There were around twenty of them participating in the competition for the best galette des rois on November 14 in the premises of the Var baker-pastry confederation in Toulon.
Among them, Jérôme Masclin, recently arrived from his native North and settled in Pourrières since May. “For a first participation it’s a first place”rejoices the young baker-pastry chef, who still has a good ten years of experience behind him and who is not at his first attempt.
“I wandered around a bit before coming to settle in the region a year ago. I tried the competition for the best cake in Moselle. I came second.”
Frangipane, the real one
It must be said that the pancake is not just any pastry for him.
“Frangipane is traditional in the North.” So to say that he masters the technique and is knowledgeable about taste is an understatement.
Because, yes, under these layers of puff pastry, there are hours of preparation and know-how that Jérôme intends to promote.
“It’s puff pastry and pastries in general that I particularly like. This is where I wanted to differentiate myself.”
Bet won, then.
But what makes a good pancake?
“First, it's the choice of raw materials. AOP butter from Poitou-Charentes, top quality flour and local eggs, they come from Trets.”
Once the ingredients are gathered – and the bean is prohibited in the cake, obviously – you must not count your time for the creation and be rigorous. “Between the start of the lamination and the exit from the oven, it takes four days.” No room for approximations to seduce the jury.
“The size is imposed, thirty centimeters in diameter. The pancake is judged on aesthetics, taste, of course, and various technical aspects such as the right proportions between the puff pastry and the filling.”
Fluffy and soft
Precisely the garnish, Jérôme holds on to his northern roots.
“Frangipane is an almond cream. I add a pastry cream for extra softness and the little taste of vanilla softens the preparation.”
For the puff pastry too, Jérôme gets involved.
“I make a reverse puff pastry, it's more melting in the mouth, more technical too. For a classic puff pastry, you put the butter in the dough, then you put the dough in the beurre manié.” Child's play for the professional.
His first place in the competition is a “great recognition” but for Jérôme Masclin, the competitions are also an opportunity to meet and interact with his fellow bakers and pastry chefs in the region. “And then it also takes us out of our bakery.”
And it's not with the end of year celebrations that Jérôme is going to get his head out of trouble. He has already worked hard and surrounded himself with an apprentice “a pearl like few exist” and a pastry chef because here we don't joke with homemade food. You are a baker or you are not. “Obviously, it's a huge workload but if you're not ready to do it, you have to change careers. I owe it to my apprentice and we owe it to our clients. I can look them straight in the face. eyes.”
“The pancake must remain accessible”
On the price side too, Jérôme is positioned, from 15 to 19 euros.
“Even if the price of raw materials has increased significantly, the galette des rois must remain accessible. It is a product for sharing. Prices that are too high are the best way to send people to supermarkets. So You shouldn't cheat with them.”
We definitely won't eat Jérôme's pancake like any other cake.
And as he sticks to traditions, he only prepares his galettes des rois from December 28.
“Christmas is already complicated enough.”
