Day 8: Japanese versus French Pastries

One cannot say that French pastries are better than Japanese ones or vice versa. but Japanese pastries and indeed Japanese baking in general (whether it's bread, cookies, cakes, or pastries) is different than Western baking in several respects: Japanese products are generally light vs. dense or heavier, less buttery, and less sweet. This difference is done to cater to Japanese tastes.For example, when American Mrs. Fields cookies chain entered Japan, they changed the recipe for their cookies to suit the Japanese market: the Japanese cookies contain less butter and less sugar than Mrs. Fields cookies sold in the USA. There are also differences in ingredients. Japanese flour is different than American or French flour. The butter is different because the cows graze in different fields. Breads and pastries are often made with yeast that's a product of sake-brewing, leading to a different flavor as well. Despite these difference there exists many French patisseries in Japan. In fact, many of the Japanese pastry books I found at Book Off have pictures and recipes for traditional French pastries. For now I will explore the world of the mont-blanc. This French recipe piles chestnut puree on top of meringues and is finished with whipped cream for a rich classic dessert. It was invented around 1952 and exists in almost every pastry shop (French or Japanese) in Japan.