Chef JULIEN PERRINET is known for his passion for pastries and his knowledge of pastry-making. With a vast experience in this field, he has worked in numerous countries and regions like Singapore and Taiwan. He is presently working in Taiwan as the head pastry chef at the Grand Hyatt.
Cream is an absolute must in pastrymaking. I use it as the base for numerous recipes. I would go so far as to call it the primary ingredient of my work.
I love using cream with vanilla, which is one of my favourite spices. I also mix cream with tea quite often: I try to bring out the Asian flavours in my pastries that will take precedence over the taste of sugar, which is why my recipes often involve infusing tea.
When I think of cream, I visualise something extremely light, like a cloud, or maybe a cushion: it’s something you would like to rest on, so very comfortable, velvety and appealing!
For me, a Rum Baba accompanied by really good freshly whipped cream with just a hint of vanilla is simply perfect! It enhances all the flavours.
Never over-whip or over-boil the cream, because it will lose all the special qualities that make it unique and also kill its lactic ferments. Take good care of the cream, just like you would your lover.