We were thrilled to host our very first French Flour Demonstration at the Marubishi Johor Bahru office, welcoming artisan bakers for an intensive masterclass in French baking traditions.
The session was led by Chef Simon Lebert—baker consultant at Minoterie Bourseau and an award-winning French baker specializing in viennoiserie.
Throughout the session, Chef Simon showcased the versatility, hydration capacity, and clean flavor profiles of Minoterie Bourseau flours. Participants were guided through 4 core dough formulations, producing 8 signature artisan items.
Adapting French Levain for Local Palates
One of the standout takeaways from the JB masterclass was Chef Simon's practical adaptation of levain management tailored specifically for local Asian palates.
While European sourdoughs often celebrate a sharp, pronounced acidity, local consumers generally prefer a milder, rounder flavor profile. To achieve this, the hard sourdough starter was transitioned from a T80 base to T65.
By shifting to T65 for the starter feed:
- Acidity was softened: Reducing harsh acetic notes while preserving complex aromatic fermentation.
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Crumb texture was refined: Yielding a lighter, more approachable loaf that pairs seamlessly with local preferences without losing the health benefits of natural fermentation.
Masterclass Highlights & Key Creations
Chef Simon demonstrating dough resting techniques for Galette des Rois to relax the gluten network and ensure even, flaky lamination.
Galette des Rois crafted with T55 Villa Bleue inverted puff pastry.
Golden, fluffy Christmas Brioche, combining T45 and T65 flour for the ideal balance of strength, richness, and tender crumb.
Chef Simon Lebert scoring the T80 Sourdough bread with mixed seeds & dried strawberry prior to oven entry.
Bringing French Craftsmanship Home
As the demonstration wrapped up, Chef Simon prepared portions of the active starter for customers to take home—giving them a direct piece of the masterclass to nurture in their own kitchens.
We look forward to seeing our Johor customers launch their own sourdough lines using Minoterie Bourseau flour with this vibrant starter, bringing authentic French natural fermentation to even more local bakeries and cafes!
Featured Minoterie Bourseau Flour Varieties
Throughout the demonstration, Chef Simon worked with a range of Minoterie Bourseau flour, each selected to highlight distinct performance characteristics:
- T45- Farine De Mon Pere
- T65- Farine De Mon Pere
- T55- Villa Bleue
- T80- Mill Stone Farine De Mon Pere
- T170 BCBIO Rye Flour
Elevate Your Bakery Offerings
Interested in testing Minoterie Bourseau flour for your production? Contact the Marubishi sales team today to request flour samples, or feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Interested in Future Workshops?
Follow @marubishimalaysia on Instagram for updates on upcoming baking masterclasses, or contact us HERE for ingredient solutions and equipment demonstrations!