In Part Four of this series, we are covering the frozen desserts & frozen lollipop tasting tests. The Frozen Dessert category has been a part of the competition since the beginning, but the Frozen Lollipops are a new addition this year.
Frozen Dessert
Similar to the Whole Chocolate Cake/Dessert to Share test, the competitors must make four frozen desserts and one mock dessert. For this test, they must use fruit purees from one of the other major sponsors of the competition, Capfruit.
The Frozen Dessert has five requirements and they follow the same rules as the Whole Chocolate Cake.
First, each of the three frozen desserts presented to the judges for tasting must be of identical composition and finish, as well as serve eight persons per dessert. Each portion also has a weight requirement – 100-150 grams (3.52-5.29 ounces), excluding any decoration.
The desserts must be composed predominately of fruit pureés from the Capfruit line. Fruit purees not included in the lineup are not permitted. However, raw fresh fruit is permitted.
All the frozen desserts must be prepared onsite and not include any coloring agents, titanium oxide (E171), or iron oxides (E172). Each frozen dessert must also integrate a coating such as sorbet or ice cream.
The mock frozen dessert, which may be brought in already finished, must be identical to the actual desserts served to the judges. It must serve eight persons and be composed of edible products. This dessert will be incorporated into the ice sculpture on the buffet table.
Also similar to the Chocolate Cake/Dessert, the Frozen Dessert must be presented when they are setting up their laboratories. As mentioned previously, the mock frozen dessert will be part of the buffet presentation and must hold up at room temperature.
Finally, there are no requirements on what the Frozen Desserts may be presented on, but each team must supply their own and the bases must be identical.
Frozen Lollipops
The Frozen Lollipops, as with the Restaurant-style Dessert, are new to the competition.
For this test, each team must create 26 Frozen Lollipops for tasting and an additional 10 mock lollipops for the photoshoot and buffet table.
The Frozen Lollipops for the judges must be identical in composition and finish and be prepared entirely during the 10 hours. They also must be of a size that can be consumed in one or two bites. Again, they must not include any coloring agents, titanium oxide (E171), or iron oxides (E172).
They can be presented individually or on two displays of the team’s choosing. The display must be made in such a way as to insure they can be safely brought over to the judges’ table.
The 10 mock frozen lollipops have to follow the same rules as the other tests. They must be made completely from edible products, look identical to the ones presented to the judges, and can be brought already finished. They have to be presented at the time the teams are setting up their laboratories. They must be integrated into the buffet presentation – with or without a base and held at room temperature. However, they must be presented in a different display for the photoshoot.
As with all the tests, the rules state that “The raw materials must be prepared in advance and weighed by the teams in their practice laboratories,” reads the official rules. “These will be verified by the I.O.C. when you settle in your kitchen on the eve of the contest. Consistent with our CSR approach, coherence between the weights and the recipes sent ahead of the event will be assessed. The I.O.C. will carry out random checks on one or several of the recipes presented by the team.”