H2O Road Test: Symphonie Pasquier

When we were looking for a leading industry name to take our latest product for a test drive, Daryll Young was the obvious choice. Not only is he an award-winning chef, but he also regularly uses Symphonie Pasquier products in his role as head of chef development and innovation for BM Caterers.

H2O Publishing’s Road Test series provides a platform for suppliers to place new and innovative products in the hands of talented chefs who work within the sector. We then allow them to play around in a professional space and bring you the results.

Taking their turn in the hotseat this time were Symphonie Pasquier’s Crème Brulée Tartelettes, Macarons and Petits Fours, which are perfect for contract caterers serving delicious desserts for events, conferences or Christmas parties. The three products cover a range of dessert options, including a fully plated and garnished dessert using the Crème Brulée Tartelettes, champagne and nibbles using the Symphonie Pasquier Macarons and café gourmand with the Petits Fours.

“We wanted to show how easy and quick it is to create beautiful dessert options that allow chefs to garnish and create a stunning dessert or just serve as they come out of the box,” explains Matthew Grenter, foodservice sales manager for Symphonie Pasquier. “Either option guarantees an absolutely delicious experience for guests.”

When pressed on the products’ particular USP, Grenter continues: “Our fully finished desserts are made to traditional recipes by our expert pâtissiers and then frozen to keep them in perfect condition. Helping busy kitchens to serve premium French pâtisserie, our delicious Crème Brulée Tartelettes, Macarons and Petits Fours help to reduce food waste, as you only need to defrost what you need; improve menu planning, as you can order ahead and store frozen until needed; and ensure guests enjoy exquisite desserts and café gourmand that anyone in the kitchen can create quickly and easily.”

Of course, it is extremely important from chefs to keep up to date with the latest products, as trends constantly change and guests want to try new things. Tastes range from the nostalgic choux pastry eclairs and the ever-popular Tartelettes Citron Meringuées, to a sweet treat with Petits Fours and a hot drink to finish a meal, and everything in between. “Symphonie Pasquier has developed perfect pâtisserie for foodservice,” says Grenter. “Our range was designed to deliver chef-quality products with ease of use so that anyone in the kitchen team can plate and serve.”

“It is essential to keep trying new products and keep in touch with what is new in the market,” agrees Young. “You need to be able to adapt quickly to changes in season, weather and product availability.”

To this end, he began with the Petit Fours and dressed the plate with cocoa nibs. He then garnished the coffee eclairs with matcha powder, the chocolate tartelettes with golden spray and the citron tarts with orange peel.

Next, he showed how he regularly elevates the chocolate macarons with golden spray for BM’s VIP lounge guests. Hospitality buffet customers, meanwhile, receive them straight from the box, with the coffee variety receiving an additional dusting of matcha. 

He finished by demonstrating the Crème Brulée Tartelettes’ impressive adaptability by serving them up three different ways. He enhanced them first with additional caramelised brown sugar with a side helping of labneh and blueberry jam; then with a freshly made croissant cream; and then finally topped them with raspberries with a white chocolate and Chantilly cream on the side.

“My overall impression was that the product quality was of a really good standard and that it was easy to store and use,” Young reports. “The taste was great, and I found the products to be very versatile and able to be used in several different ways. I used simple garnishes and accompaniments so as not to distract from the products themselves and to also make the dishes easy to reproduce.”

The beauty of these products is that they are so malleable. Put simply, the only limit is the chef’s imagination.

“It really is up to you to create something unique to your venue, by dialling up the serving or simply plating the products once defrosted,” explains Grenter. “Our Crème Brulée Tartelettes help chefs to create a little theatre in the kitchen by adding brown sugar and blow torching to achieve that signature ‘crack’ when tapped with a spoon.

“Our French pâtissiers have created exquisite desserts from time-honoured recipes, using techniques handed down from generation to generation of the Pasquier family. We have made it as easy and quick as possible to create your own bespoke dessert or simply defrost and serv. Either way, putting Symphonie Pasquier products on your menu will be a success.”

Young was certainly sold in their benefits, as he says: “I would definitely recommend that chefs use the products, as they are convenient, taste great and will be enjoyed by customers. They are particularly useful for kitchens that don’t have a pastry chef, or are short staffed or short of space, as it is so easy to store and quick to prepare to a high standard of presentation. They would be perfect for a large hospitality event, as they are consistent and hold well for a good amount of time.”

Of the whole Road Test experience, he adds: “It was good fun and something quite different to my normal day job. Everyone always has an opinion to give, so it was great to be invited to share mine so openly and take the opportunity to be creative. I really enjoyed it – plus we got to eat some great food at the end!”

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