by Helen Burrett
French-style pastries are in the lime light this year and it’s easy to see why. Between scrolling through TikTok and wandering the streets of London, Bristol and Manchester, the JPL team can’t avoid these delicious trends. From upside-down puff pastries to cube croissants and floral creams, here’s an insight into the tasty treats.
We know social media has a massive impact on food trends. It’s not just about the taste; these pastries are a treat for the eyes as much as for the palate. The rich fruit curds, indulgent chocolate and caramels and buttery cream combinations found in traditional French Patisseries can be seen doughnuts and shaped pastries across the UK.
Patisseries or Viennoiseries?
Patisserie refers to French pastries in general. This broad category includes a wide variety of desserts and sweet baked goods, such as eclairs, macarons and mousse-based desserts. Patisseries are known for their intricate preparation, delicate textures and often elaborate designs.
Viennoiseries are a specific type of French pastry that lies somewhere between patisserie and French bread. The term translates to ‘Viennese specialities’ which of course can be traced back to the Austrian city of Vienna. This category includes baked goods made from yeast-leavened dough or puff pastry, which are often enriched with ingredients like butter, eggs and milk, making them lighter and softer than traditional breads but not as sweet as a cake. Examples of viennoiseries include croissants, brioche and pain au chocolat.
A hybrid of French patisserie flavours in various forms of flaky pastries are popular in the UK.
Upside-down pastries for the home baker
Firstly, there’s the upside-down pastries that have been popping up on social media since last summer. Sweet and savoury options; think tomato, basil and cream cheese or mango, coconut and raspberry. The technique of making these pastries is fairly accessible to a confident home baker and yet novel enough to impress.
Cube croissants as seen on TikTok
The cube croissants seen predominately in London reflect consumers’ desire for comforting classics but interest in trying new concepts, the format in this case. Flavours such as matcha, raspberry and chocolate became an instant hit online and has led to bakeries often selling out before 9am each morning. Visit Le Deli Robuchon in Piccadilly, London, to try one of these substantial 10cm cube creations (but get there early!).
Cruffins; a tasty twist on a classic pastry
The love-child of croissant and a muffin! Made with a sourdough croissant mix and French butter, they’re baked in a muffin shape which means there’s plenty of room for the delicious cream, caramel or chocolate fillings. Each bite is a mix of crunch, flaky and gooey-ness. The concept of the cruffin appears to originate in Australia in 2013, around the same time Dominique Ansel (a French pastry chef in New York) was developing the cronut (croissant-doughnut hybrid).
Great examples of these hybrids can be found in Pollen Bakery, Manchester where you can try seasonal flavour combinations such as the Easter egg cruffin, cherry bakewell cruffin and banana crème patisserie with brown sugar and Swiss meringue buttercream.
Cruffins and Kouign-Amann at The Pastry Bench
Kouign-Amann: the ultimate butter cake
This traditional classic is all about the indulgent butter and sugar combination; baked in a spiral of laminated pastry sheets; the familiar texture of a croissant but amplified with additional toppings and flavours recognisable from traditional French Patisserie. Twists on this classic can be found in the Bristol-based bakery Farro, with offerings such as peach cream, honey almond, rhubarb and white chocolate custard.
British influences
2024 brings more French pastry techniques mixed with nostaligic British flavours. At recent food festivals in the run up to the Easter period, the JPL team have found (and tasted!) sell-out Apple Crumble Kouign-Amanns and Carrot Cake Cruffins. We’ve also seen a rise in delicate floral flavours in UK bakery, inspired by traditional French patisseries, such as blackcurrant and violet or rose and raspberry in various bakery formats, often included in the custard or cream fillings.
As we look for comfort in tradition, we’re expecting to see more impressive hybrid desserts using French patisserie techniques and flavour pairings as inspiration.
The JPL Explore Range
Innovation is one of our core values at JPL Flavours, which is why we’ve created the JPL Explore Range, delving into authentic tastes from around the world. For a digital copy of the JPL Explore French Patisserie brochure, please contact your Account Manager or click here.
