Pastries & Leavened Specialities

This section contains pâtisserie where the main component or base is made of pastry like a lemon meringue pie or a choux à la crème. Many of these dishes were created in some form during the 18th century. Throughout this section, we have incorporated many French classics in their original form, while with other dishes, we have kept the structure and components of the classic, but adapted and modernized the flavours and presentation.

The word ‘leaven’ in baking terms means to lighten dough. These dishes are all made using fresh yeast. During the proving or fermentation process, the yeast converts the sugar into carbon dioxide gas, which is trapped in the structure of the raw dough causing it to aerate. The leavened recipes are wonderful regional and historical specialities that are commonly found in pâtisserie shops across France.