Classic and French all the way

Executive Chef Gaurav Malhotra, Novotel Hyderabad, considers French to be one of the most evolved cuisines, and is looking forward to the Bastille Day on July 14, when he plans to use his expertise in the cuisine to create an exclusive menu to celebrate the French National Day.

As a prelude to the D-day he has created ‘Le PatissierFrancaise’ – an array of classic French desserts at Le Café. Combining the art of baking with the nuances of ingredients and flavours, the French have created their desserts that have a history to them.

The chef in addition to recreating the classics, made them visually stunning. The Apple Tarte Tatin on the menu, for example, the upside down classic apple tart looks luscious with baked apple and slices of nuts decorating it.

The best thing about most classics is the simplicity packaged in deliciousness Cherry Clafoutis, for example is baked batter topped with the goodness of fresh cherries. The chef has used Maraschino cherries for baking and topped it up with cream and Californian cherries just that extra touch of goodness.

Paris Brest has history. That apart the original version of praline flavoured cream tucked between two choux pastries is tweaked to look like a crispy doughnut topped with cream and chocolate. Berry Religieuse, on the other hand looked beautifully pink when covered with berry crumble and filled with berry cream that added to the taste of this traditional dessert.

The Opera pastry was indeed a tasteful drama when made with absolutely thin layers of sponge cake soaked in coffee, ganache and chocolate. Chef has used the Belgium Callebaut chocolate adding to what one could call deliciously balanced bitterness with the sweetness of chocolate.

One can simply dig into the desserts like Blueberry Charlotte (Blueberry mousse lined with ladies fingers and topped with fresh berries), the lemon tart that is just that right bit lemony, the distinguished sounding St. Honoré(A puff pastry base topped with pastry cream and whipped cream, surrounded by caramelised profiteroles), MilleFeuille, layered with rich chocolate, and Baba Au Rhum (don’t miss the emphasis on Rum being spelt with an ‘h’).

The latter is infact a small yeast cake saturated in rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. Chef has instead topped it up with cream and to ensure the pastry is moist enough has included a small syringe to infuse rum just before its demolished. Yes!Demolish is the right word that that can do justice to the dessert overload at Le Café, Novotel Hyderabad.

What: Le PatissierFrancais
Classic French Desserts at Le Café
When: 26th June – 14th July
11:00am – 11:00pm

By Rajeshwari Kalyanam​