French chef’s creation chosen as new Paris-Londres dessert

The French Embassy in London and the British Embassy in Paris have chosen a dessert created by pastry chef Guillaume Godin, from the restaurant Guy Savoy (Monnaie de Paris), as the official “Paris-Londres” cake.

In November 2020, Catherine Colonna, the French ambassador to the UK, launched a culinary initiative “Paris-Londres”, giving French and British pastry chefs the opportunity to create a dessert which would become the “gourmet symbol of our entente cordiale”.

The idea came from the well known “Paris-Brest” dessert, which itself came about because of the cycling race between the two cities.

“After receiving many creative, original proposals, the two ambassadors were won over by the flavours and visual aesthetic of pastry chef Guillaume Godin’s creation: an apple tatin with Darjeeling tea mousse, set between pâte sucrée and decorated with vanilla Chantilly cream,” a press release released by the British Embassy in Paris stated.

“This dessert will become an absolute must at the tables of the French Residence in London and the British Residence in Paris.”

“Through this original initiative, we want to create a symbol of the link between our two capitals and recall the long history shared by France and the UK which continues to be written today.”

Mr Godin said that he felt “pride” at being able to bring two countries together through a dessert that “symbolises two unions”.

Regarding the shape of the dessert, he said he wanted to make a bridge as they bring two sides together and also because both London and Paris have famous bridges, such as the Pont Neuf and Tower Bridge.

Ms Colonna said of the dessert:

“Guy Savoy’s pastry chef Guillaume Godin brilliantly succeeded in marrying the tastes and cultures of France and the UK by creating this veritable bridge between Paris and London.

“We had the Paris-Brest; long live the Paris-Londres, because simple pleasures are more essential than ever!”

British Ambassador to France, Ed Llewellyn said:

“I congratulate pastry chef Guillaume Godin and M. Guy Savoy for their Franco-British dessert, the “Paris-Londres”. We were won over by the flavours of this dessert, which so effectively embodies the links between our two countries on each side of the Channel.”

The French Embassy in the UK Tweeted out the recipe for the dessert, so you can try it at home.