Olive Garden recently took its Italian-inspired cuisine to another level with its brand new Chocolate Caramel Lasagna. While the indulgent dessert does not actually include any pasta or tomato sauce, the decadent chocolate treat provides a new way to enjoy a classic Italian dish.
The new Chocolate Caramel Lasagna is a chocolate cake that is layered similarly to a traditional lasagna. The dish itself features alternating layers of vanilla-infused sponge cake, chocolate caramel and a rich custard sauce. The whole thing is then topped with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings.
For those who don't have much of a sweet tooth, the chain is also adding Garlic Marinara Mussels to its menu. This dish consists of oven-roasted mussels doused in a garlic marinara sauce and served with a slice of garlic-parmesan toast on the side.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Layered Desserts
- Opportunity for food companies to innovate and create new layered desserts inspired by classic dishes.
- Sweet and Savory Flavors
- Opportunity for chefs and restaurants to experiment with new sweet and savory flavor combinations like garlic marinara mussels.
- Custard Sauces
- Opportunity for dessert brands to introduce new flavors of rich custard sauces in their products.
Where This Applies
- Food and Beverage Industry
- The food and beverage industry can benefit from incorporating new recipes and ingredients in their menu offerings that feature sweet and savory flavor combinations.
- Dessert Industry
- Dessert brands can introduce new desserts inspired by classic savory dishes with layered textures, like the Chocolate Caramel Lasagna.
- Restaurant Industry
- Restaurants can create new menu offerings that incorporate unique sweet and savory flavor combinations, like the Garlic Marinara Mussels.
