Hello so while I was travelling in Korea I noticed this trend of self-service cafe’s where their desserts and pastries were just displayed out in the open. How do you think they maintained this? Like with cakes for example, I watched a video saying they do something with the ingredients but I forgot which was it exactly that made them preserved longer throughout the day. And from your own opinion as well, how do you think this system would work especially during summer time?
by sophiadelrey
13 Comments
In some places, for many things, I think they just don’t worry about it. Plain and simple. Not all countries’ people are as frightened about food safety, as say, many Americans.
Something like neutral glaze helps baked pastries keep their freshness. Something like mousse or cakes can have more gelatin or stabilizers added. Obviously the enviroment being hot/ cold also plays a part.
Eversince meningitis outbreak happened in early ‘2000s (2004?) it is a requirement here to display the meal in transparent plastic trays. The bakeries keeps on competing neck to neck with each other; so it didn’t need long time to see hygienic issue becoming major selling point now (well at least in my suburbs). I see a very famous bakery in KL do it this way all over their foyer, though. Maybe they have big fan based and get away with it
I work at a bakery in the US, and items sell quickly. We are replacing the items on view pretty regularly. Not much sits out for long.
Breads actually have a fairly good shelf life and if it sits all day it becomes the next day’s breadcrumbs, croutons or sold as “perfect for French Toast”.
I often find that cafés and stuff that have cakes on display like this seem to use a lot more sugar in their recipes than I would use myself, which I’m sure would have an effect on shelf life.
We live in the matrix
When I worked in a bakery many years ago, we brushed simple syrup on the tops of our muffins, etc. Things that have a thicker crust (like bread) can survive a day out in the open without going bad. Cakes and anything iced can also go out without any protective measures, although the icing will dry a bit as the day progresses.
I always wonder this myself, when my husband and I go to the farmers market he only buys from the one baker with a display case. I buy from a baker whose pastries don’t sit out for longer than a few minutes each.
Delicious
Theres a type of alcohol used to preserve moisture in pastries, it is entirely flavourless. Could be that. In my country, where it is hot as balls, pastries are out in the open, but or sold at a discount by the end of the day because they have dried a little; they could be going by that system.
I thought I recognized Layered and Onion Cafe!
The inventory is maintained other than the preservative ingredient thing. The amount of confectionary that is being sold is kept under scrutiny and only that much is made thereby preventing from getting spoiled.