Experts share the latest baking trends

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Since the time Indians have started overseas travel for leisure and work, the exposure to foreign foods has tremendously increased. This, according to Chef David Edward Raj, Director of Culinary Innovation, Elior India, is leading the bread revolution.

"The taste buds of the Indian population have evolved a lot over a period. Moving away from our traditional food, people have started appreciating the global food and are ready to experiment new bakery products which were once star hotel products," he says.

Artisan bakers are growing in our neighbourhood. Thanks to the e-retailers and the delivery partners who bring in variety of gourmet bread offerings to our doorstep.

People have started appreciating Sourdough bread, Foccacia, Rye bread, Ciabatta, multigrain and seed breads, too. Bread becomes an easy and quick option for our hunger pangs. However, excess consumption of the same can lead to health issues or lifestyle diseases. Though the whole grain bread is better than brown bread and white bread, one must consume the same in balance, points out the chef.

Nutritionists generally advise against the consumption of the highly processed white flour bread variants, which have caused the consumers to shift to the healthier options of Sourdough and Whole Grain Breads, Steffi Tellis, Assistant Professor -- Food Production, ITM IHM, tells IANSlife.

"Sourdough, a slow fermented, naturally-leavened bread that does not use commercial yeast has gained popularity in recent years due to it being more digestible and nutritious. The Indian consumers have made a noticeable shift from heavy breakfast options, to the healthier Sourdough breads made with organic produce and little to no processed ingredients in them," he says.

Gourmet and corporate cafes are planning menus with the inclusion of artisan breads as there has been an increasing demand for these options, inform the experts. "Our age-old Millets and Buckwheat are also being used to make modern day breads and this has given health twist to the artisan breads," Tellis says. According to chef Raj: "As the demand increases for these products, I am sure that the pricing of these products would also come down in the coming days."

Also, the trend to bake and consume Instagram-worthy breads is ever increasing. "Social media has brought about an evolution which witnesses the consumer willing to experiment with a wide range of flavors," Tellis concludes.

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