Present desserts

D1.HPA.CL4.06
Trainee Manual
Present desserts

D1.HPA.CL4.06

Trainee Manual
Project Base

William Angliss Institute of TAFE

555 La Trobe Street
Melbourne 3000 Victoria
Telephone: (03) 9606 2111
Facsimile: (03) 9670 1330

Acknowledgements

Project Director: Wayne Crosbie

Chief Writer: Alan Hickman
Subject Writer: Garry Blackburn
Project Manager: Alan Maguire
Editor: Jim Irwin
DTP/Production: Daniel Chee, Mai Vu, Jirayu Thangcharoensamut, Kaly Quach

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967. The Member
States of the Association are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
General Information on ASEAN appears online at the ASEAN Website: www.asean.org.
All text is produced by William Angliss Institute of TAFE for the ASEAN Project on “Toolbox
Development for Front Office, Food and Beverage Services and Food Production Divisions”.
This publication is supported by the Australian Government’s aid program through the ASEAN-
Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II (AADCP II).
Copyright: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2013.
All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that this publication is free from errors or omissions. However,
you should conduct your own enquiries and seek professional advice before relying on any fact,
statement or matter contained in this book. The ASEAN Secretariat and William Angliss Institute of
TAFE are not responsible for any injury, loss or damage as a result of material included or omitted
from this course. Information in this module is current at the time of publication. Time of publication is
indicated in the date stamp at the bottom of each page.
Some images appearing in this resource have been purchased from stock photography suppliers
Shutterstock and iStockphoto and other third party copyright owners and as such are non-transferable
and non-exclusive. Clip arts, font images and illustrations used are from the Microsoft Office Clip Art
and Media Library. Some images have been provided by and are the property of William Angliss
Institute.
Additional images have been sourced from Flickr and SKC and are used under Creative Commons
licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
File name: TM_Present_desserts_FN_060214
Table of contents

Introduction to trainee manual........................................................................................... 1

Unit descriptor................................................................................................................... 3

Assessment matrix ........................................................................................................... 5

Glossary ........................................................................................................................... 7

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 11

Element 1: Plan dessert display ...................................................................................... 13

Element 2: Present plated dessert .................................................................................. 21

Element 3: Present dessert display ................................................................................. 29

Presentation of written work ............................................................................................ 35

Recommended reading................................................................................................... 37

Trainee evaluation sheet................................................................................................. 39

Trainee Self-Assessment Checklist................................................................................. 41

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Trainee Manual
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© ASEAN 2013
Trainee Manual
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 Introduction to trainee manual

Introduction to trainee manual

To the Trainee
Congratulations on joining this course. This Trainee Manual is one part of a ‘toolbox’
which is a resource provided to trainees, trainers and assessors to help you become
competent in various areas of your work.
The ‘toolbox’ consists of three elements:
 A Trainee Manual for you to read and study at home or in class
 A Trainer Guide with Power Point slides to help your Trainer explain the content of the
training material and provide class activities to help with practice
 An Assessment Manual which provides your Assessor with oral and written questions
and other assessment tasks to establish whether or not you have achieved
competency.
The first thing you may notice is that this training program and the information you find in
the Trainee Manual seems different to the textbooks you have used previously. This is
because the method of instruction and examination is different. The method used is called
Competency based training (CBT) and Competency based assessment (CBA). CBT and
CBA is the training and assessment system chosen by ASEAN (Association of South-
East Asian Nations) to train people to work in the tourism and hospitality industry
throughout all the ASEAN member states.
What is the CBT and CBA system and why has it been adopted by ASEAN?
CBT is a way of training that concentrates on what a worker can do or is required to do at
work. The aim is of the training is to enable trainees to perform tasks and duties at a
standard expected by employers. CBT seeks to develop the skills, knowledge and
attitudes (or recognise the ones the trainee already possesses) to achieve the required
competency standard. ASEAN has adopted the CBT/CBA training system as it is able to
produce the type of worker that industry is looking for and this therefore increases
trainees chances of obtaining employment.
CBA involves collecting evidence and making a judgement of the extent to which a worker
can perform his/her duties at the required competency standard. Where a trainee can
already demonstrate a degree of competency, either due to prior training or work
experience, a process of ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ (RPL) is available to trainees to
recognise this. Please speak to your trainer about RPL if you think this applies to you.
What is a competency standard?
Competency standards are descriptions of the skills and knowledge required to perform a
task or activity at the level of a required standard.
242 competency standards for the tourism and hospitality industries throughout the
ASEAN region have been developed to cover all the knowledge, skills and attitudes
required to work in the following occupational areas:
 Housekeeping
 Food Production
 Food and Beverage Service

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Introduction to trainee manual

 Front Office
 Travel Agencies
 Tour Operations.
All of these competency standards are available for you to look at. In fact you will find a
summary of each one at the beginning of each Trainee Manual under the heading ‘Unit
Descriptor’. The unit descriptor describes the content of the unit you will be studying in the
Trainee Manual and provides a table of contents which are divided up into ‘Elements’ and
‘Performance Criteria”. An element is a description of one aspect of what has to be
achieved in the workplace. The ‘Performance Criteria’ below each element details the
level of performance that needs to be demonstrated to be declared competent.
There are other components of the competency standard:
 Unit Title: statement about what is to be done in the workplace
 Unit Number: unique number identifying the particular competency
 Nominal hours: number of classroom or practical hours usually needed to complete
the competency. We call them ‘nominal’ hours because they can vary e.g. sometimes
it will take an individual less time to complete a unit of competency because he/she
has prior knowledge or work experience in that area.
The final heading you will see before you start reading the Trainee Manual is the
‘Assessment Matrix’. Competency based assessment requires trainees to be assessed in
at least 2 – 3 different ways, one of which must be practical. This section outlines three
ways assessment can be carried out and includes work projects, written questions and
oral questions. The matrix is designed to show you which performance criteria will be
assessed and how they will be assessed. Your trainer and/or assessor may also use
other assessment methods including ‘Observation Checklist’ and ‘Third Party Statement’.
An observation checklist is a way of recording how you perform at work and a third party
statement is a statement by a supervisor or employer about the degree of competence
they believe you have achieved. This can be based on observing your workplace
performance, inspecting your work or gaining feedback from fellow workers.
Your trainer and/or assessor may use other methods to assess you such as:
 Journals
 Oral presentations
 Role plays
 Log books
 Group projects
 Practical demonstrations.
Remember your trainer is there to help you succeed and become competent. Please feel
free to ask him or her for more explanation of what you have just read and of what is
expected from you and best wishes for your future studies and future career in tourism
and hospitality.

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 Unit descriptor

Unit descriptor
Present desserts
This unit deals with the skills and knowledge required to Present desserts in a range of
settings within the hotel and travel industries workplace context.
Unit Code:
D1.HPA.CL4.06
Nominal Hours:
50 hours

Element 1: Plan dessert display

Performance Criteria
1.1 Plan dessert display appropriate to location, facilities and equipment
1.2 Plan appropriate amount and variety for event and or service period
1.3 Plan appropriate sauces and garnishes

Element 2: Present plated dessert

Performance Criteria
2.1 Portion deserts
2.2 Plate and present and/or decorate desserts
2.3 Control service temperature of desserts

Element 3: Present dessert display

Performance Criteria
3.1 Portion, decorate, arrange dessert display
3.2 Prepare dessert service equipment
3.3 Control volume for quality during event and/or service period

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Unit descriptor

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 Assessment matrix

Assessment matrix
Showing mapping of Performance Criteria against Work Projects, Written
Questions and Oral Questions
The Assessment Matrix indicates three of the most common assessment activities your
Assessor may use to assess your understanding of the content of this manual and your
performance – Work Projects, Written Questions and Oral Questions. It also indicates
where you can find the subject content related to these assessment activities in the
Trainee Manual (i.e. under which element or performance criteria). As explained in the
Introduction, however, the assessors are free to choose which assessment activities are
most suitable to best capture evidence of competency as they deem appropriate for
individual students.

Work Written Oral

Projects Questions Questions

Element 1: Plan dessert display

1.1 Plan dessert display appropriate to 1.1 1, 2 1

location, facilities and equipment

1.2 Plan appropriate amount and variety for 1.2 3, 4 2

event and or service period

1.3 Plan appropriate sauces and garnishes 1.3 5, 6, 7 3

Element 2: Present plated dessert

2.1 Portion deserts 2.1 8, 9, 4

2.2 Plate and present and/or decorate

2.2 10, 5
desserts

2.3 11, 12
Control service temperature of desserts 2.3 6
13, 14

Element 3: Present dessert display

3.1 Portion, decorate, arrange dessert 3.1 15, 7

display

3.2 Prepare dessert service equipment 3.2 16 8

3.3 Control volume for quality during event 3.3 17, 18, 19 9
and/or service period

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Assessment matrix

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 Glossary

Glossary
Term Explanation

Amaretto A liqueur from Italy, the primary flavour comes from

sweet and bitter almond.

Angelica Young leaf stalks of a plant which are candied and used
for decoration.

Anglaise Sauce Known as custard sauce, vanilla sauce or crème

Anglaise.

Arrowroot A kind of thickener, and it thickens at a lower

temperature than either cornstarch or flour

Aspic Savoury jelly.

Batter Soft completed cake mixture.

Baume Degrees on the scale of a saccharometer (sugar

hydrometer).

Bavarois Whipped cream and melted gelatine folded to a custard

sauce (also known as Bavarian Cream).

Beignets Fritters.

Blackjack Dark caramelized sugar syrup used for colouring rich

fruit cake mixing.

Bombe Mixture Made from egg yolks, sugar, and cream (similar to a
parfait)

Bombes A frozen dessert with a combination of either Ice Cream,

Sorbet, Sherbet and Bombe Mixture.

Boulangerie Bakery department.

Butterfmilk Is made from sweet (or sour) milk after it has been
churned to remove the Fat.

Calvados Apple brandy from France.

Candied Preserved by immersion in super-saturated sugar

solution.

Caramel Sugar solution boiled above 150 ºC until turns golden

brown.

Caramel Fruits Fruits dipped in Caramel.

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Glossary

Term Explanation

Caramelize Sugar heated above its melting point.

Cassata An Ice cream and Parfait specialty.

Charlotte Moulded desserts typically made in a dome and pail-

shaped moulds.

Chocolate Vermicelli Polished granules of Chocolate used as a decorations.

Compote Stewed or boiled fruit.

Coulis Cooked or raw fruit purees that are sweetened, then

used or served as sauces.

Coupe An individual serving bowl.

Cointreau A colourless French liqueur flavoured with peel of

curacao oranges.

Crême de Cacao A chocolate-flavoured liqueur.

Crême de Cassis Liqueur made from Black currants.

Crêpes Thin pancakes

Crème Fraîche A cultured cream made by adding an acid-producing

bacteria to pasteurized heavy cream.

Croquant Melted sugar with nuts or rice

Crystallization Formation of crystals deliberately in various sugar

boiling operations.

Dariole Special shape of mould.

Essences Compounds used for flavouring sweets and

confectionery.

Essential Oils Aromatic oils of fruit s, nuts, flowers extracted and used
as flavouring.

Flambee To set a liqueur or brandy alight during the cooking

process.

Framboise A liqueur distilled from raspberry juice

Frangelico Liqueur derived primarily from hazelnuts but flavoured

with berries and flowers as well.

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 Glossary

Term Explanation

Frappé Chilled

Friandise Petit Fours.

Galette Round and flaky pastry dough

Glacé Ice or Ice Cream.

Glaze To impart a gloss by coating with an agent such as

apricot purée/

Glaze Caramelizing sugar by the use of the oven, salamander

or blow-torch.

Gianduja Creamy chocolate confection flavoured with toasted nut

paste.

Grand Marnier Liqueur made with oranges and aged cognac.

Gratinate A dish coloured brown in an oven, salamander or blow-

torch.

Beurre Noisette Brown butter or hazelnut butter

Kirsch Liqueur made from cherries, also known as

kirschwasser.

Liqueurs Spirits with an alcohol content of at least 30% vol.

sweetened with sugar and flavoured with essences,
essential oils or fruit juices.

Madiera A fortified sweet wine.

Maraschino Liqueur made from cherries and used for flavouring.

Marsala An Italian dessert wine.

Mascarpone Cheese Made from fresh cream derived from cow’s milk

Macerate To steep in a liquid to soften , generally applied to fruit.

Mise en place Basic operations prior to the service.

Mousse A dish which is light in consistency, served either hot or

cold.

Mousseline Sauce Sabayon mix fold into a whipped heavy cream.

Nibs Small fragments, such as almond or sugar nibs.

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Glossary

Term Explanation

Nougat Mixture of melted sugar and almonds/hazelnut ground to

a paste and mix with chocolate.

Mixture of melted sugar and almonds known as praline –

croquant.

A confection made from sugar, honey, and egg whites,

with added Glacé fruits and nuts.

Parfait Frozen cream mixture made from syrup, egg yolks, and
cream, and frozen in moulds.

Praline Croquant which has been coarsely chopped or milled

into a smooth paste.

Pudding A soft mixture bake or steam in a basin or dish.

Purée Food passed through a sieve to make a thick pulp.

Romanoff Sauce A mixture of whipped heavy cream and sour cream.

Sabayon Sauce made from the yolks of eggs or either water or

wine and sugar, beaten over a double boiler.

Saccharometer Special hydrometer for determining the density of sugar

solutions.

Saffron Dried stigmas of the saffron crocus.

Salamander A type of grill heated from above.

Tapioca Pearl Is derived from the root of the South American cassava
plant, it is available in several forms. Tapioca must be
soaked in water before cooking.

Zuppa Inglese Trifle with fresh fruit, served in a glass bowl

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 Introduction

Introduction
The dessert in the menu
All good food affords pleasure; desserts are devised for pleasure alone.
At the end of the meal, when appetites are largely satisfied, the dessert restores the
palate and hints at sensuous luxury. It provides a vital structure and balance to a
restaurant’s menu.
Presentation of dessert is very important, first impression always an
advantage from a Chef points of view, it compliments the flavour of
the food.
In this book the main concept of presenting desserts is to be
presented on a dining plate.
Mrs.Beeton (the 19th century culinary encyclopaedist) said once:
"If there is any poetry at all in meals or in the process of feeding, there is poetry in
desserts."
Although people have eaten various kinds of sweet dishes since earliest times, the notion
of a separate sweet course, at the end of a meal, is a relatively modern idea.
As late as the 14th century, as one recorded Parisian menu
reveals, a French banquet might feature 'frumenty' (a kind of
sweet grain porridge) as well as fruit jellies and fritters, set
alongside haunches of venison and platters of lampreys and
sturgeon, the guests helped themselves to whatever they fancied
(These days we call it buffet).
A table crowded with many different dishes, as it would bear, made an impressive display.
At the same time, because sweetening was costly, a host who served sweet dishes at
every opportunity left his guests in no doubt that he was a man of means.
Even when low priced sugar became widely available, the separation of dessert into the
final course of a meal took time.
Cooks were reluctant to abandon the grandiose table settings they had grown up with,
and it was not until the middle of the 19th century that the idea of presenting foods in the
order in which they should be eaten, so that each course in turn was replaced with a
subsequent course, won full acceptance.
Diners welcomed a new system; since they were at last able to eat all their food while it
was still at the correct temperature.
Cooks benefited because their creations would be enjoyed at
their best.
At the same time, cooks had the pleasant challenge of
developing a new and demanding art form: THE MENU.
Because of its culminating position in the menu, the dessert must
complement, and even complete with, all that has gone before it.

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Introduction

In order to tempt the appetites of guests at the conclusion of a long meal;

‘the dessert presentation should be exciting and attractive.’
Indeed the art of dessert cookery is very much the art of temptation.
In the past dessert presentation owed as much to architecture as to cookery; the
Victorians favoured enormous, multi tiered centerpieces, vast and fantastically assemblies
decorated with spun sugar and gold leaf.
Few diners today would be impressed by such creations.
In fact, their very size often made them a poor way of
appreciating them as food.
Nevertheless although the trend is towards relative simplicity,
modern cooks still enjoy making displays that demonstrate the
beauty of their materials, and since the materials for desserts
are so varied and often so eye catching, decorative
presentation remains as attainable as ever.

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 Element 1: Plan dessert display

Element 1:
Plan dessert display
1.1 Plan dessert display appropriate to location,
facilities and equipment
What is required on the dessert display?
It is nice to expect certain desserts to be available for
display but the dessert display is restricted by the
facilities that are available.
Plan a dessert display appropriate to the location:
 Is it to be in a fully equipped commercial kitchen
in a five star location?
 Is it to be at a tranquil picnic spot by the river 25
kilometres from the place of production?
If there is no electricity then the possibility of having ice cream is now greatly diminished
and chilled cream cakes and desserts will not be on the menu.
Facilities
 Electricity
 Working space
 Ability of the staff in the kitchen
 Ability of the staff front of house
 Quality of the equipment that is given to work with
 Preparation of the product can be conducted elsewhere.
All these possibilities need to be considered when planning the dessert display.
This is of no concern to the public. This is the concern of the catering business owner, the
head chef and pastry chef and requirements for the customer.
With possibilities being considered then comes the opportunity to produce whatever the
customer desires.

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Element 1: Plan dessert display

Desirable equipment for display

 Serving platters
 Sauce jugs
 Plates
 Cutlery
 Napkins
 Tongs
 Lifters
 Refrigerated cooling
 Hot display bain-marie.
What is needed for production, storage and service requirements?
After the product has been produced and stored, the equipment needed to display and
serve desserts need to be taken into consideration, as well as where it is going to be
served.
Choice of Location
Most establishments will be operating out of hotel and restaurant kitchens that have all
the equipment that is required.
Prudent management practices require a complete list of all equipment that may be
required to be taken 'off-site' for when customer desires a function 'by the river' or 'in the
park'.
Complexity of dessert
Some desserts are more complex than others to serve.
Hot soufflé needs special consideration and teamwork so it is not desirable to place on
menu for dessert display.
Cold soufflé would be a better choice for a dessert display. It will stand at room
temperature for short periods if required.

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 Element 1: Plan dessert display

1.2 Plan appropriate amount and variety for event

and or service period
Appropriate amount
How much to produce has always been an issue in most restaurants.
Keeping records of how much was produced against how many served were sold is now
much easier with computerisation.
In the past record that were kept were usually on scraps of paper or notes in journals.
Computers can now keep records down to the minutes details.
Al a carte is just as hard to plan for as is buffet.
Buffet has a greater control over production planning but is no guarantee that the product
will actually be consumed.
A dessert buffet for 100 people might have a choice of 8 or 15 desserts.
Allowing for smaller portion sizes the kitchen might produce enough to allow for each
person to have 1 serve each.
Some customers would have more than one dessert each while others will have no
dessert.
So????? How much to produce??
8 desserts with 15 portions of each desserts gives a total of 120 serves of desserts
produced.
Averaging like this is the only way to ensure enough production is available.
Of the 8 desserts produced there can be back-up in coolroom if
number produced is insufficient.
Some desserts will be more popular than others so more of these
desserts might be produced to allow for customer choice.
Planning production is difficult and hard to predict.
Averaging is the only way to try and meet the requirements of the
customer.
With each dessert will be the requirement to produce a sauce and
a garnish.
It is bad planning to have the same chocolate garnish on all
desserts
All this needs to be considered when planning the menu and
production

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Element 1: Plan dessert display

Service Period
Is the function in the evening or in middle of the day, Some desserts are more popular if
served during day while other desserts served in evening might be a better choice.
Day service lighter cooler desserts
Evening service warmer desserts can be more appropriate

1.3 Plan appropriate sauces and garnishes

Garnishes
 Chocolate motifs
 Chocolate curls
 Glace fruits
 Roasted nut slivers
 Tuilles
 Glass biscuits
 Brandy snap
 Florentine
 Almond bread
 Biscotti
 Praline.
Many a garnish can be produced for the elaborate decoration of dessert creations.
Rule No:1 If there are 100 desserts then 150 garnish pieces need to be produced.
Why?
 Fine delicate work sometimes breaks
 Workers handle too roughly causing breakages
 Dropped work.
Fine chocolate filigree and motifs need to be stored in dry
cool conditions. It needs to be protected from damage.
Chocolate curls need to be contained in shallow containers that can be lidded:
 Tuilles, glass biscuits and Florentines are high in sugar and if left out they will soften
as the sugar attracts moisture from the air
 Almond bread, biscotti will soften if exposed to the air for
extended period
 Roasted nut slivers keep fresh taste longer if kept in sealed
container. These should be roasted every two days to keep
freshness. Roast in small batches.

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 Element 1: Plan dessert display

Hot sauces
 Butterscotch
 Anglaise sauce
 Starch thickened custards
 Chocolate.
Heat only what is required for the service period.
Anglaise and starch thickened sauces cannot be reheated
after service period.
Cold sauces
 Anglaise
 Burnt Orange
 Chocolate sauce
 Berry coulis

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Element 1: Plan dessert display

Work Projects
It is a requirement of this Unit you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer.
You must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion
of the project by the agreed date with your Trainer.
Student needs to plan a dessert buffet for 100 people.
A report needs to be submitted to your Trainer and this report needs to include the
following information. This report will relate to this entire unit and will compliment any
practical assessment.
The dessert buffet will have a variety of desserts available from which to choose.
Some will be hot desserts, some that need to be served chilled and some served at room
temperature.
The buffet will be served in fully equipped building with inside and outside dining.
The report will cover 8 different desserts. The student needs to supply the following:
 Recipe for each dessert
 Yield expected from each recipe
 Portion size
 Cost of portion size.
Include garnish cost for each dessert.

Plan dessert display

1.1 Plan dessert display:

 What desserts will be required

 Some hot, some cold, some served at room temperature.

1.2. Plan appropriate amounts:

 How many of each will be produced

 Decide which will be more popular and allow for more of these to be produced
 Allow for smaller portion size
 Allow for possibility of more than one portion per person.

1.3. Plan sauces and garnish for each.

 Decide sauce to be served with each dessert

 Decide on garnish to be used.

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 Element 1: Plan dessert display

Summary
Plan dessert display

Plan dessert display considering location and facilities

 Decide on menu when all possibility have been considered taking in the wishes of the
customer
 Allow for emergencies like no electricity
 Will function be inside or outside. Inside enterprise complex or away at an alternative venue
 Consider variety and complexity of service.
Plan for service periods, amount and variety required
 Is the function to be held during day or evening
 What is the number of customers and how will that impact on service requirements
Plan appropriate sauces and garnishes
 Sauces need to compliment the dish being served
 Garnishes need to be varied, interesting and edible.

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Element 1: Plan dessert display

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 Element 2: Present plated dessert

Element 2:
Present plated dessert
2.1 Portion deserts
Introduction
Portion sizes is to be considered when overall return to the
enterprise:
 What is the value of the ingredients used?
 How long does it take to produce the product? Staff costs.
 What is to be the portion size served to the customer?
 What are the expectations of the customer relative to the
cost of the portion size?
Example:
This is the story of two restaurants. Restaurant A and Restaurant B
 They both make the same size Apple pie
 They charge the same price per serve of apple pie
 Restaurant A cuts the pie into 10 portions
 Restaurant B cuts the pie into 12 portions
 Which restaurant is going to make the most profit from their
Apple pie?
Why are the customers from Restaurant B happy to pay more for
their slice of the pie than Restaurant A customers?
 Does it taste better?
 Do they prefer the smaller portion size?
All things being equal then portion size and prices would always be
the same.
Buffet Service
Buffet service allows for smaller sizes to be served giving greater
array of choice for the customer.
These smaller serves can actually increase turnover and be more
profitable
Where 2 portions normal size becomes 4 serves on buffet.
Buffet size price per unit is 70% of the normal size price then profit is
increased.

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Element 2: Present plated dessert

2.2 Plate and present and/or decorate desserts

Presenting Desserts for service
Dessert presentation is all about making the dessert look as attractive as possible to the
customer.
It does not involve the creation of ‘monuments’ on each plate, but
rather an attempt to create and present food to the best of its
potential.
In an ever-changing world, food tastes have also changed.
Pretentious presentation has been overtaken by a simpler and
cleaner style.
Dessert presentation, while an important part of an establishment,
is only part of the dining experience.
Other factors will also influence a customer’s perception, including decor, comfort,
friendliness and the efficiency of staff.

Basic presentation principles

Colour
A chef who uses colour imaginatively can produce very
effective results. However, this must never be at the expense
of flavour, texture or balance.
For example, a piece of baked cheesecake may look more
effective when plated next to poached quince instead of a
strawberry. Unless this is deliberate there would be very little
contrast in colour or texture.
Plate selection
Plates come in many shapes, sizes, patterns and colours.
Their primary role is to serve as a receptacle for food, which
needs to be transported from the place of preparation (kitchen)
to the customer (dining area).
In this context, it could be argued that any container could be
used when serving food, but this is not so.
The reason: Presentation.
Positioning of food
Food is placed on the plate in specific positions. Which way is
to face the customer?
Freshness in foods
This is nearly always appreciated by customers, particularly if
the ingredients have been sensitively handled.

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Garnishes
Food garnishes are decorations added to an item for
colour contrast and to provide visual appeal and
flavour.
Garnishes can be cooked or raw. Not only should
garnishes be edible, but appropriate to a particular
dish.
For example, adding a candied lemon or orange zest
with chocolate mousse instead of strawberry is
appropriate as their flavours are compatible with that of
the mousse and are a point of difference.
Traditional garnishes
Some dishes have become famous for their garnishes, and although created many years
ago, they are still in use today.
Example:
 Peach Melba: poached peach dessert with vanilla ice cream
and raspberry sauce.
Innovation
Innovation in commercial cookery involves the development of new ideas or the further
refinement of existing ones to suit changing tastes and trends.
This has been attributed to a number of factors which
include:
 Multi-culturalism
 New product availability
 Increased customer awareness and expectations;
 The state of the economy (how much people have to
spend);
 Tastes and trends in cuisine.
As mass tourism takes effect around the world evolution in cuisines of all countries will
happen.

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.
Enterprises can present greater variety while maintaining cost control and quality.
In other words, customers will consistently satisfied every time they visit.

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2.3 Control service temperature of desserts

Introduction
The temperature at which desserts are served all affect the eating sensation and overall
customer satisfaction.
Most people do not eat HOT desserts.
Define hot: it is not boiling.
Most people will eat food at temperature of approximately
45°C.
This is well within the 'Danger zone'.
This is not normally a problem. It is the amount of time that
the food has been in this temperature zone.
Hot food must be held at an internal temperature above
60°C to be considered safe.
Food held at this temperature will deteriorate in quality very
quickly.
Food Quality versus Food Safety
Food that is held at temperatures above 60°C will dehydrate quickly thus making the food
dry and less palatable.
When serving buffet it will be that food is withdrawn from display due to the fact that is not
looking very good. This is well within the two (2) Four (4) hour rule.
Two - four hour rule
To be observed when preparing and serving food generally.
“Any ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food, if it has been at temperatures between 5C
and 60C:
 For a total of less than 2 hours, must be refrigerated or used immediately
 For a total of more than 2 hours but less than 4 hours must be used immediately
 For a total of 4 hours or longer, must be thrown out.”
Potentially hazardous foods found in desserts
 High protein foods milk, cream, eggs
 How many of these ingredients are going to be kept 'in the danger zone'?
 Sauces: Anglaise; any starch thickened custard.

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Cold Desserts
Cream based desserts that are held in suspension
with gelatine need to be chilled below 4°C to be
stable.
As these desserts rise in temperature above this
temperature the visual aspect of the dessert
diminishes. The dessert will spread because the
cream warms and the gelatin looses stability causing
the dessert to spread.
Ultimately the dessert will collapse and spread over the plate. All before the 'four hour'
time has elapsed.
The four hour period is defined because it is the 'lag' period that bacteria will go through
before they start to multiply after being exposed to a new environment.
Frozen Desserts
Frozen is defined as 'hard'.
Technically no desserts are sold hard.
Ice cream has come from the freezer where it is held
until required for service. Because there is air
incorporated into the mixture when it is churned Ice
cream will contain a percentage (%) of air.
Parfaits are aerated and will quickly come to room temperature.
Aerated desserts will soften quickly because of the air that is in the mixture.
These desserts will be stored for long periods at a temperature of 18°C but when required
for service they will be moved to a freezer that holds them at a temperature of
approximately minus 5°- minus 10°C.
This allows product to soften enough for the customer to enjoy the 'cold' sensation of the
'frozen' dessert.
Frozen desserts ready for consumption will need to be held in a freezer of approximately
minus 5°-minus 10°C for short periods of time. 1 or 2 days.
Room Temperature Dessert
Desserts served at room temperature will be the easiest to
maintain temperature suitability.
These desserts need to be protected from outside
contamination and are stable at room temperature for the day
period.
This is due to the nature of the ingredients :
 Low protein
 High sugar
 Low moisture.

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Sauces
Sauces for desserts can be included in all the above categories.
Hot sauces need to be kept hot; excess should be discarded at
the end of service.
Cold sauces need to be kept chilled.
Excess sauce can be kept for the next service period depending
on style of sauce.
Dairy based (egg cream milk) or starch thickened sauces would
only have a life of 2 days if kept chilled so can be excess can be
reserved for the next service period if temperature has been
maintained below 4°C.
Never mix old and new sauces.
High sugar sauces will have a life much longer time period. Clean excess sauce from
outside of containers.

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Work Projects
It is a requirement of this Unit you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer.
You must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion
of the project by the agreed date with your Trainer.
Student needs to plan a dessert buffet for 100 people.
A report needs to be submitted to your Trainer and this report needs to include the
following information. This report will relate to this entire unit and will compliment any
practical assessment.
The dessert buffet will have a variety of desserts available from which to choose.
Some will be hot desserts, some that need to be served chilled and some served at room
temperature.
The buffet will be served in fully equipped building with inside and outside dining.
The report will cover 8 different desserts. The student needs to supply the following:
 Recipe for each dessert
 Yield expected from each recipe
 Portion size
 Cost of portion size
Include garnish cost for each dessert.

Present Plated Dessert:

2.1 Define the portion size of each dessert:

 A standard recipe is involved with yield shown. A buffet serve of same dessert
will be proportionally smaller
 Show both.

2.2. Draw a plan for each of the desserts and how they will be presented:

 Each dessert plated with both sauce and garnish.

2.3. Each dessert needs to be allocated to a temperature control program:

 Hot Desserts: how are they going to be kept hot and held for service period
 How quality is going to be addressed during that service period
 Cold Desserts: how these will be held during service period
 Room Temperature desserts: how is integrity going to be controlled.

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Summary
Present plated dessert

Portion desserts
 All portions served during service period need to be consistent in size, flavour and
presentation.
Plate and present and or decorate desserts
 Have a plan of how dishes are to be presented
 All need to be presented the same
 Sauce and garnish need to be consistent on each plate.
Control service temperature of desserts
 Hot desserts need to be hot and the time that temperature is below 60°C needs to be
monitored
 As food falls below 60°C it needs to be disposed of after 1 hour
 Reheated desserts cannot be chilled and served a second time
 All foods that have been placed out on display for buffet cannot be saved and presented for
2nd time
 Frozen desserts are held in freezer just below freezing temperature. Minus 5°-minus 10°C.

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Element 3:
Present dessert display
3.1 Portion, decorate, arrange dessert display
Introduction
Using the template below, draw a plan of the dessert layout on the plate:

Slice of Apple Pie

Garnish

Sauce

Rules
Yes there are rules to plating food:
Place food on plate as you wish customer to see it:
 Top of the plate is the farthest away from the customer
 Bottom of the plate is closest to the customer
 Place the food on the plate to maximise visual
impact to the customer.
Show on the plate the following
 main portion of dessert
 sauce
 garnish
When designing layout shape, colour, garnish and glaze all have visual impact on the
customers mind.

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3.2 Prepare dessert service equipment

Introduction
Equipment required to serve the dessert will depend on how it is to be served:
 A la carte
 Buffet
 Counter service.
A la carte service
A la carte will only require the customer to be supplied with the tools to consume the
dessert:
 Knives
 Spoons
 Forks
 Plates.
Other equipment that might be needed to placed on
the table for customers to use:
 Sauce boats
 Condiment containers.
Buffet service
Buffet service will require equipment for the customer to lift the product onto their plate:
 Tongs
 Cake lifters
 Service spoons.
Counter service
Counter service the equipment is required by the
service staff behind the bar who are responsible.
Other equipment that may be needed:
 Sauce pots or boats
 Squeeze bottles.
The style of service will be determined by the enterprise:
 An enterprise can have all 3 styles of service under
their control:
 Main dining room
 Function rooms
 Coffee shop service.

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Larger equipment required might be:

 Chilled refrigeration units for display of cold desserts
 Bain maries or chafing dishes for hot desserts
 Mobile trolleys required for display purposes.
Off-site service
Will the service be held 'in premises' or 'off-site'?
When service is to be held away from the main place of business then many other
considerations need to be looked at.
Guest facilities
 Seating
 Toilets
 Washing facilities.
Service facilities
 Tables for guests
 Seating
 Refrigeration for food
 Electricity availability
 Water for human consumption, (potable water)
 Garbage collection facilities
 Dishwashing facilities.

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3.3 Control volume for quality during event and/or

service period
Introduction
Peaks and troughs of service
This only applies when a la carte service takes place or multiple functions are required at
special times of the year like New Year celebrations:
 How many portions are needed each service
 How much product will be left over if too much is produced.
Action taken to minimise loss/wastage when displaying desserts for an event or
service:
 Place buffet items on smaller platters
 Use more decorations to make buffet table look
fuller
 Buffet tables are more compact
 Use different heights on same table.
Optimising display conditions:
How to make the display look full when stock is
getting low towards the end of service period
 Not to have platters 3/4 full
 Mix items on platters
 Use smaller patters.
Protecting items from contamination:
 Keep food covered until last minutes
 Use fans blowing over foods to keep flies away.
Maintaining eye appeal and freshness:
 Mix colours to add interest
 Do not allow dryness to appear on surface where
possible
 Different height products on same platter.
Matching the amount of items displayed to number of customers and usage rate:
 Use larger platters to start buffet and as numbers slow use smaller platters during top
ups.

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Work Projects
It is a requirement of this Unit you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer.
You must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion
of the project by the agreed date with your Trainer.
Student needs to plan a dessert buffet for 100 people.
A report needs to be submitted to your Trainer and this report needs to include the
following information. This report will relate to this entire unit and will compliment any
practical assessment.
The dessert buffet will have a variety of desserts available from which to choose.
Some will be hot desserts, some that need to be served chilled and some served at room
temperature.
The buffet will be served in fully equipped building with inside and outside dining.
The report will cover 8 different desserts. The student needs to supply the following:
 Recipe for each dessert
 Yield expected from each recipe
 Portion size
 Cost of portion size.
Include garnish cost for each dessert.
Present dessert display:

3.1 Draw plan for how desserts will be displayed:

 Draw plate stencil and then show how desserts will be positioned on plate
 Define how many portions will be obtained from recipe
 Shape of dessert to be defined, height as well as.

3.2. Make a list of all equipment that may be required to deliver service.

 List equipment required in kitchen and also front of house.

3.3. Define all temperature requirements for all desserts on menu.

 How long can theses desserts be held at these temperature?

 Why can they not be held for longer?
 Each sauce used needs to have a temperature control program attached.

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Summary
Present dessert display

Portion decorate and arrange desserts

 A dessert buffet display needs to add interest:
 Sizes should be smaller
 When displayed they will be on small plates on large platters
 Mix varieties on same platter
 Make space so customers can reach in with hands and select desserts without contaminating
other desserts on display.
Prepare dessert service equipment
 Required number of:
 Service plates
 Forks and spoons
 Serviettes
 Tongs.
Control volume for quality during event and or service period
 Start with smaller platters for display to create interest while main course is being chosen
 People want to look to see what is coming
 As service progresses and volume starts to move on desserts use larger platters and then
back to smaller platters after peak
 Try to keep interest as it ends by removing any empty platters and plates
 Condense display.

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 Presentation of written work

Presentation of written work

1. Introduction
It is important for students to present carefully prepared written work. Written presentation
in industry must be professional in appearance and accurate in content. If students
develop good writing skills whilst studying, they are able to easily transfer those skills to
the workplace.

2. Style
Students should write in a style that is simple and concise. Short sentences
and paragraphs are easier to read and understand. It helps to write a plan
and at least one draft of the written work so that the final product will be
well organized. The points presented will then follow a logical sequence
and be relevant. Students should frequently refer to the question asked, to
keep ‘on track’. Teachers recognize and are critical of work that does not
answer the question, or is ‘padded’ with irrelevant material. In summary,
remember to:
 Plan ahead
 Be clear and concise
 Answer the question
 Proofread the final draft.

3. Presenting Written Work

Types of written work
Students may be asked to write:
 Short and long reports
 Essays
 Records of interviews
 Questionnaires
 Business letters
 Resumes.

Format
All written work should be presented on A4 paper, single-sided with a left-hand margin. If
work is word-processed, one-and-a-half or double spacing should be used. Handwritten
work must be legible and should also be well spaced to allow for ease of reading. New
paragraphs should not be indented but should be separated by a space. Pages must be
numbered. If headings are also to be numbered, students should use a logical and
sequential system of numbering.

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Presentation of written work

Cover Sheet
All written work should be submitted with a cover sheet stapled to the front that contains:
 The student’s name and student number
 The name of the class/unit
 The due date of the work
 The title of the work
 The teacher’s name
 A signed declaration that the work does not involve plagiarism.

Keeping a Copy
Students must keep a copy of the written work in case it is lost. This rarely happens but it
can be disastrous if a copy has not been kept.

Inclusive language
This means language that includes every section of the population. For instance, if a
student were to write ‘A nurse is responsible for the patients in her care at all times’ it
would be implying that all nurses are female and would be excluding male nurses.
Examples of appropriate language are shown on the right:

Mankind Humankind

Barman/maid Bar attendant

Host/hostess Host

Waiter/waitress Waiter or waiting staff

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 Recommended reading

Recommended reading
Bloom,Carole ;2009; Bite-Size Desserts: Creating Mini Sweet Treats, from Cupcakes to
Cobblers to Custards and Cookies; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Braker, Flo; 2000; Sweet Miniatures: The Art of Making Bite-Size Desserts; Chronicle
Books
Brooks Coulson Nguyen; 2013; The Petit Four Cookbook; Ulysses Press
Collister, L & Blakel 1986; The Baking Book; Conran Octopus
Cone, Mindy; 2013; Gourmet French Macarons; Cedar Fort, Inc
Dodge, Abigail Johnson; 2012; Mini Treats & Hand-Held Sweets: 100 Delicious Desserts
to Pick Up and Eat; Taunton Press
Forster, Felicity; 2010; 300 Chocolate Desserts and Treats: Rich recipes for hot and cold
desserts, ice creams, tarts, pies, candies, bars, truffles and drinks; Anness
Friberg, Bo; 2004 (4th edition); The Professional Pastrychef; Van Nostrand Reinhold
Goodman, Clio & Sussman, Adeena; 2013; Puddin': Luscious and Unforgettable
Puddings, Parfaits, Pudding Cakes, Pies, and Pops; Spiegel & Grau
nd
Hanneman, LJ; 1993 (2 edition); Patisserie ; Butterworth Heinemann
Joyce, Jennifer; 2005; Small Bites: DK Adult
Kinnaird, Dr. Tim; 2013; Perfect Patisserie: Mastering Macarons, Madeleines and More;
Firefly Books
Lebovitz, David; 2010; The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet
Accompaniments; Ten Speed Press
Michel Roux; 1996; Desserts, A Life Long Passion; Conran Octopus Limited
Migoya, Francisco & The Culinary Institute of America; 2008; Frozen Desserts ;Wiley
Migoya, Francisco J;2012; Elements of Dessert; Wiley
Ojakangas, Beatrice; 2009; Petite Sweets: Bite-Size Desserts to Satisfy Every Sweet
Tooth; Sellers Publishing, Inc
Shortland, Kemberlee; 2013 (Kindle Edition); Just Desserts; Tirgearr Publishing
Shotts, Andrew Garrison; 2007; Making Artisan Chocolates; Quarry Books

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Recommended reading

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 Trainee evaluation sheet

Trainee evaluation sheet

Present desserts
The following statements are about the competency you have just completed.

Don’t Do Not Does

Please tick the appropriate box Agree Know Agree Not
Apply

There was too much in this competency to

cover without rushing.

Most of the competency seemed relevant to

me.

The competency was at the right level for

me.

I got enough help from my trainer.

The amount of activities was sufficient.

The competency allowed me to use my own

initiative.

My training was well-organized.

My trainer had time to answer my

questions.

I understood how I was going to be

assessed.

I was given enough time to practice.

My trainer feedback was useful.

Enough equipment was available and it

worked well.

The activities were too hard for me.

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Trainee evaluation sheet

The best things about this unit were:

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

The worst things about this unit were:

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

The things you should change in this unit are:

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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 Trainee Self-Assessment Checklist

Trainee Self-Assessment Checklist

As an indicator to your Trainer/Assessor of your readiness for assessment in this unit
please complete the following and hand to your Trainer/Assessor.

Present desserts

Yes No*

Element 1: Plan dessert display

1.1 Plan dessert display appropriate to location, facilities and equipment

1.2 Plan appropriate amount and variety for event and or service period

1.3 Plan appropriate sauces and garnishes

Element 2: Present plated dessert

2.1 Portion deserts

2.2 Plate and present and/or decorate desserts

2.3 Control service temperature of desserts

Element 3: Present dessert display

3.1 Portion, decorate, arrange dessert display

3.2 Prepare dessert service equipment

3.3 Control volume for quality during event and/or service period

Statement by Trainee:
I believe I am ready to be assessed on the following as indicated above:

Signed: _____________________________ Date: ______ / ______ / ______

Note:
For all boxes where a No* is ticked, please provide details of the extra steps or work you
need to do to become ready for assessment.

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Trainee Self-Assessment Checklist

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