Dessert

Milk Bar in New York started the cereal milk craze a few years back. Now, operators are maximizing the emotional tie most diners have to cereal, then upping the game by featuring both the cereal milk and cereal in pancakes, cocktails, desserts and more.

Look southward for the next big thing in dessert texture—buñuelos. Here are four opportunities to showcase buñuelos in trend-forward dessert applications.

Exploring the versatility of the avocado, this Sweet Avocado Surrender Sundae stars avocado-mango ice cream, Mexican hot chocolate sauce and chocolate-chipotle avocado doughnut holes.

When it comes to desserts, dining consumers want to be surprised and delighted. Enter modern texture. In this age of complex flavor experiences, we’ve moved well beyond sprinkles and tuiles. Here are five examples of pitch-perfect textural play in modern desserts.

Ousia offers its Donut Pikilia: Housemade sampler of Halva Mousse with hazelnut chocolate, Mastiha Yogurt Mousse with pistachio glaze, and Spiced Apple

We profile four desserts all of which convey the constant tinkering with desserts that results in a “best” flavor build

Reserve Wine & Food offers its Chocolate Mondae: Dark-chocolate ganache, milk-chocolate malt foam, Averna amaro semifreddo, cherry, cocoa nibs

National Peanut Board offers a Bittersweet Chocolate Bread Pudding served with whipped cream, peanut-butter mousse and Scotch bonnet peanut brittle

Benny’s Chop House offers a Banana Cream Pie: Banana compound, pastry cream, graham-cracker pie crust, whipped cream, caramel-glazed bananas

Planta offers its Young Thai Coconut: with coconut, basil and chia-seed pudding, passionfruit sorbet, coconut chips

Coastal Kitchen offers a S’Mores Pie: Chocolate custard, marshmallow meringue, graham-cracker crust

Infusing a brand’s personality into dessert offerings marks a sweet opportunity today

In Indian mash-ups, subtle moves show up as a gentle touch, an easing in of flavor. The result is significant, offering delicious flavor discovery

Greek yogurt offers a pleasing balance between acidity and richness to desserts. Use it in Greek Yogurt Icing, Frozen Greek Yogurt and Almond Panna Cotta.

When it comes to sundaes, chefs are upping the flavor and textural ante, choosing intriguing combinations and pulling in on-trend ingredients.

Modern nachos are showcasing unexpected flavor systems

Tap into these menu-ready dessert trends for prime opportunities

Cheesecake offers a rich canvas for fun, modern flavor innovation

New Trends Outside the Big Easy

As more chefs modernize nostalgic desserts, both consumer expectation and menu opportunity go up.