Quick Guide to Flavoring Desserts

In the professional kitchen, flavoring goes far beyond using vanilla extract. We work with pastes, emulsions, oils, infusions, zests, spices, concentrates, syrups, and natural compounds—each with its own properties, solubility, and impact on texture, structure, and overall sensory experience.

Understanding how flavor interacts with fat, sugar, and liquid systems is what separates a home recipe from a professional one. Below is a guide to the most common types of flavoring used in pastry, how to choose them, and how to adapt based on your formula.