Healthy appetite for desserts.
Dear Surgery: Do you have any suggestions for healthy desserts that still look and taste good?
The Surgery says: Everyone likes to indulge in something sweet. As the weather brightens, licensees can try reviving winter desserts with a touch of springtime freshness and offer customers new, yet familiar, options to keep them coming back for more. Fruit is an obvious way of offering healthier desserts. A fresh fruit medley is a regular, popular favourite. However, for an innovative twist, a more inspirational approach may be a winner. A slice of grilled pineapple and griddled banana topped with crème fraîche will widen the eyes of any customer, or combining fresh fruit pieces on a skewer as a fruit kebab will offer something fun for customers of all ages.
Often, it's the way the dish is served that will convey its indulgence. To add a burst of springtime colour, serve desserts with a sprinkling of seasonal fruit pieces or try finishing a dish with a puréed coulis of fresh fruit. Alternatively, maintain the luxury level by lightening desserts with crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt instead of cream. There are plenty of speedy routes to lightening the dessert menu, such as offering sorbet as an alternative to ice cream.
The demand for healthier options has initiated the manufacture of pre-prepared light options that are ideal for busy kitchens, such as the reduced-fat passion fruit and mango cheesecake from Alveston Kitchens. While it's tempting to fill a menu with lighter options, publicans must remember that delicious treats will always be popular. The essence of eating healthily is about balance, so controlling the portion size or offering various portion sizes of "sinful" desserts will cater for most customers.
Advice from Ben Woodhouse, 3663 catering development controller.