Storing Desserts

Storing desserts
Knowing the shelf life of a dessert or dessert accompaniment can broaden a host's list of sweet
selections for an appropriate ending to a holiday menu. Here are suggestions that will inspire and
assist a dessert cook.
 Puff pastry shells, the crisp casings for fresh fruit or pastry cream can be baked ahead and
cooled. They may be left on the baking sheet for protection, covered with foil and stored in the
freezer for up to one week.  Pate a choux or cream puff pastry for eclairs or cream puffs. They
can be stored in rigid airtight containers in the freezer up to five days. Do not store in the
refrigerator because pastry absorbs odors and can be stale quickly.  Baked cream puffs freeze
beautifully up to one month when tightly covered. When filled with ice cream and frozen cream
puffs should be made with milk instead of water which freezes more solidly, making the puffs
hard and dry.  Classic puff pastry dough can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator
up to three days. If freezing, overwrap plastic wrapped dough with foil and freeze up to three
months. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours before rolling.
Avoid odor absorption
 The butter cream when well-covered to prevent odor absorption can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week in the freezer up to one month. Allow to stand at room temperature
one hour after removing from freezer or refrigerator, then beat until smooth.  Whipping cream
will be more stable if slowly beaten and not over whipped. Granulated or extra fine sugar and
vanilla may be added before whipping.  The royal icing keeps three to four weeks in the
refrigerator and can be rebeaten before used. To keep it from hardening, cover with plastic wrap
and place damp towel over the top.  Store baklava or other sweet, sticky filo pastries at room
temperature, uncovered, up to eight hours. To refresh, bake for 10 minutes at 400 0 F.  Baked
sweet or short crust pastry shells can be stored in plastic bags in refrigerator up to two days or
frozen up to one month.  Unbaked pastry dough can be shaped into a disc, placed in freezer
plastic bag. Defrost at room temperature or refrigerator until softened but still very cold for
easier rolling.  Pavlovas and other meringue sheets or circles may be stored in airtight metal
containers at room temperature up to one week. This may not work in humid areas. In humid or
rainy weather, dry them in a 225 degree oven, 20 to 30 minutes longer and use immediately. 
Butter cream filled and frosted meringue tortes freeze well up to three days but taste best at room
temperature.
Storing cold and hot desserts
As many desserts contain egg and dairy products, they present a potential health hazard if not
stored properly. Proper storage means cooled desserts must be covered with plastic or placed in
lidded containers before storing in the cool room.
Observe the following guidelines.  Desserts containing uncooked eggs should be handled with
extreme care, as raw egg is a medium in which dangerous bacteria such as salmonella can thrive.
This means you need to be really careful with food such as chocolate mousse and uncooked
cheesecakes that contain egg whites for aeration.
 Egg custards contain protein, which provides good food for bacteria. If custards such as crème
caramel or trifle are not heated and cooled properly and quickly, bacteria that are present in the
custard can grow quickly to dangerous numbers.
 Any dessert that is not required for immediate consumption must be cooled immediately and
stored in the cool room until required.
 If you plan to keep a pre-prepared dessert hot until service, make sure that the temperature of
the food is over 65oC. Never leave an egg mixture in a Bain Marie for any length of time. Any
dessert that has been kept hot in the Bain Marie for a while should be discarded at the end of
service.
 If milk and cream are used in desserts such as trifle and custards, they must not be left to stand
at room temperature for any length of time. They should be kept in the refrigerator until the last
possible moment to prevent the risk of food poisoning.
 Many desserts have a limited storage life. Make sure you check with your supervisor and
follow organizational requirements.
Packaging Materials for Storing Desserts

 glass container
plastic container
 plastic/cellophane
 aluminum foil
 packaging tapes
 boxes
Equipment
 chiller
 freezer
 refrigerator
Sanitary Practices
When Storing Desserts  Handle the food properly to prevent spoilage and contamination. 
Wash utensils and equipment thoroughly.  Keep away from food when you are ill.  Store
foods and ingredients properly.  Safeguard the food during distribution and service.
Storage Techniques
 Refrigerate – to keep cold or cool  Cold Storage – the process of storing food by means of
refrigeration  Chilling – to refrigerate or to reduce the

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