Imaginations and taste buds run wild

Bakery VRQ Level 3 students undertook a Barry Callebaut sponsored (in-house) competition, as part of their Bakery course. Barry Callebaut is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate - from the cocoa bean to the finished product on the store shelf.

The competition brief required that each student design and produce a product which would be a gateau, a pastry or a selection of chocolates. These would display innovation and imagination and all items had to include at least one Callebaut service product and demonstrate the art of tempering, by dipping, enrobing or decoration.

The three judges lucky enough to try all the creations were: Chef Phil Dobson from University College Birmingham, Beverley Dunkley, Head of UK Academy, Barry Callebaut(UK) Ltd and Debbie Osborne, National Accounts Manager Barry Callebaut(UK)Ltd.

After spending almost 2 hours judging the 8 entries the judges awarded first place to Jake Cooper for his Precious chocolates a range of luxurious fillings such as White Chocolate, Ginger and Saffron all covered in edible gold dust. Runners up were Kirsty Day with a coffee and chocolate cake and Francesca Tomkins with her jewel inspired chocolates.

Bakery Lecturer, Clive Martin, told us that the standard of the entries were excellent and that the judge’s scores only put a few points between the winners and the rest of the group.