This Sunday, February 6, Queen Elizabeth II marks her Platinum Jubilee, 70 years since her accession to the British Crown in 1952. The official celebrations will take place in June, a question of weather, but preparations have already begun. The British are invited to the kitchens to take part in a competition to elect the official Pudding of the Jubilee.
One of 15-year-old Maisie’s earliest memories is of Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. This year, the baking enthusiast wanted to try creating the official platinum jubilee pudding. ” If I can contribute to these joyful moments that we experience during this kind of event, it’s great, especially in today’s world where everything is uncertain. I’m not as big of a monarchy as I was when I was little, I think there are a lot of flaws. But the Queen is a bit like our national grandmother. I have memories of her throughout my life. »
The young Englishwoman has developed a chocolate-poached pear tart. A dessert ” Fit for a Queen », « fit for a queen “.
” I selected ingredients from the Commonwealth, bound together by very British ingredients. Cocoa beans from Ghana, spices from India. I wanted my pie to represent diversity. And then the initials of a pear pie, it’s “PT” in English. And “PT” is the chemical symbol for platinum. My dessert is an ode to education, which is a true British value. »
One thousand participants for five finalists
Another candidate, Cathy Kirby, who lives in the northeast of England. She created a plum cake, in homage to Prince Philip who loved it. She explains the success of the competition – more than 1000 participants – by the love of the British for televised cooking competitions.
” I am a newbie to baking. A friend made me watch “Britain’s Best Pastry Chef“ this year and I loved it, that’s what pushed me to say to myself: “Finally, I too can do something!” “. She tells us that she “love all the melodrama around the royal family, all the pomp. Imagine, it would be great if the Queen tasted my dessert, if she liked it. »
To decide between Maisie, Cathy and the thousands of other candidates, the organizers of the competition lined up the celebrities of the stoves. Among the judges, who will have to choose on the strength of the recipe alone, Matt Adlard, self-taught social media pastry chef, explains what makes a good Platinum Pudding: “ We say pudding, but we are looking for a dessert that is accessible, easy to reproduce. I understand that the winning pudding will be replicated quite a few times. It has to be something that can be mass-cooked. In terms of flavors, I expect everything: chocolate, fruit, I think we will even have a few vegan recipes. »
Selected on their recipes, five finalists will be invited to have their creations tasted. The winning pudding will be announced in March.