there’s a freshness to herbs, and using them
cuts down on the sweetness. People want
smaller portions with a nice amount of flavor.
Using fresh herbs adds an extra bang.”
A reason for using herbs in desserts might
be to help carry through the theme of the
meal, says Rob Henry, CPC, executive
pastry chef at The Bakery at Sullivan
University, Louisville, Ky. “To tie the savory
in with the sweet, pastry chefs are using
herbs as a twist, for example, to reinforce
the hint of rosemary you had earlier, but
not in an overwhelming way.”
Elena Clement, CEPC, pastry/culinary
specialist for Caldwell Food Group,
Washington, D.C., cautions that the
color of herbs can be greatly affected
by the cooking process. “You have
to be careful of the color of the herb
changing when it’s cooked. If you
steep them for too long, some herbs
will get bitter. And basil turns black
really fast when it’s cooked. It doesn’t
look good or taste good.”
Washington, D.C., cooking with herbs
can be tricky. “If you cook them too
much, they tend to get bitter. Some are
blanched and then used, and for some,
I infuse with respective liquids for a
short period, blend them in a blender
and then strain through a fine sieve.”
Tips for using herbs in desserts
Aaron Brown, baking/pastry instructor
at The Culinary Institute of America at
Greystone, St. Helena, Calif., says he
uses herbs fresh or barely cooked. “In
the case of a fruit compote or cobbler,
where the fruit is cooked, I need to be
very careful that the flavor of the herb
does not become too powerful.”
Rob Henry, CPC, executive pastry chef
at The Bakery at Sullivan University
in Louisville, Ky., does not change his
cooking process much when cooking
with herbs. “You just have to be careful,
because some herbs, like rosemary,
are potent and can take over if you
don’t control it.”
“When I think about dessert, I like to think
in bigger, rounder terms of the meal, not
just something sweet at the end,” says
Aaron Brown, baking/pastry instructor at
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at
Greystone, St. Helena, Calif. “I think herbs
provide greater depth of flavor to desserts.
Pastry chefs are using less sugar in their
desserts and relying on the flavors of the
ingredients, like fresh ripe fruit or varietal
chocolate. Herbs can pair well with these
to enhance their specific flavor.”
According to Santosh Tiptur, executive
chef/pastry chef at Co Co. Sala,
He adds that he sometimes infuses the
herbs in liquid, then chops up a small
amount and includes it in the dessert.
“I wouldn’t put a rose in a truffle, but I
would put a rose on a cake.”
like using saffron, herbs, seeds and smoked
salts. There are lots of interesting organic
compounds in herbs. Rosemary being
somewhat bitter plays well in desserts, and
sweets counteract the nature of it being
bitter. Using herbs is another color palette
for pastry chefs, but it takes an experienced
hand to know the boundaries.”
Jill Bosich, CEC, CCE, AAC, owner of
Irvine, Calif.-based Cowgirl Cookie Co.
and an instructor in the culinary-arts
department at Orange Coast College,
Costa Mesa, Calif., says using herbs in
desserts is not new, but pastry chefs are
getting creative and experimenting more
with adventurous types of cooking and
molecular cuisine.
Cookies with a twist
Just such an experienced hand manages
Cowgirl Cookie Co., which Bosich and her
mother have operated since December
2007. The company offers artisan-style,
hand-crafted cookies, cakes and bars, as
well as special cookie collections.
Fabian Anderwald
The spring cookie collection from Cowgirl
Cookie Co. features floral cookies, such as
this orange blossom variety.
“They’re getting curious. Pastry chefs are
getting notoriety now because they are
going places they weren’t supposed to go,
“We do cookie collections like a designer,”
says Bosich. “Our newest collection for
spring features floral cookies, such as rose,
orange blossom and lavender. Sunflower
seed and poppy seed cookies or bars are
in the line, too. It’s called the Wildflower and
Seed Collection. The line is based on florals,
