Types of Fillings and Decoration Techniques

Taken from the book “Practical Cookery”

Finishing Techniques

• • • Adding finish to savoury products is known as garnishing.

GARNISHING

There are many different herbs and vegetables which are used as garnishes: – Chopped herbs ─ Watercress – – – Sprigs of herbs Twirls of onion Skins used to create roses ─ Twist of fruit or cucumber ─ Carved flowers ─ Small side salad

Finishing Techniques

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PASTIES AND PIES

Pies and tarts are usually decorated with left over pastry in a variety of styles: – – – Lattice work – strips of pastry are crossed Leaf decorations – tops are garnished with pastry leaves Fluting – edges of pastry are secured together by a fork

Finishing Techniques

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GLAZING

Glazing is a technique where a liquid is coated onto un-cooked pastry, bread and biscuits so that once cooked it adds to the finish of a dish: – – Milk – aids browning Beaten Egg – aids browning provides shine – Sugar Glaze – adds shine (water + sugar) – – Colour Wash – water dyed with food colouring Poppy Seeds + Sesame Seeds – sprinkle on bread

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Finishing Techniques

Adding finish to sweet products is known as decorating:

FILLINGS

Cakes, sponges and biscuits may be filled or sandwiched together with a variety of different fillings, this adds to the finish of the dish. Examples are:

Creams

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Butter Cream

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Whipped Cream ─ Pastry Cream ─ Clotted Cream Fruit

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Fresh fruit puree

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Preserves and jams ─ Dipped, crystallised or carved fruit Pastes and Spreads

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Chocolate

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Praline ─ Nut ─ Curds

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Finishing Techniques

SPREADING AND COATING This is where smaller cakes and gateaux are covered top and sides with either of the following: – Fresh whipped cream ─ Chocolate – Fondant – water, glucose, sugar ─ Meringue – Royal Icing – icing sugar, egg white, glycerine ─ Buttercream – Water Icing – water, icing sugar PIPING Piping is a skill which takes practice. Many different types of piping tubes are available to create different shapes. The following mixtures can be used for piping: – Royal Icing ─ Chocolate ─ Fondant – Fresh Cream ─ Meringue ─ Boiled Sugar DUSTING, DREDGING, SPRINKLING These techniques are used to give the product a final design or glaze during cooking: – Dusting – a light even finish ─ Dredging – heavier dusting with sugar – Sprinkling – a very light sprinkling of sugar Can use icing, caster, granulated white, Demerara, muscavado, or dark brown sugar – can also add vanilla or flavourings to the sugar, can also add food colouring to colour the sugar

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Finishing Techniques

Please remember that decorating sweet products is an art form and there are a range of equipment and products you can use GLACE AND CRYSTALLISED FRUITS – Cherries ─ Lemons ─ Oranges – Pineapple ─ Figs CRYSTALLISED FLOWERS – Edible flower petals painted with egg white and sugar CRYSTALLISED STEMS – Angelica NUTS – Almonds – Brazil Nuts CHOCOLATE – Rolls – Vermicelli – Angelica ─ coconut ─ Pistachio ─ Flakes ─ Chocolate piping ─ Hazelnuts ─ Chips

Finishing Techniques

• DECORATION FOR CAKES – – Marzipan – ground almonds, eggs Ready to roll icing – – Cake boards Ribbons – – Marzipan and icing decorations Colouring pens and icing – – Edible glitter Edible sprinkles – chocolate, sugar, – Edible paper – printed photographs, flower shapes etc