Feuilletine is something I find very pleasing in chocolate cakes. They are crunchy inclusions that create what I call the 'crunchy berry' effect that will make any cake significantly more appealing to the human brain. As I mentioned in some previous post, a long time ago during the course of our evolution, when we were still monkeys, an innate inclination towards crunchy foods with soft centers developed, and this predilection aided in our stuggle for survival by helping us pick the ripest and juciest berries. Like monkeys when we bite into a ripe thompson grape, we feel the resounding pop as the turgid skin bursts, releasing loads of flavour from the grape interior. This floods our brains with dopamine and gives a pleasurable eating experience. Feuilletine when incorporated into my cake will mimic this effect. I will use lots of it =)
In Singapore, you can hardly get feuilletine because it is a french product and not naturally found here. Cocoa Barry sells their ready to use Pailleté feuilletine, which according to forums has been spray coated with cocoa butter for insulation against moisture, so that the tiny bits maintain their crunch for long hours. It is very expensive, and this tiny amount I bought from Sun Lik costs about $6. Many would think of using corn flakes instead, but the difference is that feuilletine gives a very delicate crunch, breaking and releasing sound at the slighted contact with your molars. Cornflakes on the other hand, are glassy and hard, and require considerable molar pressure to crack. They also aren't pre-coated with any form of fat, so you will have to do it yourself. Otherwise, you'll end up with soggy cornflakes.
One think I noted was that the texture of this feuilletine was highly similar to our local loveletters. They're like loveletters with minimal sugar and a faint vanilla flavour in place of the coconut flavour. So you can technically get a simlar textural result with love letters, which I may try using in the future.
Now that I have successfully obtained feuilletine after scouring the internet for locations to buy it, I have to wait until my exams are over before I continue my chocolate cake R&D.
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