Backe, Backe Kuchen!

A baking competition for charity hosted by

Palais Coburg Residence and sponsored

by Wiener Zucker.

A few weeks ago I came across the Palais Coburg Residence baking competition.

It was a charity baking competition where you had to bake your favourite baked treat, take a photo and send it in with the recipe. From there they would select 30 finalists who would then need to bring their baked treat in for judging.

I decided to take part not expecting I would be contacted. However to my lovely surprise I received an email advising me that I was in the top 30.

 

This was my entry photo.

 On Sunday the 25th May 2014 I, along with 29 other home bakers, were the  lucky finalists out of 138 entries to be selected and invited to the majestic Palais Coburg Residence baking competition which was sponsored by Wiener Zucker.

 The moment one enters into the Palais Coburg Residence, in the heart of Vienna, you become aware of the atmosphere of a leading world-class luxury hotel.

The lobby greets guests with beautiful fresh flowers.

From the hotel lobby, a plush red carpet up the grand staircase led the way to the mirror hall and yellow room where each contestant had an allocated spot set up with a cooled serving platter.

 Above is my entry: Ribisel–Nuss Whisky Gugelhupf (Red currants-nut whisky Gugelhupf).

Below are a few photos of the competitor’s cakes.

I could not resist, I had to include a couple photos below of the opulent mirrored hall and yellow room.

Roland Hamberger, the General Manager and CEO of the Palais Coburg was our host and MC for the day.

 The Judges were:

A member of the Vienna Boys Choir

Martina Hohenlohe, Gault Millau

Herbert Fööttinger, Director of the Josefstadt Theatre

Johann Marihart, Argana Committee Member

Peter Pühringer, Proprietor of the Palais Coburg

Silvio Nickol, Michelin Star Chef and Executive Chef of Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant

Whilst the judges sampled and tasted and made their judgements on taste and visual display of the cakes, we were treated to a lovely brunch served in the tranquil Bastion garden on the premises.

As we indulged on fresh seasonal fruit, decadent pastries, fine finger sandwiches we all chit chatted away trying to guess who would win.

In actual fact we were all winners already, being treated to a beautiful day at the Palais Coburg Residence was a prize in itself.

But of course I am sure you are dying to know who the top 3 winners were.

Well here they are!!

 1st place: Fromage au Torte (Cheese Cake)

2nd place: Tränentorte (There is no exact translate for this I don’t think but it’s a vanilla custard cheese cake with a pastry base topped with a meringue layer)

3rd place: Himbeer, Mohn, Topfen Torte (Raspberr, poppy seed cheese cake)

 To end off the competition event, all cakes were sold at the Clementine Restaurant where the funds raised went towards a children’s theater.

All in all I had a great time and met some wonderful and talented bakers.

I did walk away with a lovely dessert book by Wiener Zucker of recipes by Michelin star chefs from around Austria so I am looking forward to trying some out.

The event was so well organised I can not wait till the next one.

Thank you Palais Coburg and Wiener Zucker for a wonderful competition.

A link to the Kurier, a news article of the lead up to the event ‘Sängerknaben trällern backe, backe Kuchen’