REFRESH YOUR EXCITEMENT FOR CHOCOLATE WITH THE PASTRY PLAY ASSIGNMENT BY THE CHEFS OF GREATER CHINA

Just like in the other National Selections, the PASTRY PLAY assignment was a wonderful display of craftsmanship and innovative approaches to chocolate. The task was to create a pastry that consisted of at least 1 chocolate, 1 local ingredient, and at least 3 textures that would create a sensorial experience.

Each fresh pastry's components needed to be made from scratch during the competition, requirement that only elevated the stakes for the contestants. These were the delicious results that the jury members evaluated:

DRUM

by Lyu Haoran

For his fresh pastry, this chef started with a tangy crisp piece with tangerines and ground almonds. With contrasting softness, the piece was paired with a soft marzipan sponge cake made with dark Callebaut chocolate. For extra richness and sensorial depth, the chef also incorporated a banana and tangerine purée and a zesty tangerine cream prepared with the milky Callebaut VELVET white chocolate. The glaze of the creation rounded off the taste profile of the pastry with the dominant cocoa and milky notes of Cacao Barry Alunga milk chocolate.

FANTASY TASTE

by Mankai Cai

Continuing with the red thread of exotic fruits, the chef offered a fresh pastry that sparked interest with an exotic burst of passion fruit and mango purée paired with the classic taste of a vanilla ganache mousse made with silky white chocolate. To intensify the taste experience, the contestant used a rich dark chocolate sponge cake and a croustillant crafted with the seductive Cacao Barry Pralin Feuilletine™. A pop of colour and sleekness was created with an orange caramel glaze.

PEEK-A-BOO

by Shasha Shen

Created to spark interest with its playful essence, this cake offered classic components with an edge. It started off with a vanilla cream bavaroise and an airy mousse which offered the woody notes and intense bitterness of Cacao Barry's Fleur de Cao dark chocolate. An extra layer of richness was offered with a flourless sponge, while a modern twist was created with a cosy heart of persimmon purée.

OSMANTHUS LONGJING CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

by Xiaolong Zhang

An osmanthus and almond dacquoise was the base of this fresh pastry. This classic taste was paired with cream of raspberries and white chocolate. To further highlight the notes of the osmanthus flavour, the ingredient was used to craft the chocolate mousse made with a combination of two intense dark chocolates. To bring harmony into the recipe, the chef added a crunchy layer made of Cacao Barry's Pure Pâte Noisettes paste, Pralin Feuilletine™ and the softness of milk chocolate.

JASMINE FLOWER MOUSSE

by Kang Geng

This cake fostered the fresh fragrance of jasmine present in a soft white chocolate ganache. A raspberry and strawberry purée infused the pastry with sweet and sour freshness. An aromatic touch was added with an insert crafted with creamy milk chocolate and Cointreau. Together, the fresh yet intense ingredients created a delicate yet rich experience for the senses.