French pastry competition crowns "dessert of the year"
Before a star-studded panel of judges that included restaurateur Guy Martin, and three Michelin-starred chefs Emmanuel Renaut and Eric Frechon, eight chefs from around the country whipped, molded, froze and set foods alight at the seventh edition of the Trophée Carol-Duval Leroy Dessert of the Year competition Monday.
And while judges praised the craftsmanship of all the competitors, a dessert of white chocolate, lemon, peach gelée, gaufrettes, sugared almonds accompanied by verbena and lemon sorbet atop a peach “carpaccio” was voted the proverbial cream of the crop.
La Pyramide pastry chef Anthony Fresnay beat colleagues from fellow illustrious addresses like Restaurant Paul Bocuse, Maison Pic and Auberge du Cheval Blanc, which came in second.
The Relais & Chateaux hotel restaurant is located just south of Lyon.
For the competition, chefs had three and a half hours to prepare two desserts that highlighted the last of the season’s peaches, verbena and mirabelles, a small yellow plum-like fruit grown in Lorraine.
For the first, chefs were tasked with recreating a classic French dish – flambéed Mirabelles – while they were given creative license for the second dessert provided they used peaches and verbena.
Chefs also teamed up with sommeliers to pair their dessert with one of four Duval-Leroy Champagnes, an additional consideration in the judging process.
Fresnay’s sommelier partner Lionel Schneider chose the Femme de Champagne Millésime 2004 for its aromatics of white fruits and minerality.
Meanwhile, organizers also announced plans to expand the competition internationally, saying they’re finalizing details on a Japanese edition next year. Should everything go as planned, the competition will alternate between Japan and France starting next year.
A standalone sommelier competition will also take place in 2013.
Perhaps one of the most important dessert competitions in France is the Championnat de France du Dessert, which takes place March 26, 2013 and crowns the best pastry chefs in the country.
