.1: BAKED AND FROZEN DESSERTS

CONTINUE!

Baked desserts

Include cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries that rely on specific mixing methods and ingredient ratios to create different textures

Cake categories

Cakes are grouped as shortened, unshortened, and chiffon based on fat content and leavening method

Shortened cakes

Contain fat such as butter or oil, producing a tender crumb and softer texture

Unshortened cakes

Contain little or no fat and rely on whipped eggs for structure and volume (example: sponge cake)

Chiffon cakes

Made with oil and whipped egg whites, creating a light texture with moist crumb

Flour in cakes

Provides structure through gluten formation and starch gelatinization during baking

Sugar in cakes

Sweetens, increases tenderness, improves browning, and helps retain moisture

Fat in cakes

Adds tenderness, flavor, and interferes with gluten development for softer texture

Eggs in cakes

Provide structure, moisture, color, and emulsification while helping leavening

Milk in cakes

Hydrates dry ingredients, dissolves sugar, and produces steam for leavening

Leavening agents in cakes

Baking powder, baking soda, air, and steam expand during baking to create volume

Flavorings in cakes

Vanilla, chocolate, spices, fruits, and nuts enhance taste and variety

Cookies definition

Small baked desserts with high sugar and fat content and relatively low moisture

Cookie texture factors

Sugar type, fat type, and flour influence spread, crispness, and tenderness

Brown sugar vs white sugar

Brown sugar produces soft, moist cookies; white sugar produces crisp cookies

Fat in cookies

Butter increases spread and flavor, shortening produces thicker, softer cookies

Eggs in cookies

Add moisture, structure, and help control cookie spread during baking

Pastry definition

Tender or flaky baked dough used for pies, tarts, and filled desserts

Types of pastry

Laminated pastries create layers, while nonlaminated pastries are more compact and tender

Nonlaminated pastry

Fat blended directly into flour producing short, crumbly texture

Laminated pastry

Dough repeatedly folded with fat creating many layers separated by steam

Puff pastry

Laminated pastry with many layers that rise dramatically during baking

Phyllo dough

Very thin sheets layered with fat to create crisp texture

Croissant dough

Laminated yeast dough that produces rich, flaky pastry

Fat in pastry

Coats flour particles and limits gluten formation for tenderness and flakiness

Liquid in pastry

Cold water hydrates flour and creates steam for leavening

Sugar in pastry

Adds sweetness, browning, and tenderizes by competing for water

Flaky pastry technique

Keep fat cold and in small pieces so steam separates layers during baking

Tender pastry technique

Blend fat more thoroughly and handle dough gently to limit gluten formation

Frozen desserts

Include ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and other frozen treats

Ice cream

Frozen dessert with highest fat content made from dairy and sweeteners

Ice cream composition

In Canada must contain at least 10% milk fat

Premium ice cream

Contains higher milk fat (up to 20%) for richer flavor and smoother texture

Low-fat ice cream

Contains 5–7.5% milk fat with added sugar for improved texture

Gelato

Denser frozen dessert with more milk, less cream, and less air than ice cream

Frozen yogurt

Lower-fat frozen dessert made with cultured dairy products

Sherbet

Fruit-based frozen dessert with small amount of dairy and lighter texture

Sorbet

Dairy-free frozen dessert made from fruit purée and sugar syrup

Water ices

Made from sweetened water and fruit juice with no fat or dairy

Overrun

Amount of air incorporated into frozen desserts affecting texture and volume

Heat shock

Temperature changes that cause large ice crystals and grainy texture

Storage of frozen desserts

Keep very cold, avoid thawing and refreezing to maintain smooth texture

MODULE 11.2: SWEETENERS

CONTINUE!

Sweeteners

Ingredients added to foods to provide sweetness and affect texture, browning, and moisture

Nutritive sweeteners

Provide calories and raise blood glucose levels (example: sugar, honey, agave)

Nonnutritive sweeteners

Provide little to no calories and are much sweeter than sugar

Examples of nutritive sweeteners

Table sugar, honey, coconut sugar, raw sugar, agave, corn syrup

Sugar alcohols

Sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and maltitol provide fewer calories than sugar

Examples of nonnutritive sweeteners

Saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K, stevia, neotame

White sugar in baking

Provides sweetness, structure, browning, and moisture retention

Brown sugar in baking

Adds moisture, soft texture, and deeper caramel flavor

Honey in baking

Adds flavor, promotes browning, and increases moisture retention

Corn syrup

Prevents sugar crystallization and improves chewiness and shine

Agave syrup

Sweeter than sugar and dissolves easily in beverages and baked goods

Sugar alcohols in baking

Add bulk and moisture with less browning than sugar

Using nonnutritive sweeteners

Should not replace more than half the sugar in baked goods

Aspartame

Not heat stable and loses sweetness when baked

Reduced browning with substitutes

Occurs because many nonnutritive sweeteners do not caramelize

Recipes suited for sugar substitutes

Quick breads, muffins, fruit crisps, and puddings

Sweeteners and structure

Sugar contributes to tenderness and volume in baked goods

Sweeteners and moisture

Sugar helps retain moisture and extend shelf life

Sweeteners and browning

Sugar promotes caramelization and Maillard reaction

Sweetener substitution caution

Replacing sugar affects texture, flavor, and browning in baking