Why European Cream Is Highly Sought After By Professional Chefs
Cream of Europe
Web : Cream of Europe
*****
There are so many types of cream, so which one is the best?
Thanks to the wonderful invitation, I recently went to Pastry Institute of St Honoré Kuala Lumpur for a media event held by the French Dairy Inter-Branch Organisation (CNIEL) and financed with aid from the European Union, to introduce the incredibly versatile and exquisite taste of European Cream through an array of sophisticated and mouth-watering pastries.
Chef Frédéric Oger demonstrated the art of cream through four different recipes at the event. The art of aeration of cream through whipping was introduced when making the Berry Madeleine Basket which consisted of fresh berries, lemon madeleine, lemon Chantilly, pesto jelly and berry coulis.
The continuous whisking of the European Cream breaks down protein-coated fat globules in the cream which leads to fat molecules to adhere to the air bubbles – from which the exposed fat molecules will merge with each other and form a stable network of aerated cream – this is the authentic uniqueness of European Cream that has made it the go-to ingredient for world renowned pastry chefs.
The texture of cream was explored when making the Cream Catalane Passionement, a dessert made with baked vanilla crème catalane caramelised with exotic sweet chutney and served with caramelised salted peanuts.
Cream by emulsification was demonstrated by producing the Speculoos Chocolate Tart with poached pear, caramel sauce and almond flakes.
Chef Oger explained the different water and fat composition of cream in pastries during the making of Frozen Parfait, a chocolate coffee magnum coated with hazelnut chocolate.
Do you know that there is less fat content in cream compared to butter. For a product to be labelled as ‘cream’, a decree from April 1980 states that its fat content resulting from the skimming of whole milk would have to be at least 30%. What makes European cream stand out lies in its fat content as well as consistency in the milk production in Europe which is the basis for quality cream that is stable and consistent.
*****
European cream is manufactured under stringent conditions using only the finest quality milk and following exact rations of fat to water and non-fat elements (protein, lactose, minerals) depending on the type of cream.
Through Chef Oger’s explanation, I learned that different types of cream are distinguished by conservation treatments, fat content and consistency. The ones most commonly used in cooking include pasteurised fresh single or double cream, sterilised liquid cream, low-fat cream, UHT cream, whipped cream, Chantilly cream and sour cream.
Be it light or fat cream, creams are distinguished by the type of heat treatment applied (ultra-high-temperature sterilization, pasteurization or thermization), their viscosity (fluid, semi-thick or thick), their structure (whipped or whipping cream) and their method of packaging (aseptic or not, jars, bags, bottles, cartons, etc).
After Chef Oger’s demonstration, I can see the superiority and flexibility of cream originating from Europe and how it has created world-class pastries. The European cream used in pastries have a unique velvety taste, as well as a rich tradition and reputation, giving the pastry a dash of sophistication and quality. No wonder it is highly sought after commodity by professional chefs especially pastry chefs worldwide. Fine European creams are readily available in premium grocers and supermarkets.
*****
More photos at FOOD Malaysia facebook page, a Malaysian food & lifestyle blogger since 2010
Related Post : Cream of Europe by CNIEL