Roumanille arranging Gingerbread Panettone and other festive baked goods. — Photos: MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
THE bright red baubles, delicately shaped snowflakes and adorable gingerbread men with a layer of white dusting sit prettily together.
One could easily mistake these for Christmas tree decorations, were it not for the fact that they are all edible and form part of the sweet platter for the festive afternoon tea set at The Lounge, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
Hotel executive pastry chef Yann Roumanille said he wanted to craft an afternoon tea set that represented Christmas yet had whimsical elements.
“I start off by visualising what the entire set would look like. Then I work out the ingredients and recipes for each item,” said the Frenchman whose visualisations are typically drawings.
“Having the drawings also makes it easier for me to explain to my team how certain things should be prepared or look like, since it’s sometimes difficult to explain concepts verbally.”
The festive afternoon tea at The Lounge could be described as one wrapped in festive cheer, thanks to the Christmas tree decorations theme and ingredients that reflect the winter season.
“It’s the cold season in Europe now, so the ingredients used include winter produce such as apples, pears and oranges.
Christmas sweet and savoury treats, as well as scones, elevate the afternoon tea experience at The Lounge.
“Chestnuts, a festive favourite, are also included,” he said.
“We also used typical winter spices such as ginger and cinnamon, as these are warming spices favoured to keep people warm in winter.”
The set’s sweet platter treats include The Snowflake made from vanilla mousse, ginger and pineapple with a pecan nut cake base, and Festive Ornament with cinnamon chantilly, speculoos crumble and cherry compote, resulting in a bright red hue.
There are also Advent candles made from pear jelly, elderflower mousse, cookies and white chocolate, while Sapin de Noel is made with bergamot jelly, basil mousse and cinnamon cake paired with a biscuit base.
The Gingerbread figures feature gingerbread, orange marmalade and whipped ganache topped with a sprinkling of coconut flakes.
While not as showstopping in appearance, items from the savoury platter, many in sandwich form, more than make up for it with their flavours and textures.
Personal favourites include Mushroom Croque, where the honey-grilled portobello mushroom’s earthy flavours contrasted nicely with the creamy whipped ricotta, and Coronation Turkey Salad with its medley of contrasting textures and tastes from redcurrant preserves, roasted chestnuts, spiced mango chutney and spiced gingerbread.
Also included are Petis Lobster Roll with bisque beurre monte and fish roe enhanced with a tangy horseradish Marie Rose sauce, premium Christmas roast with roasted prime rib, bone marrow butter and Comte cheese as well as briny Hot Smoked Salmon Tartine with maple cured smoked salmon and mustard creme fraiche.
Scones, an afternoon tea staple, come in two versions – traditional and gingerbread with dried cranberries. They are accompanied by three house-made spreads – chestnut butter, clotted cream and tangy cinnamon apple marmalade.
Roumanille said he tried to be “borderless” in his work by incorporating both local and international ingredients.
He also uses French techniques as a base to craft his creations yet incorporate influences from other cuisines.
The festive afternoon tea is served until Dec 31, from 3pm to 5.30pm daily at The Lounge.
It is priced at RM242+ per person, inclusive of coffee or tea, with an additional RM50+ for a glass of sparkling non-alcoholic wine.
For hot drinks, Roumanille recommends The Lounge Tropical Signature Blend featuring a blend of black and green teas enhanced by tropical flavours such as hibiscus, guava and coconut.
Meanwhile, Curate restaurant is serving a lunch and dinner buffet until Dec 30 (except selected dates), priced at RM193+ per adult and RM250+ per adult respectively.
There is also a Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet (RM308+ per adult), Christmas Day Brunch Buffet (RM308+ per adult), New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet (RM488+ per adult) and New Year’s Day Brunch Buffet (RM308+ per adult). Children get to dine at half price.
Yun House, which specialises in classic Cantonese cuisine, will be serving Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch and dinner, priced at RM308+ per person.
For more details, visit https://tinyurl.com/umaxy3r4
THE LOUNGE, Level 6B, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 145, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2382 8602/ Email: diningreservations.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com). Business hours: 10am-10pm, daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
