Cheryl Koh | Produits Laitiers de France

Cheryl Koh

Chef CHERYL KOH started her career at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. After working in several major restaurants across the world, she now specialises in the art of pastrymaking and joined the Les Amis group in 2010. It wasn’t long before she headed the Pastry, Dessert and Bread section of the group before opening Tarte, a patisserie in Singapore that specialises in tarts, as the name suggests. She was voted Best Pastry Chef of Asia in 2016.

How important is cream in your pastry-making?

Cheryl Koh :

I make many traditional and classic desserts, so cream plays a very important role in my work and pastries. It is a wonderfully versatile ingredient to work with. It enhances the textures as well as the flavours of my desserts.

How do you process and use cream?

Cheryl Koh :

I am quite lucky to be in an environment where I get to work with cream using numerous techniques and different applications, from ice-creams to chocolate sweets. I work in a traditional French restaurant called Les Amis, and right from the beginning to the end of a dessert — be it for a cream, mousse or confectionery — cream is the ingredient that helps me add to the products I use and develop flavours.

Cream brings out all the lovely flavours and greatly enhances a dessert.

What does cream remind you of?

Cheryl Koh :

For me, cream is something fresh, light and creamy that brings out all the lovely flavours and greatly enhances a dessert.

What is your favourite cream cake? Which of your creations best highlights the role of cream?

Cheryl Koh :

I am making a brown sugar cream in my restaurant right now with a mixture of single cream, light cream, and it is one of the desserts that I like to make as well as eat.

Any advice on how to use/ handle cream for your peers?

Cheryl Koh :

I would say that the pros of the versatility of cream such as its qualities and multiple techniques of use and application greatly enhances a dessert, and it is always a good idea to add a little bit of it to bring out all the flavours.