purchase and cooking of foods, nothing makes so much for economy in
cookery as the economical use of leftovers.

5. Desserts are really of two kinds: those which are heavy, such as hot
puddings and pastry, and those which are light or of a less substantial
nature, such as gelatine, custards, ices, etc. In general, light
desserts are either frozen or allowed to cool before they are used and
consequently may be made some time before the serving of the meal. It is
with desserts of this kind that this Section deals, the heavier desserts
being discussed elsewhere.


COMPOSITION AND FOOD VALUE OF DESSERTS

6. Attention should be paid to the composition and food value of
desserts in order that the meals in which they are served may be
properly balanced. For instance, when a housewife understands the value
of the ingredients used in the preparation of a dessert, she will be
able to determine the kind of dessert necessary to supply what is
lacking in the meal. Of course, if she first decides on a particular
dessert that she wants to serve, it will be necessary for her to plan
the other dishes accordingly. This, however, is not the logical way in
which to plan meals. It is much more reasonable to have the dessert
supply anything that the meal may lack in the way of food constituents.

In considering the food value of desserts, it should be remembered that
they are just as valuable as the ingredients they contain. The
ingredients in which this class of foods is highest are carbohydrate in
the form of starch or sugar or both, protein, especially when eggs in
any quantity are used, and fat.