The import of French cream soared 13 per cent in value in the UAE last year, according to an expert.

Christophe Spotti, director - External Markets, CNIEL, the French Dairy Association, said cream, in all of its forms, is one of the key ingredients in French cuisine, bringing flavour and a soft consistency to dishes and accompanying sauces.

With a more intense aroma, French creams add value to pastry making, and produce greater and firmer volume than others when whipped, he said.

CNIEL hosted la Crème de la Crème workshop in Dubai where foodies gathered to learn about French Cream.

The attendees were treated to a cooking demonstration by two French Chefs: Chef Ludovic Audaux from The Westin Mina Seyahi Dubai, and French Chef Valentin Neraudeau, who demonstrated different ways of cooking with dairy products and revealed some of the secrets behind the popularity of French pastries.

French cream is also pure white in colour, compared to milkier-coloured rivals, making its UHT whipping cream and crème fraîche (soured double cream) perfect for white-coloured desserts such as mousse and ice-cream.

Low-fat French cream has also been developed for soups and sauces, adapting to modern dietary trends for ‘lighter’ cuisine – although cream is, in fact, the least fatty and calorific of all fats.

Cream, whether single or double, contains two to three times less fat than oil or butter, said Spotti.

“Today the trend with cream is based on a tendency to lighten recipes, while still maintaining a full-bodied, clean sense of indulgence,” he said.

A booklet, which covers an intensive understanding of French Creams, was also introduced by CNIEL and will soon be distributed to Chefs and cooking schools across the UAE.

It includes useful facts as well as detailed information about the French cream products. The latest trends of the culinary world will also be reflected in the booklet with exclusive recipes from top French pastry chefs including a baba from Pierre Hermé and renowned French pastries including short cake, éclair and Millefeuille. - TradeArabia News Service