Learner'S Guide: Heart Trust/National Training Agency
Learner'S Guide: Heart Trust/National Training Agency
Learner'S Guide: Heart Trust/National Training Agency
PRESENT DESSERTS
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*** 2003***
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the HEART Trust/NTA.
PAGE
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1
Welcome ................................................................................................................... 1
This Competency Unit.................................................................................................... 1
Before You Start ............................................................................................................. 2
Planning Your Learning Programme ............................................................................. 2
Self-Assessment Checklist ............................................................................................. 3
How To Use This Learner’s Guide ................................................................................ 4
Method of Assessment.................................................................................................... 6
LG-THHPAT0772A
PRESENT DESSERTS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome
Welcome to the Learner’s Guide for Competency Standard “Present desserts”. This is just one
of a number of Learner Guides produced for the Commercial Food Preparation Skills stream of
the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, and it is designed to guide you, the learner, through a
series of learning processes and activities that will enable you to achieve the specified learning
outcomes for the competency unit.
The content of this guide was developed from the Competency Standard THHPAT0772A,
which is one of the basic building blocks for the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica
(NVQJ) certification within the industry. Please refer to your Learner’s Handbook for a
thorough explanation of standards and competencies, and how these relate to the NVQJ
certification.
You are also advise to consult the Competency Standard for a better understanding of what is
required to master the competency.
“Present desserts ” addresses the knowledge and skills requirements for presenting desserts.
There are three main areas or elements:
As you go through each element you will find critical information relating to each one. You are
advised to study them carefully so that you will be able to develop the necessary knowledge,
skills and attitudes for presenting desserts.
a. Obtain a Learner’s Logbook that you `will use to record evidence of your new
skills/competence. As you demonstrate your new skills, record your activities and have your
learning facilitator sign off on them. This will allow you to provide evidence of your
competence when you are being assessed against the competency standard.
b. Ensure that you have access to the facilities and equipment necessary for learning.
d. Ensure that you are wearing suitable clothing, that tools and equipment are safe, and that the
correct safety equipment is used.
The self-assessment checklist on the following page will assist you in planning your training
programme as it will help you to think about the knowledge and skills needed to demonstrate
competency in this unit. As you go through the checklist you will be able to find out what
competencies you have already mastered and which one you will need to pay more attention to
as you go through the learning process.
To complete the self-assessment checklist simply read the statements and tick the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
box. You should do this exercise now.
SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
-Deal with conflict situations
3. I can do portioning. ( ) ( )
If you ticked all or most of the ‘Yes’ boxes, then you might not need to go through the entire
guide. Ask your learning facilitator to assist you in determining the most appropriate direction
for this competency.
If you ticked a few of the ‘Yes’ boxes or none at all, then you should work through the entire
guide, even though some of the material may be familiar to you.
Plan your learning based on your answers. Be sure to involve your learning facilitator in the
planning process.
This Learner’s Guide is designed to assist you in working and learning at your own pace.
• Check your progress at each checkpoint to ensure that you have understood the material
• Observe the icons and special graphics used throughout this guide to remind you of what you
have to do to enhance your learning. The icons and their meanings are as follows:
Definition Box
Words/phases are defined or explained in this box. The
words/phases being explained are in bold print.
Checkpoint
This denotes a brain teaser and is used to check your
understanding of the materials presented. No answers are
provided for the questions asked.
Activity
This denotes something for you to do either alone or with
the assistance of your learning facilitator.
Reference
Points you to the reference materials and other support
documents or resources used in compiling the unit content.
• Ask your learning facilitator for help if you have any problem with the interpretation of the
contents, the procedures, or the availability of resources
• Complete each activity as you come to it. If the activity requires you to perform an actual
task, be sure to tell your learning facilitator when you get to that activity so that he/she can
make the arrangements, if necessary
• Get your learning facilitator to sign and date the Learner Logbook when you have completed
an activity
When you have worked through all elements of the guide, and when you can tick every ‘Yes’
box, you are ready for assessment and may ask your learning facilitator to assist you in making
the arrangements to have your performance assessed.
Where your activities refer you to the library, computer and Internet resources, ask your learning
facilitator to assist you with locating these resources. If you are getting your training in an
institution, there may be a library and computer laboratory. If this is not the case, visit the local
library and find out what resources are available.
If you are new to the computer and the Internet, someone should be able to show you how to use
these resources.
Please note that in many of your activities you have been referred to information on the Internet.
This is because the Internet has a vast amount of information that can help you in acquiring the
particular competencies. We would like to advice you, however, that we cannot guarantee that
all the sites will be available when you need them. If this happens, ask your learning facilitator
to assist you with locating other sites that have the information you require.
Method of Assessment
Competency will be assessed while work is being undertaken under direct supervision with
regular checks, but may include some autonomy when working as a team. You are advised to
consult the associated competency standard for further details relating to the assessment
strategies.
You may now start your learning. Have fun while you work!
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This unit is designed to provide you with knowledge and skills and attitudes associated with the
attractive plating of desserts. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you through the different
activities, so on completion you should be able to:
Types of Desserts
Dessert forms one course of a meal, providing a sweet ending to the meal. It may or may not be
followed by hot beverages. Desserts include but are not limited to prepared portions of the
following types:
The word dessert comes from the French desservir – to remove that which has been served.
ACTIVITY
Learn about the culinary evolution of dessert from the website
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/2002/0702CC.html.
ACTIVITY:
ACTIVITY:
CHECKPOINT:
Match the descriptions below with one of the dessert terms in the
above list.
CHECKPOINT:
What is choux pastry?
The decoration of desserts is an art and there are several methods to decorate desserts to create
eye appeal, develop harmony in texture, ‘mouthfeel’, acidity, richness and portion size and co-
ordinate the dessert with the other parts of the meal.
Decorating Methods
Tip
Your desserts should be attractive and show your creativity when they are completed.
ACTIVITY:
Choose two of the decorating methods from the list above. Find a
dessert that has been decorated with these methods. Use recipe books
from a library or the internet to help you.
CHECKPOINT:
Mint leave is a popular herb used for decoration. Did you know that
there are more than 30 species of mint? Only two are of commercial
importance. Find out which two.
Types of Fillings
Fillings are important part of desserts and are commonly used in decoration. Like desserts,
fillings are numerous and serve different purposes.
There are so many types of fillings - custard, cheese, fruit or cream. Filling can be very simple,
but the filling can be made more complex by the addition of nuts or dried fruits.
ACTIVITY:
The Lemon meringue pie recipe is a very popular pie, which uses
a filling. Find a recipe for this delicious pie and write down the
ingredients for making the filling. Make the filling and ask your
learning facilitator to assess the outcome.
CHECKPOINT:
Name two kinds of fillings that can be used for layered cakes?
Refer to Culinary Institute of America. The New Professional Chef. Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York, 1996, pages 1102 - 1104.
Tip
To avoid the possibility of fruit juices penetrating and softening the lower crust before a frozen
two-crust pie is baked, freeze the filling and the crust separately and combine them
immediately before baking.
Portion
A portion is the amount of food allowed per person. In presenting dessert, you should aim to
maintain portion control as this affects not only the presentation, but also the consistency and
cost as well. Portion sizes will vary from enterprise to enterprise depending on the number of
customer and the amount the customer is paying.
ACTIVITY:
Visit website
http://recipecircus.com/recipes/millie/FoodForThought/Portion_Cont
rol_Tips.html for portioning tips.
Ask your learning facilitator for more information on portioning. Ask
your learning facilitator to allow you to practice some portioning
techniques.
Tip: The richer the dessert, the smaller the portion should be.
Try this: Determine one meal portion size by clenching your fist. the size of your clenched
fist is approximately the size of a single portion of food.
CHECKPOINT
What portions should be served to customers to make them satisfied,
while adhering to your costing and portion control?
Plating Dessert
This is the stage of decorating desserts that creates the eye appeal for your customers or guests.
Place portions on a plate suitable for desserts. You can select from china, glass, ceramic,
depending on the occasion. Brightly coloured plates usually help to enhance your presentation.
Tips
Desserts should provide lasting impression on guests. Therefore, they should be plated
tastefully to create appeal and the desire to indulge.
CHECKPOINT
Here are some descriptions of plates. Which one of these descriptions
fit the plate in which desserts should be served?
a small flat plate
a medium sized, flat plate, slightly smaller than the main plate
a medium sized plate with curved edges to form a slight bowl shape
a large flat oval shaped plate
a medium sized plate with high edges to form a bowl
ACTIVITY
Visit the shopping malls and look at plates in household stores. Ask
the store clerk to show you the different types of plates. Your mother
or grandmother may have some interesting plates that will be ideal to
this activity.
Now that you have seen some plates that can excite your dessert
presentations; you should start to think creatively. Decide on how
you are going to decorate your plate. Map out a small diagram so
you can get a clear picture of what you will be doing. It is better to
make the changes on paper instead of on the dessert itself.
Tip
Decorating Tools
You will need basic tools for decorating your desserts. You can make some of the tools at home
and others are available from stores, which sell baking supplies.
Types of Tools
In addition to your spatula, turntable, you will need a pastry bag with varying nozzle sizes.
CHECKPOINT:
Identify the tools below.
Designs
Your creativity comes out in your design, you can make roses, write messages and decorative
markings.
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY:
Refer to Culinary Institute of America. The New Professional Chef. Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York, 1996, pages 1102 - 1104.
• Getting started:
Once you have worked out your design, select the appropriate tip and securely place it in the
opening of the bag. A coupler helps to keep tip in place.
• Tools needed
Pastry bag, coupler, tips, spatula, icing or butter cream or other preparation for piping.
Tips: A coupler makes it easier to change tips as you create your designs.
ACTIVITY
Practise using the piping bag. This can be purchased from any baking
supply store. Repeat the process using different tips until you are
comfortable using the bag.
Tips
To pipe, use one hand to press the icing down and out of the bag using the other hand to guide
the piping along your pattern.
Tips: Always wash the bag properly with warm, soapy water when you have finished working.
Turn the bag inside out and dry well and store in a dry place to prevent the growth of mould.
CHECKPOINT:
What factors contribute to the growth of microorganisms like
bacteria and the spread of viruses?
The appeal of tasty desserts is to serve them at the correct temperatures. The service temperature
of desserts will vary, some are held at room temperature before serving; some are served chilled,
while others are more tasty when served hot.
CHECKPOINT
The Orange or Lemon Mousse Mirror Cake- made from
Fresh paper-thin slices of whole orange top, two layers of vanilla
spongecake layered with Grand Marnier and surrounded by orange
Bavarian cream is best if left 20 minutes at room temperature before
serving.
Using the Internet and recipe books, find some desserts and note the
temperature at which they should be served.
CHECKPOINT:
What is the basic public health rule in the safe service of foods?
Tips
You should serve hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Hot desserts - Hot desserts should be served hot at temperatures of 60°C (140°F or higher).
Cold desserts - Cold desserts should be served cold (refrigerated) at5 °C (41°F or below).
Frozen desserts should be served frozen at temperatures below 0 degrees C (32 °F). Examples
of frozen desserts are sorbets, ice cream and gelatos, frozen soufflés, mousses, and parfaits.
Refer to: Learning Guide THHCFP0352A Element 2 – Decorate, portion & Present
Desserts.
Now that you have completed this element do the following self-assessment to see if you have
fully grasped all the components.
Checklist 1
Yes No
3. I can identify the tools needed for decorating desserts. ___ ___
Checklist 2
Yes No
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This unit is designed to provide you with knowledge and skills and attitudes associated with
planning, preparing and conducting a dessert trolley preparation. Your learning facilitator is
there to assist you through the different activities, so on completion you should be able to:
Desserts
Desserts are elegantly displayed on dessert trolleys so that they can be easily presented to
customers. Dessert trolleys should be attractive and complement the decor of the establishment.
They can be purchased in all types of finishes, or they can be custom-made to match the décor,
especially in fine dining restaurants.
ACTIVITY
In pairs, discuss some of the finishes that you could use to make a
dessert trolley. Think in terms of ease of cleaning and attractiveness
of the finish.
Trolleys
Trolleys range from simple to elaborate and may have refrigerator units for cold and frozen
desserts.
Once the trolley is prepared, it is your task to move it about the dining area so that guests can
make their selection from the trolley. You have to conduct the trolley in a manner that it does
not disrupt the tone of the room.
You should present the trolley with some style and flair, showing off the best of your pastry line
in an effort to please your customers. Some servers even change their serving attire for serving
the dessert course. It may be whole outfit or just the apron.
As the person serving desserts, you should present desserts with a pleasing personality. You
should check your personal hygiene and your attitude.
ACTIVITY:
Now that you have completed this element, do the following self-assessment to see if you have
fully grasped all the components.
Checklist 1
Yes No
Checklist 2
Yes No
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This unit is designed to provide you with knowledge and skills and attitudes associated with
storing desserts. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you through the different activities, so
on completion you should be able to:
Several desserts are made from dairy products that make them more susceptible to food borne
diseases if they are not stored at the correct temperatures.
ACTIVITY:
Talk with the Public Health Inspector in your area to find out more
about food spoilage and the harm to humans.
Tip
Hot desserts should be served hot, cold desserts cold, and frozen desserts served frozen. This is
why dessert trolleys should have refrigerator units to keep foods at the correct temperatures
for cold and frozen desserts. Hot desserts can be chilled and the portion reheated in a
microwave before serving.
Refer: McSwine, D; Rue, N. and Linton R. Essentials of Food Safety & Sanitation.
Prentice Hall. 1998, pages 36 – 100, for information on food-borne diseases.
Packaging desserts for storage requires a unit for desserts only, so that the desserts do not pick up
the smell of other foods like seasonings and meat. It is against public health regulations to store
desserts and other foods without airtight containers. This preserves taste, appearance and eating
characteristics.
Any prepared food has the potential to become contaminated before it is eaten.
Tips
Contamination is the presence of substances or conditions that will promote the growth of
microorganisms rendering the food harmful to humans.
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Chemicals
• Parasites
Bacteria and viruses are microorganisms and are present everywhere. Bacteria and viruses are
responsible for food spoilage and food borne illnesses like gastro-enteritis. This is because the
microorganisms get their energy from the food in which they live and reproduce. When foods
spoil, they should not be eaten, but should be disposed of as garbage.
Bacteria are responsible for most of the foodborne illnesses. Bacteria grow and reproduce in
foods.
Viruses are smaller them bacteria, but they grow and reproduce on a living human or animal. A
viral foodborne infection is hepatitis A caused by foods prepared with contaminated water or
human contact.
Parasites are small creatures and can only be seen by a microscope. They live inside or on the
outside of a host and when they enter the food system they cause foodborne illnesses. A
common example is raw or undercooked seafood.
Chemicals can cause foodborne illnesses. Some of these are man-made chemicals like cleaning
solutions and pesticides. Some chemicals occur naturally in foods and may cause ill-health. An
example is toxins in shellfish, which is why some people are allergic to seafood.
ACTIVITY
Refer: McSwine, D; Rue, N. and Linton R. Essentials of Food Safety & Sanitation.
Prentice Hall. 1998,pages 21 - 72
Food can be contaminated at any point in the food chain, so it is important to store foods well.
Products, including dairy products, are at great risks for contamination therefore they should be
stored properly during and after service.
Now that you have completed this element, do the following self-assessment to see if you have
fully grasped all the components.
Checklist 1
Yes No
4. I can identify risks associated with improper food storage. ___ ___
Checklist 2
Yes No