brown flavours
From Salted Caramel to Tiramisu - Desserts Continue to Inspire!
From Salted Caramel to Tiramisu - Desserts Continue to Inspire!
In April, the AGRANA Fruit Trendblog is all about the topic of “Indulgence.” The so-called “brown flavors” are definitely an important aspect of this, and we take a closer look at them in this article!
Fruit is the #1 flavor preferred in yogurts and other chilled desserts.
But chocolate is the ambitious runner up, which leads the way for other brown flavor items waiting to be combined with new trendy spices and more.The triumphant rise of yogurt and other varieties of chilled desserts is undeniable. Unusual ingredients and sensory combinations and unconventional flavors and ingredients are being added to products as a mark of sophistication as well as differentiation.
Many types are inspired by classic desserts from around the world, such as cheesecakes, donut glazes or cupcake toppings, and try to incorporate these signature flavors into the dairy products. The so-called brown flavors in particular, like chocolate, caramel, toffee and nougat, are becoming more and more popular and can be found in numerous products. Looking at what chefs around the world are doing, one can also see pudding dishes (classic, bread pudding and crème brûlée) on the rise, and they are doing so with signature dessert flavors. One particular flavor, salted caramel, is currently trending in Europe. “Finally,” one might say, since the sweet-savory mixture has been a long-time favorite in the US for several years now. For example, salted caramel products can be spotted in yogurt and other chilled products.
According to a MINTEL study, 65% of dessert-inspired products are chocolate based, leaving the rest to flavors like caramel, tiramisu, cheesecake, fudge, cookie, meringue and dulce de leche. Of course coffee is also a brown flavor which is trending not only in the “bulletproof diet” (Source: www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/style/the-cult-of-the-bulletproof-coffee-diet.html ), but also as a timeless popular ingredient in many Asian countries. Because coffee shops are a vital part of the social culture, the flavor of coffee takes people down memory lane and is thus widely popular in various combinations. A very new approach would be to combine wine and coffee, such as with the “cabernet espresso” flavor which started in Asia and is also moving to the US.
Here are some other classic flavors that have already been successfully combined with dairy products:
- UK: a banana and toffee flavor compote on yogurt
- Brazil: ice cream with côco queimado (“burnt coconut”)
- Germany: a Viennese-apple-cake-inspired yogurt
- Poland: a mandarin cheesecake yogurt with biscuits
- Canada: ice cream with chocolate-covered coconut bits
- South Korea: cappuccino yogurt with chocolate balls
When it comes to flavors, consumers are becoming more adventurous and willing to try new combinations. According to Innova, the 10 hottest new flavor combinations for 2015 are:
- White chocolate, lemon & poppy seeds
- Sea Salt & caramel C
- Chocolate mousse & cinnamon
- Milk chocolate, cookies & cream
- Dark chocolate, cocoa beans & cardamon
- Lemon, ginger, chocolate & black pepper
- Milk chocolate & peanut butter
- Dark chocolate, orange & tangerine
- Dark chocolate & Earl grey tea
- Milk chocolate & vanilla cream
Another strong development can be seen in the improvement of the textural experience: Textural inclusions, e.g. marshmallows, shortbread, biscuit pieces and chocolate chips or balls, are becoming more and more popular.
The ever-changing human palate will continue to demand new flavors and textures and create many new opportunities for all of us.
