CNIEL, the umbrella organization for the French dairy industry, and the European Union have together embarked on a three-year global campaign to raise awareness about French dairy cream. The campaign is taking place in nine different countries in Asia and Middle East: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
CNIEL organized an afternoon tea session with Saudi chef Mayada Badr at the French consulate. Guests got to enjoy Chef Badr’s special pastries made with European cream.
Chef Badr who is also called the ‘queen of macaroons’ in Saudi Arabia, said she likes to use European cream because it whips well and makes a big difference in taste.
She said she has tried a variety of pastries, macaroons, cheesecakes, and fusion desserts such as kunafa macaroons, mahalabia cheesecake and halawa macaroons from different places in the Kingdom.
The highly experienced chef said she likes to use European cream because of its high quality, which makes a big difference in cheesecakes and other desserts. She said when whipped, European cream stands the heat and stays for long.
“If you want to use cream for simple recipes at home, then you can use any cream available in the market, but if you want to get high-quality results, especially a cake that is made with original ingredients, then normal cream will not taste great. Only European cream can make the cake taste the best,” she said.
Chef Badr said she is trying to inspire the Saudi community with different tastes and flavors.
Chef Badr attended Parsons School of Design in Paris, the city she refers to as the city of food and indulgence. Her culinary education started at the renowned Cordon Bleu. After completing her Grand Diplôme, she interned at Laduree for three months where she met amazing chefs who taught her various techniques and inspired her taste buds.
Chef Badr said she is always striving to do new things to bring new flavors to the people. “In the beginning, no one knew about macaroons but now people are more educated about French pastries and macaroons, now they do not hesitate in buying new flavors and fusion pastries.”
She also explained that the use of European cream is better than icing as icing is too sweet. “European cream is not too sweet; it is light and will not be heavy on the stomach,” she said.
The culinary success of European cream is due to the multiple roles it plays in improving taste, texture, binding and even presentation. Its silky, creamy, smooth and shiny texture is why the term “creamy” is so widely used by tasters to describe the smoothness of a product.
Cream enhances aromas and reveals flavors without dominating, and respects the subtlety of food. Other advantages of cream are that it reduces the bitterness of cocoa, the acidity of lemon, and tempers the pungency of certain fruit and the astringency of others. It improves the fondant used on pastries and turns fruit into a mousse. Finally, its willingness to be worked results in a voluptuous cloud when whipped.
Because cream has its place in the finest kitchens around the world, its use has adapted to the needs, practices and new expectations of chefs.
Beyond the aesthetic effect and the textures, cream refines, lightens, and brings a smoothness, and a roundness to pastries. Last, but not least, cream fixes and distributes flavors. Being very pliable, you can add vanilla or soak mint in it, and you will end up with a completely different cream. Cream has the ability to bring different tastes and flavors to the forefront.
Colored, flavored or mixed, using cream is becoming a subtle exercise in pastry creation. Today, the process of infusion makes each cream unique, both in its creation and the way in which it’s used.
Chef Badr wants to promote the idea of having more Saudi chefs. When she started, it was different. “I advise aspiring chefs to be more creative, to bring new concepts, new food and try new things, I want them to try new pastries but at the same time want to promote our culture, our flavors, we don’t really have international Saudi pastry shops, it will be a great achievement if I could do that, and showcase our flavors all over the world,” she said.
She said the Saudi community has been highly supportive in her culinary journey and that becoming a chef is not as easy as it is thought to be.
French cream is “Creme de la creme,” Saudi chef Mayada Badr celebrates French cream
French cream is “Creme de la creme,” Saudi chef Mayada Badr celebrates French cream
