From the rise of floral flavours in creams and custards, to the use of flour alternatives made from beetroot and spinach in bread, the bakery and confectionery sector is awash with innovation. We pick out a selection of what’s hot in this photo gallery.
It comes hot on the heels of a new report from Puratos into the leading trends in the sector. Taste Tomorrow 2019, A Foodstep into the Future, shows that although taste and texture are still key considerations for consumers, freshness and ‘sharing the story’ behind bakery are more important than ever and the craft bakery trend shows no sign of slowing.
Goods baked on-site
After questioning 17,478 consumers in 40 countries, the report finds that 66% of people appreciate seeing goods baked on-site – an increase since Puratos’ last report in 2015 – and 55% of consumers say they find it interesting when traditions, heritage and history were shared.
“Training staff on your brand story means they are able to share this with customers and instil in them the same passion you and your team feel,” says Vera Malhotra, marketing director at Puratos UK.
“Ensure your brand story is incorporated into your branding and communicated at any relevant events or initiatives, as well as across all social media activity. Share your brand story consistently, honestly and passionately, and you’ll see the return in customer interest and loyalty.”
To find out what else is leading the way in the bakery and confectionery sector, click on the arrow on the right-hand side of the above image.
Freshness is still the number one criterion for buying bread, according to the Taste Tomorrow report from Puratos. It is also an important consideration for consumers when buying pastry, patisserie and chocolate – second only to taste, the report claims.
However, what has changed over the past three years is how freshness is defined. While consumers continue to use their senses to define it, with 65% basing their perception of freshness on colour and appearance and 55% on smell, freshness is also now associated with shelf-life, Puratos says. The Taste Tomorrow report finds that 72% of people judge a product’s freshness on when it is baked or prepared and 38% base this on a product’s expiry date.
Furthermore, in 2019, consumers equate freshness to quality, the report argues. Many people perceive fresh food to be better quality than frozen or packaged food – to an even greater extent than they did in 2015, it adds. Less than half (40%) of consumers think that packaged food is good quality and 59% think the same of frozen food. In contrast, 88% of people say they feel fresh food is of good quality.
With the bakery sector under pressure to hit reformulation targets in sugar and fat, it’s hard to ignore the trend toward healthier options. However, as taste remains king and consumers demand nothing artificial is added back in, the challenge for manufacturers is clear.
Using sensory analysis, Synergy Flavours has developed sugar-reduced flavourings for options such as cheesecake (pictured), made from profiling full sugar and full-fat baked goods. The analysis allows the company to understand which flavour notes are lost when sugar or fat is reduced and the effect that sugar reduction has on other attributes.“We have created butter biscuits and cakes with 20% less sugar, 30% less fat and 15% fewer calories,” says Synergy marketing manager Hugh Evans.
Similarly, Univar Solutions offers a dry powder mix that enables fat and sugar reduction in recipes, while helping to improve the taste profile.
Tied in with the health trend, floral and botanical flavours are establishing themselves as attractive options. “Bakers have been turning their back on lurid colours to get back to the more natural hues from plant extracts, fruit and vegetables,” says Anna Massie, category marketing manager at Macphie. “Hibiscus and orange blossom flavours have crept into the market, but expect to see more elderflower, lavender, rose and violet.”
While floral flavours are big news, less familiar is the move to include herbs and spices – often associated with savoury bakery – in sweet products, too. Chef Gerard Baker, who is working with Dawn Foods on a series of insights around bakery traditions, suggests the culinary use of basil should not be limited to savoury foods, as its floral nature is excellent when used in conjunction with creams and custards, especially with strawberries and white chocolate. Basil is also said to work well in blueberry pie (pictured). Baker adds that lavender is best incorporated into sponges or biscuits, while honey pairs well with herbal scents and chocolate.
The distinction between sweet and savoury has been further blurred by the emergence of savoury patisserie. As well as providing consumers with the “novelty” factor they so crave, Lydia Baines, digital and communications manager at Puratos UK, says savoury patisserie offers the versatility their lifestyle demands – as it is a great option for breakfast, a snack, lunch, or even an alternative dinner.
“Our new Satin Savoury Mix can be used to create savoury patisserie, muffins, loaf cakes and more,” says Baines. “With a soft and moist texture, the mix is easy to use and guaranteed to provide consistent results.”
Although drawn to anything new, it seems consumers can’t get enough of the old familiar favourites as well. Classic combinations with a modern twist are key to striking the right balance, suggests Fabien Levet, commercial manager at Pidy UK. “For example, why not upgrade the traditional zesty lemon tart by adding the feisty flavour of gin?” Levet says. “Equally, the custardy centre of a crème brûlée is a wonderful filling for a crisp buttery pastry base, but why not take things up a level and add coconut milk for an exotic twist?”
The clamour for classics is also reflected in the greater use of traditional British flavours in bakery, such as rhubarb, damson and elderflower. “Nostalgia comes in waves – particularly at times of uncertainty – and millennials in particular are pining for simpler times before a life of smartphones and technology,” says Evans at Synergy Flavours.
UK consumers have long been acquainted with French baguettes and brioches, Greek pittas, and Turkish flatbreads, but breads from less familiar markets are now in demand.
Maneesh are Middle Eastern-style flatbreads that come with spices such as cumin and dried coriander, and blends such as harissa, sumac and za’atar, says Tasneem Alonzo, joint managing director at EHL Ingredients. Meanwhile, Tuscan-style vegan crusty breads and focaccias, featuring dried rosemary, thyme, garlic, basil, as well as sun-dried tomatoes, dried olives and mushrooms are a tasty alternative to standard breads and make a filling sandwich or meal accompaniment, she adds.
In line with the trend for more experimental bread, interest in flours made from vegetables is growing. “Beetroot and spinach are popular flour alternatives at the moment, especially for wraps, pittas and breads,” says Alonzo at EHL. “Using vegetable flours to bake with, such as pea, spinach, beetroot and even lentil, is on the increase too.”
Other alternatives to wheat flour for savoury baking include chickpea, lentil, yellow pea and fava bean flour – used in breads, but also increasingly in snacks such as vegan crisps and crackers, Alonzo adds.
Vegetable flours have the added advantage of being gluten-free. Eurostar Commodities has developed a gluten-free pizza flour that is said to offer a consistent performance for all styles of pizza bases, as well as speciality breads like focaccia and ciabatta.
“Our gluten-free flour is mostly made with vegetable fibres and these will act to lengthen the dough,” says Davide D’Auria, technical development manager at Eurostar Commodities. “However, vegetable fibres absorb lots of water so my advice for pizza chefs is to increase the amount of water in the dough mix. Also, instead of stretching the dough, you need to press and stamp it.”
Matcha may have been around as a tea for at least 800 years, but its incorporation into the likes of macarons and tarts is a relatively new phenomenon. Levet at Pidy UK says it “adds an intriguing flavour as well as a fantastic vibrancy” to bakery products, and claims a whole host of Oriental flavours like yuzu, miso and black sesame are expected to follow suit.
D’Auria at Eurostar notes that yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit, has three times the vitamin C of standard lemon – but the acidic, tart flavour of its juice and peel interests bakers. “It’s about adding a little tang to desserts to increase their complexity.”
Public concerns about food waste have become widespread in recent years and bakery products – bread in particular – are continually highlighted as prime offenders.
The main reason is the consumer perception of ‘freshness’ in bakery, says Samuel Russell, Europe, Middle East and Africa marketing manager for food ingredients at Univar Solutions. “By using enzymes, manufacturers can extend bread’s ‘freshness’ and appearance, and provide a fine, elastic crumb structure,” he says.
Innovations in the café beverage market are moving into bakery, says Jacqui Passmore, UK and Ireland marketing manager at Dawn Foods. “Bakery is now taking its inspiration from the beverage menu in coffee chains, like Starbucks with seasonal offerings such as pumpkin and mixed spice latte cupcakes [pictured] or caramel latte muffins,” Passmore says. “These flavours appeal to a younger consumer for whom coffee culture is now part of everyday life.”
Ruby chocolate entered the food scene in 2018, but it has yet to establish itself in bakery. “Once ruby chocolate is more widely available, we expect to see foodservice professionals experimenting and discovering its true potential,” says Pidy UK commercial manager Fabien Levet. “Its light, creamy texture and hint of berry flavour will lend itself to an array of sweet delights. The consistency and nature of the product ensures it can be used in different ways and the vibrant colour will instantly catch everyone’s eye.”
The sourdough craze is here to stay, but food manufacturers and bakers will increasingly add new and original ingredients to the mix, predicts Lydia Baines, digital and communications manager at Puratos UK.
“Oat porridge sourdough is one variety that will grow in popularity,” she says. “Oats appeal to consumers from a health perspective. They also deliver on flavour – offering a soft and tasty loaf.”