Monday, December 13, 2010

Five dessert trends for 2011

Posted by Charles Ferruzza on Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 11:28 AM

FAT_CITY_Napoleon_thumb_550x461.jpg
Napoleon Bakery's desserts aren't trendy, just delicious.

The National Restaurant Association recently listed its predictions -- based on a poll of American chefs -- of 2011's top five dessert trends. They're not exactly earth-shattering, given that many of these "trends" have already been standard desserts in many Kansas City restaurants for the past several years. 

The upcoming trends, according to the poll:

1. Artisan or house-made ice cream

2. Bite-sized or mini desserts

3. Dessert flights or combos

4. Deconstructed classic desserts

5. Savory desserts

"A lot of those trends are already here," says Napoleon Bakery's James Holmes, who discovered early last year that his customers weren't very interested in paying $35 for a whole cake but didn't mind dropping $2.25 for a bite-sized version of the same cake.

"The first of the year, I'm going to focus more on miniature desserts," Holmes tells me. "And as far as savory desserts go, I have a client who asked me if I could create something that blended chocolate mousse and bacon. It's an intriguing challenge, and I'm going to do it."

Celina Tio of Julian says the "trends" have been on her menu for some time. Yes, she makes smaller desserts -- her price point is $4 for each confection -- and yes, she makes a pastry with smoked bacon. Deconstructed classics? She has one of those, too: "I make a banana panna cotta topped with chocolate ganache and strawberries. It's our version of a banana split."

Jef Dover, the proprietor of North Kansas City's Le Monde Bakery, has seen almost all of next year's trends on dessert lists now but isn't making a lot of them himself.

"I get a lot of requests for bite-sized desserts, but we don't make them because we're too busy making regular-sized desserts. We don't make desserts with savory ingredients, either, although I'm seeing a lot more desserts in restaurants with a savory component -- usually bacon, it seems."

Will he ever make a bacon-and-chocolate croissant?

"I don't think so, unless there's a lot of demand," Dover says.

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Comments (8)

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One of my favorite things about Glace is that I have the choice of a smaller serving. Elbow's creations are so decadently delicious that only a few bites are really necessary!

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Posted by Dillo on 12/14/2010 at 1:39 PM

If we all keep eating bacon, the terrorists win.

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Posted by SJ McGurn on 12/14/2010 at 11:40 AM

Meesha, if they keep eating bacon and chocolate, everyone who orders those will die.

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Posted by Alex on 12/14/2010 at 10:49 AM

I love the idea of smaller desserts, especially if they're small scoops of interesting ice cream flavors. I never order dessert now, but I think I would order one of those damn near every time.

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Posted by jjskck on 12/13/2010 at 12:19 PM

Bacon and chocolate is gross. Keep those 2 things separate please. The only thing salty that should be near chocolate is a pretzel.

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Posted by Abe on 12/13/2010 at 11:53 AM

I am so over the bacon thing. It needs to go away.

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Posted by Anonymous on 12/13/2010 at 11:38 AM

Meesha.v - Your tongue defines it as idiotic, my tongue defines it as brilliant. I think the bacon thing should expand. Pretty much any food can be made better by adding bacon.

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Posted by Birdman on 12/13/2010 at 11:31 AM

Respect to mr. Dover for resisting idiotic trends. The bacon thing should just die.

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Posted by meesha.v on 12/13/2010 at 11:02 AM
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