Life is sweeter with timeless European Cream

CNIEL or French Dairy board, with aid from the European Union, recently launched the second edition of its highly anticipated annual Pastry Show, showcasing this year’s theme of “Unexpected Matches”.

The event on 26 Aug at Eat At My Kitchen challenged renowned pastry chefs to, as the theme suggested, think outside of the box and create something unexpected; a never-seen-before, haute pastry with French cream and butter, using aromatics and spices instead of traditional fruits to break the mould of traditional and classic.

Cream has been an important pastry ingredient in France since the 11th century, and ever since the 18th century when pastry-making achieved a real turning point, pastry chefs have been pushing their creative boundaries, infusing French pastry classics with a more modern spirit whilst still keeping the foundations intact. The ubiquitous French cream is a non-negotiable pantry staple, ideal for anything from chantilly to crème diplomat, as it embodies the true hallmark of French patisserie thanks to its luscious excellence. 

What makes French cream the crème de la crème? An important factor is undoubtedly the unparalleled diversity of French terroirs, where milk of the finest quality is used to produce the esteemed French cream. Unbeknown to many, the term “cream” is exclusively reserved for products made by skimming whole cow’s milk and therefore contains at least 30 percent fat. French cream is manufactured under stringent conditions, following exact ratios of fat to water and non-fat elements (protein, lactose and minerals) depending on the type of cream. The result is a broad spectrum of creams that range from raw cream to pasteurised fresh double cream and more, perfect for all imaginable culinary and pastry creations. 

Renowned pastry chefs from Korea (chef Choi Kyu-sung), Taiwan (chef Pia Fan) and France (chef Corentin Taffin) shared their unique and unexpected creations online for the latest edition of this year’s Pastry Show, while we personally watched Singapore’s very own 29-year-old Maxine Ngooi of Tigerlily Patisserie fame unveil her creations comprising Jerusalem artichoke, chocolate, cherry blossoms and walnuts, among other unexpected ingredients, all tied together by French cream.  

A big fan of mixing things up, Ngooi enthusiastically took on the challenge of using “unexpected” flavours, saying, “It’s something that I don’t get to do very often although I find great joy in dreaming up flavour combinations that break the mould, and the clean flavour of French cream and its marvellous creamy texture allow my flavour pairings to really shine. It’s okay to be weird.” Indeed. 

Learn more about French cream and its versatility in sweet and savoury creations here.

The content of this document reflects the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the view of the European Union.