June is an exciting month at PastryScoop.com. It is the time of year when we give out our annual Golden Scoop Awards. And as in years past, professional bakers, confectioners, and pastry chefs from allover the country sent in submissions. Finalists were chosen and invited to plate their desserts for our panel of judges on Thursday, June 11th. Despite the pressures of competition, it was fun times in the kitchen and at the table alike. And everyone enjoyed the spectacle of seeing and tasting some of the inventive desserts and appetizing treats being concocted in America's pastry kitchens. Along with their engraved golden scoop and jacket patch, winners will receive 100 pounds of chocolate from E. Guittard, a 20-year-anniversary World Pastry Cup book from the Almond Board of California, and the choice of a class from a list provided by The French Culinary Institute. Winners will also be featured in the January/February issue of Food Arts magazine. Read on for the list of finalists and their desserts, and check out our photo gallery for a behind-the-scenes look at the event. You can also find the recipes in the May/June Word of Mouth. Photos by Bobbi Lin.*
Almond Board of California Best Dessert Menu
Toni Roberts, Pastry Chef,
C-House, Chicago
Larissa S. Raphael, Pastry Chef, Telepan, New York City
Brooks Headley, Pastry Chef, Del Posto, New York City
Zak Miller, Corporate Pastry Chef, Anthos, New York City
Yoshie Shirakawa, Executive Pastry Chef, Dessert Cafe LUXEE, New York City
E. Guittard Most Innovative Dessert
Maple Tapioca Pie with Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, Jansen Chan, Pastry Chef, Oceana, New York City
Sesame Apricot, Dean Anderson Jr., One If by Land, Two If by Sea, New York City
Strawberries and Basil, Ron Mendoza, Pastry Chef, L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel by the Sea, California
Best Dessert Revival
Pan-Fried Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Cream, Jennifer Yee, Pastry Chef, Aureole, New York City
Peanut Butter Baked Alaska, Katie Rosenhouse, Executive Pastry Chef, Olana, New York City
American Fraisier with Yuzu Sorbet, Arnaud Chavigny, Pastry Sous Chef, Daniel, New York City
Best Confection
Marshmallow Big Daddy, Autumn Martin, Chocolatier, Theo Chocolate, Seattle
Cilantro/Pineapple Pate de Fruit, Marc Aumont and Patrick Clark, Pastry Chef and Executive Sous Chef, The Modern, New York City
Teeccino, Nathaniel Reid, Executive Pastry Chef, St. Regis Resort, Dana Point, California
Best Bakery Recipe
Chocolate-Crème Fraîche Babka, Nicole Kaplan, Executive Pastry Chef, Pastry by Design, New York City
Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake, Eric Wolitzky and Jessica Bacchus, Pastry Chefs, Baked, Brooklyn, New York
Cherry Cheese Feuille de Brioche, Tariq Hanna, Chef/Partner, Sucré, New Orleans
Image Gallery
For more information on the awards and to look at previous winners, click here.
*Marshmallow Big Daddy and Cilantro/Pineapple Pate de Fruit photos provided by finalists.
PastryScoop.com would like to express appreciation to all who have provided support for the 2009 Golden Scoop Awards.
