Almond Board of California Becomes Global Sponsor of World Pastry Cup

The 2009 World Pastry Cup will be the first year almonds are featured in the competition. Two of the four competition categories require the use of California almonds: the frozen fruit dessert and the plated, chocolate dessert.

11/12/08 As a proud partner of the 2009 World Pastry Cup (Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie), the Almond Board of California will pay tribute to the grand tradition of classic almond pastry arts still used to create tomorrow’s on-trend innovations at the World Pastry Cup.  Join the Almond Board in celebrating the 20th anniversary of this world-class competition, where the most important pâtisiers gather and the best are crowned world champions.  The 2009 World Pastry Cup will be the first year almonds are featured in the competition.  Two of the four competition categories require the use of California almonds:  the frozen fruit dessert and the plated, chocolate dessert.

In preparation for this year’s celebration, the Almond Board will help unveil a special 20th anniversary dessert. Thirty of the most acclaimed pâtisiers in the world, all previous winners of the competition, gathered to create this unprecedented recipe that represents the spirit of the contest and includes the latest trends in pâtisserie.  The dessert, consisting of intricate layers of delicate chocolate mousse, almond praline, fruit with chopped almonds, a chocolate biscuit and spice, will debut in France and be replicated in pâtisseries and restaurants around the world. 

The World Pastry Cup, now considered the flagship event in the pâtisserie profession, takes place on January 25-26, 2009, during SIRHA, the International Hotel Catering and Food Trade Exhibition.  Let us know if you plan on joining the celebration and would like to learn more about the Almond Board of California’s World Pastry Cup initiatives, the multitude of classic almond pastry throughout the world, or regional activities in your market.

The competition takes place in Lyon, France at EUREXPO. Twenty-two participating World Pastry Cup national teams, each consisting of a confectioner, chocolatier and ice-cream maker, will create four types of desserts over two days of the competition.