Nappage
neutral glaze
Nappage is a clear, flavour-neutral coating brushed over fruit, berries and exposed fillings. The base is water, sugar and pectin or gelatine.
It does three jobs. It seals the surface from the air, so cut fruit neither browns nor dries out. It adds shine, giving the item a finished look. And it fixes decoration in place, stopping berries rolling off.
There are two types. Hot nappage is applied at 60–70 °C with a brush and leaves a thinner, more durable film. Cold, or spray, nappage works at room temperature and suits delicate surfaces that heat would spoil.
Apply thinly: excess runs off, pools in hollows and sets as cloudy streaks.
Neutral nappage is often used as a base for coloured coatings — purée or colouring is added to it, producing a glaze in the required shade with a texture that already works.