With pastry satisfying the sweet cravings of millions of consumers around the world, we spoke to eight chefs about which products are staples in their kitchens and the brands they rely on for their sweet creations.
Butter is my favorite product, and Echire and Isigny are two of my go-to brands. I was born in a region of France that’s famous for its butter, so I have eaten great butter from a young age. Whether I’m creating croissants or puff pastry, high-quality butter is an essential component.
Chocolate is a magical product that’s incredibly versatile. It can be molded into different shapes and forms. Cacao Barry chocolate is an excellent product because it is made from the finest and most natural ingredients in the world. It contains no chemicals or preservatives. Chocolate is a magical product that’s incredibly versatile. It can be molded into different shapes and forms. Cacao Barry chocolate is an excellent product because it is made from the finest and most natural ingredients in the world. It contains no chemicals or preservatives.
Chocolate is by far the most important ingredient in pastry, and I am a fan of both Valrhona and Callebaut in my creations.
One of my favorite products is chocolate and different kinds of praline. I use Valrhona in my recipes, a brand which I am proud to be a Cercle V member of. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to meet renowned chefs from across the region, and the Valrhona team in the UAE are amazing.
Because fat is a binding agent, butter is essential in bringing together all the elements and flavors to add a beautiful richness to everything. It also provides texture and structure, and simple manipulation of how we alter its temperature and choosing when to incorporate it yields unique results in the end product. Bordier butter is prepared using traditional methods and contains less water. This means that the butter is made with extreme attention to detail to provide the most exceptional flavor.
I constantly work with chocolate, so it is my preferred pastry product. My favorite brand is Valrhona chocolate because it allows the perfect crystallization of cocoa butter. It can be used in tempering and gives an exceptional shine and glaze. I particularly love using it in mousse, for it always produces a perfect texture.
Everyone enjoys mini cupcakes, so they are fundamental in our pastry shop.
I thoroughly enjoy working with Callebaut. It’s a trustworthy, high-quality brand that I’ve been using for a very long time.
Premium chocolates are rich in flavor and have an exquisitely velvety texture. Valrhona has created a range of unique and recognizable aromatic profiles by perfecting techniques for enhancing the flavor of rare cocoa beans that are grown on land masterfully selected for their terroir. Today, leading pastry chefs and discerning gourmets rely on Valrhona’s expertise to experience the best that chocolate can offer.
Our essential pastry product is chocolate. It’s the one thing in this world that matters to all sweet industries, as without chocolate, something is lacking. Callebaut chocolate is my preference in the kitchen. It has the most refined, delectable taste, and Callebaut is legendary in this field. During the war years and the interbellum, chocolatiers and bakers could hardly find any ingredients for their sweet delights, not to mention chocolate. The Callebaut family never failed to provide this exceptional ingredient, however.
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
