Enhancing Desserts with Dehydrated Garnishes by Crystal Bonnet

With a dehydrator, you can transform simple ingredients into stunning, flavorful decorations that add both visual interest and a satisfying crunch to your creations. In this article, we’ll explore how to use a dehydrator to create these garnishes, share ideas for different types and offer tips on pairing them with textures and flavors to enhance your desserts.

The Dehydrator: A Versatile Tool for Creative Garnishes

A dehydrator is an essential tool in the raw vegan kitchen, capable of turning ingredients into versatile garnishes. Unlike other drying methods and equipment, a dehydrator maintains low temperatures, ensuring that the nutrients in your ingredients are preserved while achieving the desired crispy texture. This gentle drying process also intensifies the natural flavors, making your garnishes not just a visual accent but a flavorful one as well.

Did I mention how incredibly easy dehydrators are to use? Dehydrating is a worry-free process—unlike baking, in which you have to monitor the oven closely in order to prevent burning. Simply add your ingredients, set the dehydrator and walk away. If you’re fully dehydrating, there’s no risk of over-drying—once the moisture is removed, the process is complete. This also extends the shelf life of your garnishes, allowing you to prepare large batches and store them for long periods without losing quality.

Ideas for Dehydrated Garnishes

The possibilities for using dehydrated garnishes are virtually limitless. Picture them as truffle coatings, layered cake finishes, cheesecake and tart accents, decorative rims for dessert shooters or parfait glasses and even as enhancements for ice cream and chocolate creations.

• Candied Citrus Slices: This is one of my favorite decorations for cakes. Baking citrus slices can cause them to turn brown due to oxidation from high heat. But with a dehydrator, you can keep the temperature low, preserving the vibrant colors of citrus and adding an elegant touch to your desserts or cakes.
• Candied Nuts: Candied nuts are a go-to component for truffle coatings, chocolate and cake toppings. While candied nuts are simple, adding ingredients such as espresso beans, cacao nibs, spices and citrus zest can elevate them. I’ve also used candied nuts to make praline for cakes and chocolate.
• Candied Coconut Sprinkles: These are my healthy version of traditional sprinkles. I add superfood or freeze-dried fruit powders for color and dehydrate them at a low temperature to keep their vibrancy. You can use them anywhere you would normally use sprinkles.
• Dehydrated Edible Flowers: Dehydrating edible flowers such as pansies, marigolds or rose petals preserves their color and shape, making them ideal for a delicate floral garnish that adds beauty and a subtle hint of flavor. Painting on some crystallized sugar before dehydrating adds a candied touch.

Pairing Garnishes with Textures and Flavors

The key to using dehydrated garnishes effectively lies in pairing them with complementary textures and flavors. Here are a few tips:

• Contrast with Creamy Textures: Dehydrated garnishes perfectly complement creamy desserts such as truffles, cheesecakes or mousse. Their crunch adds a delightful contrast, creating a balanced texture on your dessert or plate.
• Enhance Natural Flavors: Use garnishes that complement or enhance the primary flavors of your dessert. For instance, a candied lemon slice can amplify the citrus notes in a lemon tart, while a sprinkle of dehydrated mint can elevate the freshness of a berry-based dessert.
• Play with Color: Dehydrated garnishes can also add vibrant color to your desserts. Consider how the colors of your garnishes will interact with the dessert’s base—bright, contrasting hues can make your creations more visually appealing.

By mastering the use of a dehydrator and experimenting with different ingredients, you can create garnishes that not only enhance the visual appeal of your desserts, but also add exciting layers of texture and flavor. Whether you’re looking to add a delicate crunch, a burst of color or a hint of unexpected flavor, dehydrated garnishes are a versatile tool that can take your desserts to the next level.

Candied Citrus Slices

This is a beautiful garnish for desserts. The citrus slices have a lovely crystallized texture. Feel free to double or triple the recipe to stock up, as the garnishes will keep in the freezer for months.

Equipment: Dehydrator

• 1 lime
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 4-6 TBS xylitol, erythritol, or Lakanto® Classic Sweetener

1. Remove the tops of the citrus and slice each fruit into thin slices.
2. Combine the citrus slices and sweetener in a bowl and mix well until all the slices are evenly coated.
3. Place each citrus slice on a mesh dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 105°F (40°C) for 24 hours until the slices are fully dry*.
4. Transfer to an open container and place in the freezer to crystallize fully.

*Do not dry them past a temperature of 105°F (40°C), or they will oxidize and brown.

Storage: You can store candied citrus slices in the freezer for months. If you store them in a Ziploc bag, be careful, as they will break easily.

CACAO ESPRESSO DUST

You will love this recipe if you’re a coffee and chocolate fan like me. It’s a super-easy dehydrated garnish with a long shelf life. This is a fun garnish I love to use in many of my raw dessert recipes. Use it as a garnish on plated desserts, on the base of cakes, as a truffle coating, on chocolate bars and in a crust base for added texture and flavor—so many options! 

Equipment: Food processor, dehydrator, blender, coffee grinder or spice grinder

• 40 g organic whole coffee beans
• 50 g raw walnut halves, soaked for 4 hours and rinsed
• 21.5 g  cacao powder
• 48 g  cup powdered coconut sugar
• 2 Tbs coconut nectar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp Himalayan salt

1. In a coffee grinder, spice grinder or blender, coarsely grind whole coffee beans and add them to the food processor with the walnuts, cacao powder, powdered coconut sugar, coconut nectar, salt and vanilla.
2. Process the mixture until it reaches a crumble consistency. Do not overprocess the mixture, or you will end up with a paste.
3. Spread the mixture on a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115°F (46°C) for 18 to 24 hours or until it is dried, flipping the batch halfway through.
4. Once it is done in the dehydrator, allow it to cool, then process it again in the food processor to form a crumble.
5. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

Storage: Store the Cacao Espresso Dust in a sealed container in the freezer for months. This will ensure it stays crispy and crunchy.  

CANDIED COCONUT SPRINKLES

Ditch the toxic dyes! These Candied Coconut Sprinkles are a vibrant and healthy alternative to sugary sprinkles. Made with desiccated coconut and colored with superfood powders, they add a delightful crunch and a touch of natural sweetness to your favorite desserts. Use them as truffle coatings on ice cream sandwiches, cakes and dessert shooters.

Equipment: dehydrator, dehydrator liners

• 340 g desiccated medium shred coconut
• 48 g powdered lakanto, erythritol, or xylitol 
• ½ tsp blue spirulina (blue)
• ½ tsp turmeric (orange/yellow)
• ½ tsp pink pitaya powder, beet powder, freeze-dried raspberry powder or freeze-dried strawberry powder (red/purple/pink)
• ½ tsp matcha powder, moringa powder, spirulina, or chlorella (green)
  
  
• Soak the coconut in enough water to cover all the coconut and soak for 4 hours.
• Strain the coconut through a fine-mesh strainer and transfer the coconut into a mixing bowl.
• Add the sweetener and mix until well combined.
• Split the sweetened coconut evenly into four separate bowls and add desired colors to each bowl.
• Spread each bowl of coconut onto a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115°F (46°C) for 12 to 18 hours until completely dry.

Storage: Store in separate freezer bags in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Candied Pistachios

These candied pistachios are the perfect crunchy topping for a pistachio tart or any dessert needing a bit of texture. The recipe is versatile—feel free to experiment with different nuts or seeds and add your favorite spices for a personalized twist.

• 62 g cup shelled pistachios, soaked for 2 hours and rinsed
• 1 Tbs coconut sugar
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor approximately eight times to break down the pistachios. Do not overprocess; this mixture should be chunky.
2. Spread the pistachios on a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115°F (46°C) for 18 to 24 hours until it is fully dry.
3. Allow to cool and store in a sealed container in the freezer for optimal crunch until ready to use.

Storage: Store in a sealed container in the freezer for months. This will ensure it stays crispy and crunchy.  

Driven by the motto “With knowledge, anything is possible!” Crystal Bonnet is a raw food chef, instructor and cookbook author. She has dedicated more than 11 years to mastering the art of raw cuisine and desserts. Her journey includes developing plant-based menus for restaurants, catering health retreats in Canada and Europe and launching a raw chocolate and dessert business. Now, she empowers aspiring chefs worldwide through her online culinary school: Crystal Dawn Culinary.

Photo Credits Crystal Bonnet

(This article appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)