Recipe Inspiration Dishing Up Creative Desserts

Natural and authentic ingredients have become an expectation for premium desserts. With a growing focus on health and wellness, dairy and dessert product developers are continually challenged to introduce novel flavors and products while also meeting consumer demand for a clean label.   

Leading brands continue to experiment with innovative inclusions and toppings to help meet consumer demand for more creative and better-for-you dessert options. Freeze-dried fruits are ideal ingredients for delivering natural flavors, vibrant colors, authentic textures, and functional benefits to confectionery and desserts – all with a clean label. 

Curious how these ingredients could fit into an existing recipe, or looking for some NPD inspiration? Check out these tips for creating premium, elevated desserts. 

1. Deliver new sensory experiences with inclusions 

Freeze-dried fruits add texture, crunch, and visual appeal to indulgent desserts and confectionery. When enjoyed, the bold flavour of freeze-dried fruit can create a tasty balance, enhancing the overall experience and taste. Freeze-dried fruit also pairs well with additional inclusions like nuts or dried fruit for a multi-faceted texture experience. 

2. Layer freeze-dried toppings and coatings for added texture and visual appeal 

Freeze-dried fruit toppings can be incorporated directly into chocolate bars, or used as a decoration for crème brûlée, cupcakes, cheesecakes, ice cream and more. Strawberry, orange, and raspberry toppings add a sense of special occasion and layer of indulgence to limited edition or seasonal dessert and confectionery products.  

3. Use freeze-dried fruits to color, flavour and decorate 

According to Euromonitor International, 63% of consumers worldwide prefer food products made with natural colors over artificial ones.¹ To meet this demand, replace artificial flavors and colors in frozen dairy desserts with natural freeze-dried fruit powders and toppings. Experiment with distinctive flavors like blackberry or blackcurrant, or create a rainbow effect using a trio of colors and flavors, such as mango, strawberry and kiwi. The natural sweetness and flavor of our freeze-dried fruit powders can replace artificial flavorings and high sugar components. 

Explore our products

Our R&D team is constantly developing new application ideas and creating ingredient solutions that add real value for our customers. Learn about our global capabilities and team up with us for your application solutions.

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Explore Our Products

Start the new year off with a win by elevating your dessert and confectionery recipes by adding freeze-dried fruit. In all parts of the world, Chaucer Foods’ range of freeze-dried and baked ingredients spark a consumer’s interest and can meet a variety of demands.

Whether you’re working on something new or reformulating to meet new trends, our R&D team can work with you to develop a high-quality, innovative product. Learn more about all of our freeze-dried and baked ingredient offerings, or contact us today at customer.services@chaucerfoods.com. 

Sources

¹ Euromonitor International, “Global Consumer Trends 2024,” 2024.