Okome Quatre-Quarts: Why the Texture Changes When It Cools
The main ingredient of nanan's quatre-quarts is rice.
Rice flour is made mostly of starch.
Raw starch is hard and not pleasant to eat as it is. But when water and heat are added, it gelatinizes (alpha-starch) and becomes chewy.
However, when gelatinized starch is chilled in the refrigerator or left for a while, it retrogrades (beta-starch) and returns toward its raw state.
This is why cooked rice becomes hard when it gets cold.
The starch in rice retrogrades fastest at a moisture content of 30–60% and a temperature of around 0–4°C.
Because quatre-quarts contains a lot of moisture, when stored in the refrigerator or on cold winter days, retrogradation progresses quickly and its texture changes, just like cold rice.
The solution is to warm it up again.
If it feels a little firm, please try warming it. You can enjoy its moist, smooth texture and the natural sweetness and aroma of rice sweets.
Above all, C'est du nanan's sweets are about their delicate flavor.
Made by our pastry chefs in our kitchen with carefully selected ingredients, they have a fleeting yet luxurious taste that only natural ingredients can create.
We use no preservatives or synthetic flavorings.
When they arrive, please enjoy them soon, while their flavor is at its richest.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Dorayaki
How to bring out the best flavor
If frozen: let them come slowly to room temperature in their individual wrapping. About 20–30 minutes per piece, or about 1–2 hours for a whole box.
Serving suggestions
- As they are, with a chewy texture
Brought fully to room temperature, the batter has the chewy texture unique to rice flour. - Chilled, as an iced dorayaki
While still a little cold, they taste like a cool iced dorayaki. - Warmed, with a melting texture
Once thawed, open the end of the bag slightly and warm in the microwave (500 W) for about 15 seconds for a melt-in-the-mouth batter. - Topped with butter and lightly toasted in a toaster oven, they become the ultimate butter dorayaki.
*Once heated, the quality changes and the flavor suffers as they cool, so please enjoy them while warm.
Best before
- About 30 days frozen.
- After thawing (at room temperature), please enjoy within 2 days, including the day of thawing.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Fuwari
Serving suggestions
Enjoyed as they are, they let you fully appreciate the flavor and texture of the ingredients.
If delivered chilled, leave them at room temperature for a little while before eating, and the aroma of butter and nuts comes through more richly.
Best before
About 14 days. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator, away from direct sunlight, and enjoy soon.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Sablé
Serving suggestions
- Enjoyed as they are, they let you fully appreciate the flavor and texture of the ingredients.
- We also recommend them nicely chilled.
Best before
About 20 days at room temperature. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator, away from direct sunlight, and enjoy soon.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Cultured Butter Sandwich
How to bring out the best flavor
If frozen: before eating, let them thaw gently in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
About 1 hour in the refrigerator, or about 20 minutes at room temperature (around 20°C).
*Buttercream is sensitive to temperature. Where the room is warmer than 20°C, the cream may become too soft, so please take care.
Serving suggestions
- Take them out of the refrigerator about 10 minutes before eating to enjoy the smooth, melting texture of the cream.
- They are also delicious half-thawed.
- Leave them in their container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days, and the sablé becomes moist and soft.
Best before
- Frozen: about 30 days
- After thawing (refrigerated): please enjoy within 5 days.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Madeleine
Serving suggestions
- Enjoyed as they are, they let you appreciate the flavor and texture of the ingredients.
- If delivered chilled, they are also delicious cold.
- Warmed in the microwave or toaster oven, they have a smooth, melting texture like a gateau au chocolat.
- Add whipped cream for an exquisite dessert.
Best before
About 7 days. Store away from high temperatures and direct sunlight, and enjoy soon.
HOW TO ENJOY
Okome Quatre-Quarts
Serving suggestions
Warming brings out the true appeal of our Okome Quatre-Quarts.
- The easy way (fluffy, moist texture)
Warm in the microwave (500 W) for about 15 seconds. - With a little extra effort (crisp outside, fluffy inside)
Lightly toast in a toaster oven for a freshly baked aroma.
*Quatre-quarts is sensitive to changes in temperature. If it feels firm, please warm it to enjoy its true smooth melt.
Best before
- About 7 days at room temperature. Store away from high temperatures and direct sunlight, and enjoy soon.