birthday dessert

Many birthday desserts are ready-to-eat straight from the package. Some are sold frozen or labeled “prepared” and require thawing or heating before serving — for example, frozen macarons should be thawed in their packaging, and crème brûlée is sold frozen and finished by heating (to caramelize the sugar) before serving.

Follow the product directions: frozen macarons are thawed in the refrigerator (about 4 hours in their packaging) before serving, while frozen crème brûlée is kept frozen until ready and then finished under the broiler to caramelize the sugar topping.

Keep frozen items frozen until you’re ready to prepare or serve them. For macarons, refrigerate in their packaging to thaw (about 4 hours). For crème brûlée, follow the product’s broiling instructions to finish, then refrigerate any leftovers promptly after cooling.