The Most Overrated Dessert Ingredients, According to Boston Pastry Chefs

"Sugar — too much blinds the palate, and there is no art to a dish overloaded with sugar."

"For me it would be bacon. I understand that quite a few people love bacon, myself included, but I think the 'maple-bacon' and 'chocolate covered bacon' trend has overstayed its welcome. I understand the virtue of the 'sweet and salty' flavor profile, but I think it is time to discover new combinations."

"I think the most overrated dessert ingredient is chocolate. When people find out that I am a pastry chef who doesn't like chocolate, they are usually shocked. My main complaint is that it's hard to make chocolate a quiet ingredient. It is so rich that no matter how you use it, it shouts at you — HI I'M HERE TOO. I prefer desserts that work in harmony, without any yelling."

"As many people know...butter. Though it has many uses and tricks, it could be substituted with healthier options that are just as delicious."

"All-purpose flour. In nearly all baked goods recipes, an alternative flour or combination of flours, whether they are gluten-free or whole grain, can be used/substituted in part or whole with minimal amounts of change to the recipe, end product, or enjoyment by those eating it."

"Vanilla. Even in everyday life, it's slang for 'boring.' Vanilla beans are really expensive, too, but if you don't use the real thing, it'll taste like a Yankee candle."

"Single-origin chocolates in desserts. I believe that a good-quality chocolate that is a blend and can support lots of farmers at once and be a pastry workhorse is more important to me."

"Sugar, because as you begin to experiment with different desserts, you realize that you can replace sugar with a variety of other ingredients to achieve sweetness that is more subtle to let the true flavor shine through. Honey or agave is a perfect example of a natural sugar substitute that will achieve the same balance but by using a lesser quantity."

"I cannot stand peanut butter. It more often than not takes over the dish."

"I don't know if it’s overrated, or if I'm alone in my opinion here, but I'm not really into spice (like hot chili pepper spice). I mean, why would you ruin that beautiful chocolate cake by covering its flavor with hot peppers?"

"Sugar. Just because it’s dessert doesn’t mean it has to be wicked sweet, including chocolate. The other four tastes (sour, salty, bitter, umami) are just as important in your final course."

"Chocolate for sure. It is delicious, but for the most part, it has taken the thinking out of dessert. People order the chocolate dessert on a menu just because it's chocolate. Pastry chefs work hard to craft menus, and it's insulting when people say 'I'll take whatever you have that's chocolate' without even looking at the other option or what the chocolate dessert even comes with."

"Most overrated ingredient is Nutella. While delicious, it's used too often and is best left as a condiment. At Waypoint we spread Fazenda coffee ganache on the plate with our cinnamon sugar doughnuts. It has the same satisfying, chocolatey element but with much more complex flavors."

"Vanilla. It's delicious but overused."

"Vanilla extract. There are so many different flavorings you can use in its place. Mint, for example — but use fresh mint and not extract."

"The most overrated ingredient, in my opinion, is bacon. Too many desserts have some form of bacon involved to be hip. It should be eaten on the side!"

"The most overrated ingredient, I would say, is sugar. I don’t like desserts that are cloyingly sweet; I like desserts that are balanced with salty and sour components."

"Bacon. I think everyone gets and loves the savory/salty with the sweet. Let's move on and find another fun ingredient to exploit."

"I think the most overrated ingredient is chocolate. Chocolate is such a strong flavor, and it often masks other flavors. People love chocolate, and yes, it's delicious, but there's so much more out there in the land of desserts."

"I enjoy baking with natural ingredients; therefore, I could definitely live without gelatin."

"The most overrated ingredient is chocolate. Many people immediately go for the chocolate dessert, and there are hidden dessert gems that aren't chocolate."

"Chocolate. Chocolate is too easy and often used as a 'go-to.' There are so many more exciting flavors to experiment with!"