In the professional bakery or pastry shop, most ingredients are measured by weight. When creating standardized formulas for common use, consistency of quality and flavor is the most important objective. Weight is more accurate, leaving less room for error. If a formula is found or developed in volume measurements it should be converted to weight for professional use.
Using Measures for Volume Foodservice
Pastry chefs working in high-volume locations, such as hotels or banquet halls, can face the challenge of creating menus for hundreds, if not thousands, of guests. Whether planning the room service menu for a 500-room hotel, mignardises for a wedding of two hundred, or plated desserts at a benefit gala, high numbers and limited staffing can present a number of obstacles.
Though custom menus might be designed for special events, it is likely that a catering hall or hotel might have standard menus or selections from which customers can choose. It is helpful to offer items that are tailored to the season for low food cost and high quality of ingredients, and so a kitchen might have four or more menus that they rotate throughout the year. It is common for customers to request items that are not in season or part of the venue’s typical offerings. It will be up to the pastry chef to decide how to accommodate these requests; flexibility is important to a guest, but it cannot come at the expense of quality.
After deciding on the menu, the standardized recipe will need to be scaled and tested to make sure that it works for a larger volume of people. It is especially important to test recipes that include yeast or leaveners because the amount will often need to be adjusted when the recipe is scaled up. Depending on the number and type of items on the buffet, the portion size may need to be adjusted when serving desserts at high volumes. Be sure to note this as the recipes are being scaled up.
In addition to scaling and testing considerations, there are many considerations when choosing items for high-volume production. When a guest count is numbering in the hundreds or more, plating and service becomes a major factor in choosing the menu. Most items should have components that can be made ahead and stored without compromising quality. These items might include tart shells, custard fillings, or chocolate décor. Any pieces that must be made close to service should be kept at a minimum. If being arranged on a buffet, special consideration must be taken to how the items will keep at room temperature or any items that might require an ice bath. If an item is particularly sensitive, the pastry chef may choose to present it at an action station, where components are assembled to order in front of the customer.
When planning items for large parties, the pastry chef might want to prepare items to satisfy guests with dietary restrictions. Common requests include desserts that are sugar free, gluten free, or vegetarian. In the past, kitchens would often send out fruit plates to accommodate guests, but as the demand for these items increases, pastry chefs are becoming more creative, and special-diet desserts are sometimes integrated into the standard menu. It is not uncommon for a host to present the chef with any special requests of this nature while planning the menu.
