Spring 2013 Dessert Trends
Spring 2013 Dessert Trends – From Cronuts to the Great Gatsby – this piece was published by Mango Juice Inflight Magazine
cake by Maggie Austin
A perfect mielle-feuille, with light, crisp pastry, creamy custard between the layers and new-season strawberries is my ideal, timeless spring dessert. I had the pleasure of enjoying a sublime one in Aix-en-Provence recently at a restaurant by the same name. A far cry from the stodgy supermarket versions of our youth. I can almost taste the fine powdered sugar on my lips.
The Spring 2013 trends have transcended fashion and art with a cross-over to food.
Expect your local pâtissier to interpret the trends in the latest cakes and pastries.
maggie austin cakes
• Petite – small sizes have been extremely popular with consumers and this will remain. It offers variety and portion control. Spoon desserts will appear on the buffet and at parties.
• Texture- celebration cakes echo the French catwalks with gorgeous icing ruffles and opulent swirls, bold yet understated. Desserts are layered, toppings are chosen to contrast with the soft sponge or light mousse.
• The Roaring 20’s – delicate whites, ivories, gold and pale blue or bold matt black and grey are direct interpretations of the Art Nouveau period made famous by The Great Gatsby and Downton Abbey. Expect delicate pearls and sophisticated sugar flowers topping cakes.
• Gluten- Free – GF has gone mainstream for various health reasons. Bakers have cottoned on and if not, just put in a request. Will the quinoa muffin topple the bran muffin as leader of the pack? Fresh fruit, seeds and nuts feature too.
• Glass Jars – the Pinterest-popular glass jar deconstructed desserts and cakes will make their way to the restaurants, tea room and baby showers.
• Alcohol – spirits and liqueurs are anticipated in fillings and frostings. Think layers of flavour like lime tonic tartlets with gin jelly bears and sugared lime zest.
• Savoury Characters: savoury ice creams have featured heavily in restaurants. Savoury flavours like pepper, chilli, basil and bacon will be used in macaroons, nougat and frostings.
• Doughnuts – in a mini size continue to be sought after. Cronuts, a croissant-doughnut hybrid developed by New York chef Dominique Ansel are so popular there is a daily 2 hour waiting line.
He said: Celebrity and Television Chef Eric Lanlard
Moelleux From Eric Lanlard’s Chocolat. Chocolat is published by Mitchell Beazley
Photography C Kate Whitaker
1. At-home high tea menu: A seasonal savoury tart such as my spring garden green tart using fresh peas and asparagus or my salmon, whole grain mustard, and dill tart. Also my double chocolate macaroons and moist chocolate moelleux.
2. Puff pastry – make or buy? Few people have the time. If you buy make sure that the puff pastry is ‘all butter’ and a good quality brand.
3. Drinks pairing: Champagne or a good sparkling wine like the Simonsig Cuvee is my favourite. There are also some excellent dessert wines.
4. Hostess gifts: Home-made soft chocolate butter toffee presented in a beautiful glass jar or chocolate honeycomb wrapped in cellophane.
Eric’s newest book Chocolat is published by Mitchell Beazley
Photography C Kate Whitaker
She said: Mount Nelson Hotel Pastry Chef Vicky Gurovich
1. I am a pâtissier because: that’s where the chocolate lives
2. Interesting high tea fact: We started serving afternoon tea on the Windsor table on 1 November 1989, before that it was wheeled on a trolley. The Windsor table is still used to serve afternoon tea and was the original Captains table from Windsor Castle.
3. High tea is for: family outings, girlfriend celebrations, baby showers and more
4. This spring we can expect: fresh flavours like lemon, passion fruit, vanilla and light textures. Bright colours and flowers will welcome in spring
Heard on the Social Media Streams…
Daniela Dotan of Daniela’s Deliciously Decadent: “Think tart lemon curd and fiery ginger macaroons and bite size raspberry tartlets topped with aloe jelly. I love the idea of ginger and aloe paired for spring and a fresh new beginning”
Hestelle Pretorius of KoekiesEnCream: “The best of last season will be mixed, sliced and diced together to create new flavours, textures and structures for the visual connoisseur. Look out for mini naked cakes, layered with traditional mousse, upside-down meringues, pops of colour, thinly sliced cake and citrus flavours”
naked cakes via http://diyweddingplanning.net/
Where to eat cake in South Africa….
Johannesburg
• The Patisserie
Shop 24 Post Office Centre, 30 Rudd Rd, Illovo
• The Pudding Shop
La Cucina Di Ciro, 43 7th Avenue, Parktown North,
Durban
• The Antique Cafe
Churchill House, just off Windemere Road
• The Oysterbox
2 Lighthouse Rd Umhlanga,
Bloemfontein
• The Terrasse at Oliewenhuis
16 Harry Smith Street
Cape Town
• The Mount Nelson
76 Orange St
• The Greenhouse at Babylonstoren
Babylonstoren Farm, Klapmuts/Simondium Road, Paarl
• Teas Under Trees (open from end September)
St. Pieters Roche, Main Road, Paarl
I got to Dominique Ansel’s bakery a few months too soon for the Cronut. But the apple tart I did get that day was as close to perfect as you can get and was so worth the very long walk to get there. His newest invention, the frozen S’More looks pretty fantastic!
Hello! Well that sounds wonderful and worth the walk. Locally Jason’s makes a version but you’ve got to get in very early on a Saturday if you want to try it