Why all Our Toppings are Made Fresh
The quality of the ingredients used in creating great desserts matters, and fresh ingredients should be the starting point. When baking, you want the finished dessert to taste delicious. That starts with the ingredients. It would be easy to get pre-made toppings like chocolate ganache or marzipan from the store; however, they wouldn’t taste the best. Fresh toppings enhance the flavor, add to the texture, and include fewer surprise ingredients. When I bake, I start with ingredients, not pre-made add-ons.
Fresh ingredients give better flavors when baking. Using fresh ingredients preserves the natural taste and aroma. Making fresh strawberry syrup will be less sweet and richer in flavor than an over-sugared pre-packaged strawberry syrup at the store. In my opinion, all toppings, whether for cheesecake or brownies, benefit from being freshly prepared. Marzipan, for one, is easier to work with and has a richer almond flavor.
The quality you can see. Going back to the strawberry syrup, I often find the packaged syrups are very bright in color, which is due to the high levels of sugar, corn syrup, and food dye. Yes, freshly made syrup will not be as bright, but it doesn’t have to be. The fresh syrup is not asking you to look at it; it is asking you to enjoy it. Above the taste is the syrup’s texture and consistency. When I make my strawberry syrup, I am able to adjust its consistency. If I want a thin layer that sits just on top of my dessert, I will make the syrup thicker. Say I want the syrup to run down the sides, I can loosen the consistency. Honestly, I would be scared to tamper with the packaged syrup, as I don’t know what’s in it or how those ingredients would react to water or heat.
I always start with fresh preparation when I bake. The first difference I found between freshly-made and mass-produced strawberry syrup is the ingredients. When I make strawberry syrup, the first ingredient is strawberries. When I look at the ingredient lists of most strawberry syrups found in stores, the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup. This is a cheap corn liquid sweetener that preserves shelf life. Just because an ingredient is cheaper doesn’t mean that it’s better, or better for you.
Choosing fresh ingredients supports healthier desserts. Healthier when talking about desserts isn’t always the case, but some desserts are better for you. Fresh ingredients can help maintain nutritional value, even in baked goods. Fresh ingredients are free of unnecessary preservatives, such as high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavorings. Choosing fresh ingredients and making every addition from scratch enhances the quality of the food and supports the well-being of those who eat my desserts.
Making fresh toppings for every dessert I bake is how I show that I care. Not just to make a statement, but because fresh toppings taste better, have a higher quality, and are free of unnecessary ingredients. On your next baking adventure, skip the pre-made strawberry syrup and grab a container of fresh strawberries.
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