Pastry Glaze: Tips & Techniques

[stscam]

I'm making raspberry valnetine tartlettes for a couple of restaurants. The berries are so fresh and fine it seems a shame to glaze them, even lightly. Do most PC's glaze berry desserts, especially ones made a couple of days prior to serving? Or is it ok to go with just the plain berry?

[Lesley C]

Glaze with a zig zag of hot red currant jelly piped out quickly side to side with a cornet just to make it sparkle. Unglazed berries look unfinished. You could do icing sugar, but it would probably melt. Avoid the thick apricot jelly number.

[Wendy DeBord]

If your making them a couple days ahead, you'll need to glaze them or the fruit will look old.

Personally I never use glaze on fresh fruit items, period. I think glaze has a negative vibe with people-it's tricked them before into thinking something was good and fresh when it wasn't. I avoid using it even when I know it would enhanse the appearance of an item because of the negative association.

But I have to wonder if it depends upon where you live and your access to quality baked goods. I'd guess the average French person wouldn't have any negative thoughts about glazes.

[Jaymes]

I'm making raspberry valnetine tartlettes for a couple of restaurants.

Why would you not just ask the restaurants which they prefer?

[Louisa Chu]

Oh for godssake no - don't start asking them what they want - can o' worms. Kind of kidding - sort of. Yes, the average French person has a greater history - and tolerance - of glazes - but you're seeing them less and less - especially in the more modern houses. Personally, I hate glazes. But one of the things I have done - for petit fours garnished with a single raspberry - is to invert them, then fill them with a bit of red confiture. But the bottom line is that I doubt the raspberries will hold plain a couple of days.

[Jaymes]

Oh for godssake no - don't start asking them what they want - can o' worms.

But the bottom line is that I doubt the raspberries will hold plain a couple of days.

And the other "bottom line" is the risk factor:

Don't glaze: Risk -- berries don't hold up; tartletts are ruined.

Glaze: Risk -- not quite so pretty, upmarket, trendy and stylish as plain unadorned berries. Restaurants think PC is slightly behind the times.

Remedy for #1 -- Not much.

Remedy for #2 -- PC says to restaurant upon delivery that "I prefer not to glaze when the dessert will be eaten promptly, but in this case, thought it wise to be safe."

Edited February 13, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[Lesley C]

General rule,

For a pastry shop tart, glaze -- it's almost a must to keep it fresh

for a plated dessert, no glaze

A glazed restaurant dessert looks store bought, and ...tacky.

Then again, there is glaze and there is glaze. I worked at a patisserie in France where me made our own glaze out of the juice from canned fruit and pectin. It was thin, transparent and shiny. Just gorgeous. It looked quite pretty lightly dabbed on raspeberry tarts becuase they didn't pick up that ugly yellow hue of the apricot glaze.

Sorry, I don't have the recipe.

[Steve Klc]

Plus, glazing well is a skill--there can be a big difference in perception between glaze brushed on and glaze sprayed on, for instance. I still remember the day, a long time ago, when Bellouet was in DC for a week and he demonstrated how he arranged decorative fruit for a tart or cake first on the countertop, glazed it there, and then picked it up with a spatula to slide it gently in place on top of a glazed cake--a light bulb went off reinforcing a growing sense I had that there was pastry and baking, and then there was skillful pastry and baking. Up to that point I had just brushed canned apricot glaze directly onto fruit tarts in school. It was the first of many light bulbs to go off.

You know your clients best stscam and how they are set up to plate desserts and it's probably too late at this point anyway, but I think I'd have encouraged them to add the fresh berries a la minute--onto some sort of tartlet with filling concept which you've pre-assembled--and avoid the glazing issue altogether. But that brings you back to the protection/drying out issue--you'd have to protect that creamy filling from drying out as well--which then makes me wonder if they wouldn't be better off spooning some cream or curd into each tartlet shell a la minute as well as the berries. Now you're talking an a la minute plated dessert--and would they be set up to handle that?

[Lesley C]

Steve is so right about glazing just for the sake of glazing, and glazing done in the best way possible. And about assembling tarts a la minute if you aren't glazing.

Glazed fruit like strawberries, pineapple slices and kiwi (I dip them individually in hot nappage with a chocolate fork) are much prettier on a mignardises-size tartlet. Besides keeping the fruit from drying out, it gives everything a lovely shine and brings out the colour.

Another nice way to glaze small berries is to quickly toss them in a bowl with a spoonful of hot glaze and quickly place them on the tartlet base, which has also preferably been glazed at the bottom is cream is being used.

Also, I'm always shocked to see how many pastry chefs use glaze straight from the bucket. It must must must be diluted. Otherwise it's just too hot and gloopy and it's sure to soften the fruit or make it mushy. The colour is also more orangy. Not good -- the true mark of an amateur. IMO, glazing done correctly (be it nappage, fondant or a cake) is the mark of a real pro.

[FlourPower]

I'd say glaze, but don't pour it on. I've never understood the three-inch-thick-glaze rule.

Another alternative would be melting some white chocolate and zig-zagging it over the tarts. Forgive me if I don't know the proper French term for that.

[GG Mora]

Plus, glazing well is a skill--there can be a big difference in perception between glaze brushed on and glaze sprayed on, for instance.

Steve -

Can you talk a bit about "sprayed on" glaze? Is this considered better or worse (I'm guessing better?) than brushed on and, if better, howda ya doit?

Grateful for any input!

[McDuff]

Another alternative would be melting some white chocolate and zig-zagging it over the tarts. Forgive me if I don't know the proper French term for that.

Drizzle-drazzle...actually an ancient Babylonian term. I prefer the glaze brushed on, but my boss wants me to spray it and I don't think it covers well. I actually like the taste of what we use..reminds me of an apricot sour.

[KarenS]

I never glaze raspberries. I will dust them with powdered sugar. I would not make a raspberry tart to hold for two days though- it will look old either way. Fruit tarts really need to be served the same day that they are made. I glaze strawberries- they will look dried out if you don't I think that they look better with a slight shine. I use clear glaze diluted with water.

Slightly related topic- I've been using some great raspberries and strawberries (in season right now), from Kula, Maui. I am happy about the growing diversification in agriculture here.

[Wendy DeBord]

GGMora you spray it on with a wagner (or another brand) electric paint gun. This lets you spray a thin even coating (which is BETTER), where as, a brush will apply a heavier load (this is not good)...and since your actually touching the fruit with a brush I think it bruises delicate items like raspberries leading to their decline faster.

As another method....If you can get a decent pump style spray mister (like what holds windex and other household cleaners) you can delute your glaze enough so it passes thru that. That will look better then brushed on because it's thinner.

[David802]

Ok, I Don't no if anyone will be able to help with this one, but I need a recipe for a maple glaze. They have these doughnuts at the store that have a light brown maple glaze that I just love! but I no absolutly nothing about pastry so I'm relucant to just start making glazes and seeing what happens..

the glase will get hard on the top but stay smooth underneath. (those that have ever had a maple bar no what I am talking about)

it could be as simple as a glaze with an extract in it, but as I said I have never even tried to make pastrys...

thanks in advanced..

David

[Desiderio]

I know wich one you are talking about.When I worked for a bkaery dep.of a chain grocery store they use to make those everymorning,the glaze usually come out of a big tub of already made sugary glaze.If I would to make that myself I would use same glaze I use for cinnamon rolls , have the same effect and texture.

Confectionery sugar with added maple extract and milk ,you add the milk very little bit at the time cause it gets liquid rather fast ,mix till the right consistency and nice and smooth.

[David802]

Cool thanks alot!

I'm really excited to try this, Those are my favorite doughnuts, but all the stores have stopped selling them, and started selling krispy kreme(sp) and there not the same as these.

[Dave the Cook]

Another way to do it might be:

1/2 t vanilla extract

2 t unsalted butter

1/3 C maple syrup

1 C confectioners' sugar

Combine the first three ingredients over medium heat until the butter is melted and combined. Whisk in the sugar.

[pupkinpie2]

Another thing to keep in mind is the type of maple syrup you use. If you use the maple syrup that I grew up with (Aunt Jamiah stuff) the flavor wont be as good as it would be with real maple syrup. The common brand of pancake syrup which people think is maple syrup contains mostly sweetners and artifical flavors. It will thin down your icing and provide little flavor. Commerically icing companies use a maple flavor concentrate.

[Dave the Cook]

Good catch, pupkinpie2. For best flavor, use grade B (in the US; #3 in Canada) pure maple syrup.

[David802]

Good catch, pupkinpie2. For best flavor, use grade B (in the US; #3 in Canada) pure maple syrup.

←

Lol, I think I actualy have some "grade B" maple syrup, my aunt braught it to us from New york...

Thanks alot for the info...again pupkinpie2 you provide alot of valuable info.

but again thanks..I will get back to you guys with a report and mabye some pictures when I finish them.

David

[SweetSide]

David,

I don't in any way want to put you off from asking questions here -- everyone is more than happy to answer -- it's how we all learn and share ideas. But I was just thinking that with your new found interest in baking, perhaps you would like to invest in a general baking, pastry, or bread baking book if you don't already have one.

There are several threads if you search on them, or you could start your own thread based on what you would like to do -- breads only, pastries, general desserts. They not only will provide you with a variety of things to try, but will give you instruction and understanding on things like glazes and scaling recipes (your other thread), speeding you along on your journey into baking and pastry. There are a lot of good ones out there, and if you are interested in becoming a pro, you can start with a book geared for that. If you are interested in just doing it for fun, you can start with a book geared for that.

In any event, KEEP asking questions and learning here and everywhere. This is a wonderful world -- the baking and pastry world! Welcome!

[David802]

Actualy I already bought a couple books.

I have this one on the way from amazon

Baking with the Bread Baker's Apprentice.

and The book of yeilding, Thanks alot for the advice, when I first started this stuff, I thought that baking was more of a learn as you go, but there are quite a few books that are very helpfull.

I will continue to ask questions..

thanks for the advice

David

[scott123]

I would put in some detective work at the store. Even if they no longer supply them, they may have a name/number for a supplier. If you track down the company/bakery that makes them, you might be able to get a list of ingredients. Also, if you can get it, nutritional info is helpful for reverse engineering as well. Who knows, you might even be able to find another store that sells your favorite doughnuts or even find a commercial source for the glaze itself.

Without the ingredients list, the odds that you'll be able to create a perfect duplicate of this glaze are pretty slim, imo.

[schneich]

hi,

since we do eclairs daily, (even on warmer days) i want to switch from our usual ganache glaze (it kind of blooms in the cooler) to the original fondant glaze like the stuff in france...

when i tried the following recipe the outcoome was even more dull and streaky:

Chocolate Fondant Glaze

50ml Water

50ml Glucose

115g sugar

128g chocolate

boil water glucose and suager, after it boils, off the fire pour in chocolate, mix well ready after semicooled. i use callebaut 811

once this glace gets cool it gets rreally dull, not like the "showcake effect" i had in mind.

the original sacher torte in the hotel sacher in vienna, in my opinion uses some kind of chocolate fondant glaze, the feels kind of "crystallized" ??

clueless

t.