Chapter 17

Fruits

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Fruits

• Are organs developed from the ovary of a flowering plant containing one or more seeds.

• No food group offers greater variety of colors, flavors and textures than fruit.

• They are a perfect snack food and a key ingredient in the pastry chef’s pantry.

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Berries

• Small, juicy fruits that grow on vines and bushes worldwide

• Thin skinned with many tiny seeds, they must ripen on the vine– Blackberries

– Blueberries

– Cranberries

– Currants

– Raspberries

– Strawberries

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Citrus

• Thick bitter rind, with colored skin known as zest• Flesh is segmented and juicy, acidic and aromatic

with flavors ranging from bitter to tart to sweet– Grapefruits

– Kumquats

– Lemons

– Limes

– Oranges

– Tangerines

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Exotics

• Improved transportation has increased availability of exotics– Figs

– Gooseberries

– Guava

– Lychees

– Persimmons

– Pomegranates

– Prickly pears

– Star fruits

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Grapes

• The single largest fruit crop in the world, owing to wine making.

• They are berries that grow on vines in large clusters and are classified by color– Red flame grapes

– Thompson seedless grapes

– Concord

– Ribier

– Emperor

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Melons

• Members of the gourd family, they can be divided into two groups:– Sweet (cantaloupes and honeydew)– Watermelons

• Sweet melons have tan, green or yellow netted or farrowed rind with dense, fragrant flesh.

• Watermelons have thick, dark green rind surrounding crispy, watery flesh.

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Pomes

• Tree fruits with thin skin and firm flesh surrounding many small seeds– Quince– Apples

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Pomes

• Pears

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Stone Fruits

• Or drupes, are related to the almond• They have thin skins, soft flesh and one

woody stone, or pit.• They are fragile, easily bruised, difficult to

transport and have a short shelf life.– Apricots– Cherries– Peaches and nectarines– Plums

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Tropicals

• Native to hot, tropical or subtropical regions, now readily available

• All can be eaten fresh, without cooking– Bananas

– Dates

– Kiwis

– Mangoes

– Papayas

– Passion fruits

– Pineapples

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Purchasing Fresh Fruit

• Grading is based on size, uniformity of shape, color and texture as well as absence of defects.

• Ripened fruit becomes softer, its acid content declines and it becomes sweeter, more flavorful and aromatic.

• Ripening can be delayed by chilling.

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Purchasing and Storing Preserved Fruit

• Extend the shelf life of fruits in essentially fresh form

• They are:– Irradiation– Acidulation– Canning– Freezing– Drying

On Baking © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Labensky et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Preparation and Cooking Methods

• Fruits can be enhanced by macerating them in a flavored syrup or liqueur with added spices and flavorings

• They can also be cooked by:– Dry heat:

• Broiling• Grilling• Baking• Sautéing• Deep-frying

–Moist heat:• Poaching

• Simmering

–Preserving