Published December 4, 2015

Crunch and Salt Continue to Take Dessert World by Storm

Nation’s Restaurant News has a retrospective look at the trends that ruled desserts in 2015, and unsurprisingly salty flavors and inventive textures were two of the most predominant trends. Salt found its way into all sorts of dessert components, from ice cream to chocolates to bread pudding. If you haven’t yet added a salt-forward dessert to your menu, you really should consider it. salt is a flavor enhancer, making every ingredient it’s paired with pop, and big chinks of sea salt add enticing crunch to dishes.

The frigid weather last year had an effect on restaurant’s dessert menus, with chefs reaching for cosy flavors to warm up diners tired of the endless winter. Spins on classic comfort desserts worked well for this purpose, with dishes like creme brûlée, Bananas foster and warm brownies serving as as great winter warmers.

The trend for miniaturized, shareable versions of classic dishes has had a serious effect on the dessert world. Miniature pies, cheesecakes, and donuts act as the sweet counterpart to trendy appetizers like mini burger sliders.

What’s next on the horizon for dessert trends? Well, if this winter’s uncharacteristically mild temperatures continue, perhaps shaved ice and son-cones will be the hot trends of 2016.

Read the full article here: The Year in Desserts: Crunchy, Salty, Mini and More