There's something about butter. Solid golden slabs that have spread love on toast hearts around the world and that bring the good to baked goods and the flaky to all things pastry. Including the crescent-shaped wonder that is the croissant, which is said to contain about 25 per cent butter.
Feel like a butter pastry now? Try this recipe - it's a little simpler than a traditional croissant, and the results is like a cross between a croissant and a Swedish cinnamon bun.
According to The Local, since May 2016 the price of butter in Europe has been on the rise. In fact, they have risen as much as 90 per cent in the EU in the past year and bakeries and pastry chefs are taking the hit with the making and sale of buttery treats. Increasing distribution costs will definitely have a flow on affect to customers and so, unless the price of butter plummets, expect those French pastries such as croissants, tarts, brioche and quiches which are heavily reliant upon butter, to increase in price soon.
Source: Fanny Zanotti and Helen Cathcart
Armelle Favre is in charge of communications for the French bakery association, Fédération des entrepreneurs de Boulangerie (FEB). "These levels of prices have never been seen," she explained to The Local, adding that the price hike was due to a shortage of milk and now the FEB is wanting the dairy industry to prioritise butter production. "The lack is a result of a strong demand in Asian countries for milk. Today, the shortage has been slightly curbed but milk is used for cheese and cream as a priority, not for butter." Last June, France's monthly average for butter was EU2,700 (approx. AU$4000) per tonne, where as this June it is at EU4,800 (approx. AU$7100) per tonne, quite a significant jump.
The current thinking sees industry bodies calling for responsible behaviours and smarter dairy priorities. It looks as though increasing the butter production line or increase prices at a consumer level are the two main options to alleviate pressure on distributors trying to ensure their product is viable. In the meantime, sadly, it looks like a price rise on pastries is imminent for the French, and a morning café might just have to go without a buttery treat, at least for now.
