Twenty candidates from all over France at the CFA de Bains to win the title of best almond pancake

Yesterday, “at a time when the countryside was whitening”, they were there, so hoped for but at the same time feared. They are artisan bakers – coming from all over France and even Reunion.

At the CFA in Bains, which provides them with its laboratories, twenty candidates (two groups of ten) participate in the national competition for the best almond pancake. They face each other for two days, until tomorrow. At the end of the tests, the prizes are awarded this afternoon at Le Puy. Tests where they “aim for excellence”, in other words the perfect 30 cm pancake (a diameter between 29 and 31 cm, the only one tolerated), as the competition reminded them, before the start of the competition, president of the jury, Xavier Bordet, master artisan baker in Arlanc and representative of the Confederation of French bakery and pastry making.Tests where they aim for excellence and the perfect 30 cm pancake

The latter highlights three emblematic products of the profession: the baguette, the croissant and therefore the almond galette, the most classic but not the easiest to make. Three products which are the subject of competitions. The twenty candidates come from departmental and regional selections. Among them, two representatives from Auvergne Rhône-Alpes: Sébastien Roissac, artisan pastry chef at La Châtaigneraie in Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut (Ardèche) and Sébastien Triboulet d'Huriel (Allier).

The beautiful story of these bakers from Puy-en-Velay, moved by the tribute from local residents

Haute-Loire was chosen this year, because the last candidate to have won the competition came from the Ponot basin. Frédéric Alvergnas has been based in Cussac-sur-Loire for seven years. He is also naturally part of the jury, alongside master craftsmen, some of whom are renowned. In particular, two best workers in France, Gérald Biremont from Saumur and Pierre Nury from Loubeyrat, in Puy-de-Dôme.The instructions were given by the craftsmen

The winner of the best pancake in France enjoys recognition, commercial benefits if he works in a store and the privilege of serving his product at the Élysée! But before getting there, we must go through formidable trials. The two pancakes to be made during these two days are done in several stages: a first of 1 hour, then 1 hour 30 minutes, a third of 1 hour again and the fourth of 2 hours. “We must respect manufacturing and break times so that the lamination does not shrink,” specifies the formidable president of the jury, Xavier Bordet, whose voice resonates in the laboratory and surely in the heads of the candidates.

“Penalties are expensive! »

Lamination is an art! After a rest phase, comes the turning stage. You need to fold the dough into thirds, then roll it out again into a long rectangle. This operation is repeated six times with rest times, creating the multiple layers of dough and butter. This is what gives the pancake this unique texture. Frangipane, on the other hand, is a combination of almond cream and custard. Please note: for such a competition, it is out of the question to use powder but raw almonds. Puff pastry, gilding, syrup, so many points. Raw material thrown away so many points lost…The tests took place over two days

Egg clarification and other operations are supervised by at least one member of the jury. Here too any candidate not respecting the rule is exposed to penalties. “Don’t invent, don’t innovate. Penalties are expensive! », warns Xavier Bordet. The winner will be chosen from those who have made the fewest mistakes. Yesterday morning, the candidates were running from one stage to another under the somewhat disturbing gaze, it is true, of several journalists, cameramen and photographers looking for the best camera angle. The TF1 show “Sept à quatre” will broadcast images of the competition during a report on the occasion of Epiphany. Despite everything, each competitor had to remain focused on their work.The entire jury was present in Bains, a jury which came from all over France.

When Dominique Anract, President of the Confederation, was asked how to visually recognize a good pancake, the latter replied: “A good pancake will have regular flakiness, neither too thick nor too thin, and a pretty gilding. When you cut it, you should see a balance between the flakiness and the filling. Another sign of quality is the finish: a well-glazed, shiny cake shows that the artisan has taken care of his product until the last step. » Above all, the Confederation intends to distance itself from industrial products.

Frédéric Alvergnas in the big leagues

We do not forget the coronation of Frédéric Alvergnas (on the left in the photo, alongside the best worker in France, Pierre Nury), winner of the 2024 edition of the national competition for the best pancake and pastry baker based in Cussac-sur-Loire. He won't soon forget it either, being called upon from all sides at the end of the ordeal. So much so that he had to extend the Epiphany season well beyond January. “Until April we prepared pancakes! “, he said. From all over the region, customers wanted to treat themselves to “the champion cake”. So what is the secret of the latter? The person concerned remains discreet: “Nothing very particular. Just good gray almonds, a little rum, a good flaky layer. »

Philippe Suc