Philippe Conticini House
Maison Philippe Conticini x FrenchFarm.ac “Cirrus”
The new CBD cake
Perhaps because nothing stops him and no great renowned pastry chef had, until now, dared or had the idea of working with CBD in pastry, Philippe Conticini decided to explore this innovative product that he slipped into his brand new cake: "Cirrus". A real first in the hushed world of French haute pastry.
What is CBD?
Despite its price per kilo (three to ten times more expensive than truffles or caviar), CBD has continued to attract more and more fans for several years, but most often for its relaxing and soothing properties alone. It is part of the family of adaptogenic plants, just like ashwagandha, maca root, rhodiola, Siberian ginseng or holy basil.
Now, with the work of Philippe Conticini, these aficionados, like all the others, gourmands, curious and lovers of new sensations, will be able to (re)discover this product, but this time, for its taste qualities.
The relentless audacity and creativity of Philippe Conticini
An initiative that is ultimately logical and coherent, when you know the career of this visionary pastry chef, not to say avant-garde, who has always been ahead of his time, constantly mixing creativity and audacity: " Since I started in this profession, my work has always been fueled by at least four feelings, viscerally anchored in me: gluttony, the perpetual quest for taste, the incessant search for emotion and curiosity. Which has allowed me to create and innovate constantly, like in the mid-1990s, when I had the idea of associating with my pastry, products such as tobacco, Coca-Cola, celery, chicory or black radish, until then totally ignored in pastry."
Working the herbal taste of CBD
It was therefore quite natural that, having recently tasted CBD, the author of "Sensations" immediately imagined a cake made from this molecule. But certainly not for the wrong reasons: " By integrating CBD into my pastry, I first and foremost sought to exploit the herbaceous taste of this product. I found it interesting to explore these aromatic notes of grass, particularly intense, and the bitterness that results from it, to combine it all with citrus fruits. If, on the other hand, one or two hours after tasting this cake, we can feel a feeling of well-being, calm and relaxation, then so much the better. Especially in this current period of stress and uncertainty. But that was not the primary objective when I created this cake, because, whatever the subject that concerns me, all that matters to me is the pressing need to offer the greatest number of people a maximum of pleasure and emotions, through reflection and in-depth work on taste.
“Frenchfarm.ac”, partner of Maison Conticini in CBD
The idea of wanting to introduce new culinary horizons led to a meeting with an innovative Parisian partner, FrenchFarm.ac.
Created in April 2018, this young company is positioned on high-end CBD, transformed and marketed in all its forms, with in particular the ardent desire to " combine the excellence of French gastronomy with the service of Maison Philippe Conticini and provide a very precise projection of our DNA through this levitating cloud " according to its founders.
Even before discussing the technical aspects of the product, both entities were driven by the same desire: to offer a product of impeccable quality that generates sensations. A long research and development process was then set in motion.
The French company, renowned for the high quality of its product, is used to exceptional collaborations.
Distilled CBD is " from 100% organic cultivation, without preservatives or additives. Thanks to absolute purity in its extraction method, the raw material obtained is a (syrupy) texture totally adapted to the creation of this pastry. "
“Cirrus”, a new cake full of emotions
This is how “Cirrus” was born. A pastry that is both generous and airy, in the shape of a cloud, full of freshness, lightness and brilliance.
Thanks, essentially, to citrus fruits, present both in a foamy sabayon made from lime and yuzu juice, but also inside a creamy insert made from grapefruit (pomelo), blood orange and lemon.
To highlight and tickle this explosion of freshness, Philippe Conticini had the good idea of adding crushed Timut berries whose light peppery and spicy note prolongs the length in the mouth. Subtly introduced into the creamy insert, the sweet bitterness of the CBD intelligently counteracts the acidity of the citrus fruits and reveals its pretty herbaceous notes at the end of the mouth. An elegant and captivating marriage that works wonderfully.
Finally, to add a touch of deliciousness to the whole, Philippe Conticini has designed a particularly crispy and delicate base, made up of a dense biscuit with almond paste and candied lemon marmalade, all topped with a thin layer of lime caramel and a "craquounet" made with fleur de sel streusel. The whole thing is protected under a thin shell of white chocolate.
With a total weight of 150 grams, Philippe Conticini wanted to offer his customers the chance to share this unique taste experience as a couple. Except for the most gourmands!
Cirrus comes in powder pink for Valentine's Day:
