Plant-based pastry is gaining popularity, driven by visionary Pastry Chefs who make it a modern, creative expression firmly rooted in current concerns.
By meeting the growing expectations of customers regarding sustainability, health and ethical dietary choices, plant-based pastry helps traditional offerings evolve towards more responsible consumption modes.
However, integrating plant-based pastry alongside a traditional offering presents certain challenges. So, how can these be successfully addressed?
Establishing the foundations of a plant-based pastry offering
To implement a plant-based pastry offering, the key initial steps are preparation and experimentation.
First, one must be open to new flavors and change their reference framework regarding taste. It’s not about replicating traditional pastries in a plant-based version but embracing a new universe that will require time for research, experimentation and creation.
To start, you can develop solid foundations by designing universal recipes like a plant-based shortcrust pastry, a custard made with plant-based milk, or a dairy-free ganache, which can serve a variety of creations. This creative step necessitates discovering new ingredients and understanding their culinary properties.
Exploring plant-based viennoiseries also opens up a range of applications in shops or restaurants, requiring the adoption of new manufacturing techniques.
Plant-based ice creams are also interesting to explore for integration into plated desserts in restaurants, for example.
Mastering the logistics of a plant-based pastry offering
The real challenge of a plant-based pastry offering lies primarily in logistical and financial management.
It’s important to select the right products by favoring stable and versatile ingredients like potato proteins to replace eggs or fruit purées to provide texture and moisture.
You can also anticipate stocks with certain products that may be less available or more expensive. It’s essential here to have a good relationship with your suppliers to ensure the regularity of your stocks.
Quick assembly can also be an option to limit the risk of errors and ensure smooth production, especially in emergency situations.
Creating plant-based pastries may require the use of specific ingredients that represent a certain cost, but since the quantities used are often minimal, the final cost often remains balanced compared to a classic pastry.
If you work in a brigade, you can organize training sessions to sensitize your teams to plant-based pastry techniques. It’s indeed important to educate your teams to a new taste reference framework to ensure good uniformity in productions. A trained and confident team will be able to produce more efficiently and maintain a high level of quality in all circumstances.
Paying attention to aesthetics and positioning pastry creations
The aesthetics of your creations must be perfect. Your plant-based pastries deserve the same attention as that given to traditional creations.
The argument “It’s plant-based, that’s enough” no longer convinces. The demand for taste and presentation remains an essential lever to enhance a coherent and attractive offering.
Once your recipes are ready, it will be time to test their reception and positioning with your customers. Introduce one or two plant-based pastries into your usual menu. Observe the demand and listen to customer feedback.
Communicating about the plant-based pastry offering
Highlighting your new offering is essential to make it known and encourage customers to discover it gradually.
Care about your descriptions by showcasing the distinctive qualities and strengths of your pastries.
In the shop or restaurant, talk about your pastry creations to your customers and explain why you made certain choices. Consider offering mini pastries to introduce your new items.
Use your communication channels to promote your creations and leverage on social media to reach a broader clientele.
Communicating this new offering is also an opportunity to strengthen your brand image by highlighting your establishment’s sustainability values and reinforcing its innovative and responsible positioning.
An opportunity to enrich your pastry offering
Integrating plant-based pastry is a wonderful opportunity to modernize a menu, reach a broader clientele and position oneself as an innovative actor attentive to market evolutions.
Despite the challenges such an offering may bring, it’s above all a unique opportunity for a Pastry Chef to broaden his technical field, nurture his creativity and evolve with his profession.
This article was written in collaboration with Olivier Pastrello, Pastry Chef at Restaurant Atalante – Relais Thalasso Sainte-Marie de Ré.
