The pastry people

We asked five pastry professionals from different countries in the region to give us the lowdown on their professional journeys and brands.

JORDAN HILDA HANNA ISSA AL MASRIEH HOSH

Owner and chef patisserie Chez Hilda Patisserie chezhilda.com

In a nutshell

We love sharing our passion for baking, and we always seek perfection in our work. Highlights

In March 2022, Chez Hilda partnered with Four Seasons Hotel in Amman for a Mother’s Day event called “A Nostalgic Mother’s Day.” The idea was to reintroduce Amman’s favorite cakes.

In June 2020, I was named one of the top 30 female business influencers in the region. Furthermore, in March 2017, we launched a new branch in Amman, as well as a gourmet bistro concept. Remaining competitive

Determination, innovation and creativity keep us at the top of our game. We also maintain excellent quality by using the best ingredients from all over the world, which differentiates us from our competitors. Future plans

Many opportunities are yet to be explored, as our primary mission is to franchise the business to neighboring countries and expand it from regional to global.

LEBANON, EGYPT, IRAQ, KSA & UAE JULIEN KHABBAZ

Chairman and CEO Maison Noura noura.com.lb

It’s all in the name

Noura is a constant promise of pleasure. Since 1948, it’s been a brand synonymous with premium quality. Portfolio

Noura’s business lines are catering, pastry, chocolates, ice cream, bakery and confectionery. Our pastry has been renowned for its quality, consistency and outstanding taste for more than 70 years. Our most recent openings include our new shop on the Jounieh highway, as well as our first location in Baghdad, Iraq. Staying ahead

We do not really face fierce competition; we focus on maintaining the excellence of our products and service. Expansion

Noura is on an expansion mission in the region. Outside Lebanon, Iraq is the first market we have already entered, and we have plans to launch in Egypt, KSA and the UAE, and more countries will follow. We are in the process of choosing the right partners for each market.

SAUDI ARABIA UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, UK & SARA M.T JAWA WEST AFRICA UAE

Founder and executive chef at LA CASSEROLE instagram.com/la_casserole_ksa

Mantra

KARIM BOURGI

Co-founder and chef patissier KAYU/ CALLA karimbourgi.com

We started out as a small shop serving home-cooked, hearty food and pastries. By using fresh ingredients of premium quality, we established our place in the market. Our customers are loyal and appreciate what we offer.

What’s special

Our pastry section is rich and varied, from simple dark chocolate cake and carrot cake, to more complex desserts, such as rose and raspberry cake. Challenges

Being creative can be a challenge at times, but quality is definitely key. Two words

Quality and service define our brand. Competitive edge

The main challenge when it comes to maintaining a good reputation is to always be creative in order to stand out from the competition. What the future holds

This year, I will be opening KAYU in Riyadh and PIKADO in the Ivory Coast. We are also planning to open KAYU Bistro in London in 2023.

The future

I aim to make LA CASSEROLE an international brand.

AHMED SALEH

CEO of The Lab Holding, which operates BRIX Desserts brixdessert.com

Dessert destination

BRIX is a destination where you can experience the most unique desserts. Milestones

Until last October, we were a dessert bar offering one or two desserts. Now, we’ve developed the BRIX Journey - a story driven by two different menus, where you are taken through each course along with drink pairings. We are now creating new concepts where our guests can go and try BRIX with other products, as we also offer coffee and pastries. We’re also very proud to be part of 3Fils, which won the recent MENA 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Always innovating

We are always delivering our best. We want to keep innovating. Creating unique desserts and experiences by learning and experimenting with new techniques and products is important. Every day, interesting places are popping up. We are constantly inspired to create. Growth

We change our menus every three months, so everyone can see BRIX's evolution. We also plan to have BRIX in different places to deliver desserts and cakes for new audiences to enjoy.

Butter is a crucial ingredient in this recipe, with the authentic versions about as savory as they are sweet. The name comes from the Breton words for cake (kouign) and butter (amann). The cake is slowly baked until the butter puffs up the dough and the sugar caramelizes. If you’re looking for an indulgent afternoon pastry, look no further than this traditional favorite.

Make Kouign amann on your own!

Ingredients

200g flour 5g salt 120g sugar 65ml water 65ml milk 14d baker's yeast 40g butter 140g slightly salted butter

Preparation

Using a standmixer, fitted with a dough hook, knead the flour, salt, 20g of the sugar, water, milk, baker's yeast and butter, for approx. 8 minutes, at slow speed then 3 minutes at a medium speed, until the dough comes off the edges of the bowl. Spread the dough between two baking paper sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Combine the slightly salted butter with the remaining 100g of sugar.

Take the dough out of the fridge and proceed like you would when making puff pastry, folding 3 times.

Fold the dough into a square and put it in a buttered and sprinkled with sugar mould of 18/18 cm in diameter. Leave it for 30 minutes at room temperature and cook it at 160 ° for about 1 hour.

Let the Kouign-amann cool before turning out.