Savory desserts can sweeten restaurant sales
3 Min Read
Corn is a versatile ingredient that pairs well with salty flavors. Kenzo Han
For some, a meal does not have to end with a sugary extravaganza. Consumers are embracing less-sweet treats, with flavors inspired by global cuisine. Adding savory desserts to the menu can help operators gain incremental sales, as people who typically don’t order dessert can find something they like to finish out the experience.
According to Innova’s Desserts & Sweet Treats – Global report, savory-sweet mashups can deliver flavor, and a sense of novelty, to consumers. Also, 42% of global consumers prefer combinations of familiar and novel elements.
Sweet and savory
That combination is inspiration for Michael Kurowski, the executive pastry chef for Secret Sauce Food & Beverage, parent company of Steuben’s and Ace Eat Serve in Denver.
“When I’m creating desserts for Ace Eat Serve, I always try to find that balance between something familiar and something a little unexpected,” he said. “I love taking something people already know and love and giving it a different perspective without losing what makes it comforting in the first place.”
Among those desserts is the Thai Tea Carrot Cake, which Kurowski says came from the desire to put a different spin on a classic dessert by adding another layer of flavor to a nostalgic, recognizable cake.
“Thai tea has these beautiful aromatic qualities, with notes of vanilla, warm spices, and a subtle earthiness that I thought would pair really well with carrot cake,” Kurowski said. “It felt like a natural combination.”
Another sweet and savory dessert, the Chocolate Miso Tart, combines what Kurowski described as rich, complex chocolate with miso, which brings a salty, earthy umami quality that enhances, not competes, with the chocolate. Miso is traditionally thought of as a savory ingredient, but can add depth to a dessert. Kurowski noted that the juxtaposition of flavors is similar to salt in chocolate chip cookies or salted caramel, to make the sweetness more interesting.
The trend opens up opportunities for chefs to develop additional savory desserts.
“People’s palates are becoming more adventurous,” Kurowski said. “There’s so much more exposure to global cuisines, whether that’s through restaurants, travel, or social media.”
Globally inspired
Global flavors have long been a trend, and chefs are putting these flavors in desserts.
At Firstborn in Los Angeles, one recent savory-leaning dessert is corn sabayon.
“Corn has definitely had a moment recently, with seemingly everyone featuring some version of it on their menus, whether savory or sweet,” said pastry chef Jaime Craten. “Corn desserts are popular throughout Asia, so I wanted to approach the dish using other familiar Asian flavors and textures.”
Corn is a versatile ingredient that pairs well with salty flavors. “The dish came together after just a few tests, and even I was surprised by how savory it turned out,” Craten says. “It’s salty, sweet, chewy, and crunchy all at once. I knew it was a hit before the menus were even printed.”
Novelty is part of the appeal, as is the craving for something new. The idea was to offer diners something other than a bland or overly sweet end to the meal, a trend that is reflected in other food trends.
“I think the growing availability of Asian ingredients has also played a role, making these flavors and combinations more familiar and accessible,” Craten said. “As long as the dish is well-balanced, I believe it can appeal to dessert haters and savory fanatics alike.”
Other ingredients that are showing up on dessert menus include red bean, which Innova noted is the fastest growing flavor in the global desserts market; falooda, an Asian dessert made with vermicelli, syrup, and sweet basil seeds; and matcha, a tea powder that makes pastries and other baked goods bright green.
From a simple salted chocolate chip cookie to an elaborate, globally inspired dessert, savory desserts provide operators an opportunity to attract diners who might not otherwise order an after-dinner treat.
