Heavy Cream

Most heavy cream is 32% butter fat. Our heavy cream has a 40% butter fat for a richer, smoother, and more luscious feeling in your mouth--which we believe delivers a more enjoyable dessert experience.

Créme Anglaise

The French term for a rich custard sauce that is traditionally flavored with vanilla and served cold. This sauce is easily paired with many different types of items. Finale uses Tahitian vanilla beans to flavor the créme anglaise. This is why will see little dark specks in the sauce.

Caramel

Cooked sugar that has reached a temperature of at least 315 degrees Fahrenheit. The darker the caramel the more bitter it becomes. We use a bittersweet caramel in our desserts and then balance it with sweet ingredients for a unique taste.

Chiboust

A cooked custard that has a stiffly whipped meringue folded into it. The chiboust creme is easily poured over a small bowl of fruit for a delectable dessert. The top of the chiboust is usually caramelized for additional flavor.

Compote

Usually consists of fruits cooked in sugar syrup until the fruits become tender and the flavors blend together. It is very easy to add interesting flavors by simmering fruits in Jasmine tea instead of sugar syrup, for example. Compotes are great with bread pudding, cheesecake and pound cake.

Custard

A slow baked or cooked dessert that usually contains cream or milk, some form of egg and sugar. It may contain other ingredients but the main thickening ingredient is the egg. The eggs provide a velvety texture and voluptuous taste.

Florentine

Florentine cookies typically have butter and sugar in some form. Some varieties may contain nuts, flour or other ingredients to enhance flavor. When baked, Florentines will be soft and pliable, but as the sugar cools the cookies become brittle. The Florentines are versatile in that while hot they can be shaped in any form and when cool, they will continue to hold this shape.

Gelato

Italian ice cream that is made with milk, sugar and other flavorings. While being frozen, the amount of air spun into the gelato is minimized to yield a dense and extra creamy product.

Joconde

Joconde is sometimes referred to as painted sponge. It is usually a very thin nut cake with some type of design embedded into it. It becomes very easy to add another dimension to a pastry or torte by adding joconde to the sides.

Mousse

A very creamy dessert that is typically made with eggs, cream and fruit or chocolate. At Finale, we use cooked eggs that have been whipped. We finish the mousse with whipped cream which makes it rich.

Munnelsplitten

A praline made with sugar, almonds and chocolate. After the almonds are covered in melted chocolate, they are portioned so they may set up and develop a shine.

Napoleon

Also called a Milles Feuilles in France. It is built with layers of crisp puff pastry and custard that may or may not have been lightened with whipped cream. The puff pastry is folded in many layers which is what gives the why it is called Milles Feuilles. A traditional Napoleon is decorated on top with a sweet fondant and a piped chocolate design.

Nougat

Nougat is made by whipping egg whites and slowly incorporating cooked sugar syrup. Flavors and ingredients can be added to change the texture and taste.

Plugra butter

Plugra butter is made with a higher butterfat content than most butters which results in a richer, creamier texture. The name Plugra comes from the French words of plus gras which means more fat.

Tahitian vanilla beans

These beans come from Tahiti and have a more delicate, fruity and floral flavor. They tend to be more plump than Mexican or Bourbon beans.

Tuille

This thin cookie usually contains eggs, flour and sugar in various proportions. It can be flavored or decorated in any way. When baking, it is typically spread thinly on a sheet and baked in the oven. While hot, the cookie can be shaped in any desired way to create either a garnish or a container (such as a basket or a cone). Once cool, the thin cookie becomes crisp and holds it's shape.

Valrhona chocolate

Valrhona chocolate is regarded by most restaurant professionals as the best. Valrhona, a French company, sources cocoa beans from around the world. Their goal is to elaborate on exceptional chocolates with respect for the natural aromas of the various cocoa origins. Valrhona is constantly trying to perfect the process from the methods of selection of cocoa beans to the manufacturing of their top line. They have their own plantations and also partner with planters to produce single origin chocolates made from vintage years similar to wines. Finale uses their Grand Crus along with many other types. The Grand Crus come from a certain geographic region but from three different plantations, Caraibe, Guanaja and Manjari. The flavors of the chocolate begin developing with the soil they are grown in, the winds that blow on the pods and the rest of the environment. All of the chocolates have very distinct flavors and textures which when used in pastry can develop even more.