French Pastry Chef Elsa Baltora Revives Classic Desserts in Israel

French pastry chef Elsa Baltora brought a selection of classic French pastries, including éclairs, Saint-Honoré cakes, millefeuilles, and lemon meringue tarts, to the "Ça se débat!" program in Tel Aviv. She shared her journey of returning to her profession after relocating to Israel.

Baltora credited her experience with renowned chefs like Pierre Hermé and Philippe Conticini for instilling in her "rigor, elegance, good taste," and essential savoir-faire. She also learned to develop less sweet, visually appealing, and appetizing desserts.

Upon her arrival in Israel, Baltora initially considered a different career path, focusing on savory baby food. However, she found herself missing pastry-making too much. "When you see what you can do with a few ingredients, it's even better," she stated, expressing joy in delighting a new clientele.

Currently, Baltora bakes her cakes from home, accepting orders via phone and Instagram under her own name. While she does not yet have a physical shop, her long-term goal is to establish her own laboratory.

The "Ça se débat!" segment also featured other treats such as rum baba, opera cake, chouquettes, madeleines, and Nutella palmiers. Through these creations, Baltora aims to share the pleasure and expertise of French pastry-making with her Israeli audience.