What type of fruit is most requested by bakeries and hospitality premises?

Professionals working within the HORECA sector, as well as bakeries, ice cream parlours and chocolatiers, all select fully guaranteed, top quality products to work with, among which, one of the most popular ingredient for their creations is candied fruit. Although most closely associated with baked goods, they can also be used as an ingredient in a wide range of dishes, sauces as well as in new products.

What professionals working in this sector seek from a good candied fruit brand is that the catalogue is wide and that the fruit is available in many different formats, in accordance with requirements. In other words, a brand that makes their lives easier, offering all sorts of benefits on the job, both on a practical and a creative level.

The most popular types of fruit used in factory-made baked goods and HORECA

Fresh and candied fruit have always been a practically indispensable ingredient for cakes and desserts. Here is a selection of fruit most often used by professional bakers:

• Apple: Apples work well with pastry cream and dried fruits such as walnuts, almonds or pistachios in baked goods. Apple tart or apple sponge cake are some of the most popular cakes in the whole world due to their perfect mix of acidity and sweetness. There are many varieties of apples that mean professional bakers can always find one with the flavour and texture which they desire.

• Kiwi: This fruit is in season between October and March, the same as apples, and also work incredibly well with pastry cream. Their bright green colour and distinct flavour are their main assets, either chopped into small pieces to decorate the top of a cake or as a main ingredient. They can be served with bananas, apples, pineapples and oranges.

• Citric fruits: Oranges, lemons, tangerines, grapefruits and limes are all used in baking to counterbalance sweetness and provide a nice acidic tang to the final product. They are used in making tarts, jellies, ice creams, confectionary and many varieties of desserts. Both candied and fresh citric fruits are used in this way.

• Banana: this superb tropical fruit is often served with many kinds of chocolate, as well as alongside strawberries or raspberries. They are used in tarts, cakes, muffins, caramel desserts and ice creams. Banana is often served as a side dish with rice and meat.

• Peaches and apricots: both fruits are used by professional bakers in order to make jams and fruit pastes, cakes, tarts, flans, confectionary or crumbles. They can be served with apples, bananas, cherries and strawberries. They add an innovative flavour to cakes, ice creams and milkshakes.

• Fruits of the forest: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and blackberries are regularly used in factory-baked goods, in desserts, cakes, jams, sauces, salads or as a side dish for meat stews.

Desserts and dishes made with fruits

As we mentioned above, professional chefs use fruit in other dishes apart from cakes and desserts. Here are some of their delicious suggestions:

• Creme caramel with fruit and soft cheese: this delicious dessert is made using mascarpone cheese (although similar types of cheese can be used) and combining it with some or all of the following fruit options: kiwi, peach, cherry, strawberry and pineapple. It all depends on the creative imagination of the master baker and their desire to innovate.

• Crepes with fruit: crepes are always delicious in whatever shape or form, especially when served with fruit that makes them original and fresh. The most commonly served fruit with crepes are small chunks of strawberry, kiwi or pineapple.

• Creamy yogurt with fruit: this simple dessert is actually very delicious when the best ingredients are used and there is a good combination of fruits. This dessert is served at many hotel buffets and good restaurants.

• Fruit skewer: This is another dessert which can be open to imaginative interpretations, some of which are true works of art. Fruit can be served in numerous combinations, although it is best to limit the creation to a maximum of three fruits. Banana, tangerine and kiwi makes a good combination, as does kiwi, pineapple and orange.

• Fruit served on a biscuit base with crème pâtissière: This dessert works best with hard fruit such as kiwi, banana or pineapple. These fruits, combined with crumbled biscuit and pastry cream, is irresistible to anyone with a sweet tooth.

• Yogurt flan with red berries: this can be made with plain yogurt and gelatine. When served with cranberries, raspberries or blackberries, the end result is spectacular to the eye and taste buds.

• Fruit smoothies: this is an ideal way to cool down when the temperature is high. All of the typical summer fruits – melon, watermelon, cherries, mango and papaya – make perfect ingredients for a delicious shake.

It cannot be denied that fresh and candied fruit are important ingredients for many desserts, especially those that are factory-made or served at hospitality venues. At Lazaya we have a wide range of formats and guarantee the highest quality products for our professional clients. Contact us today to find out more about our full range.