What does it mean to have a CAP in... | Camille…

The CAP results are in, and congratulations to all those who have passed (and courage for the others, we'll keep our heads up and do it again next year!) The grades are starting to arrive in the mailboxes. So I thought it was the perfect time to share with you what it meant to me to have a CAP in pastry-making!

The CAP in pastry-making: a question of grades?

The idea for this article came to me when members of the FB groups to which I belong became aware of the first failures of candidates with less than 10 in practice (but more than 10 overall). A long debate ensued about what it meant to "deserve" the CAP pâtissier. Personally, I didn't get an excellent mark in practice (11), and I would have felt that I didn't deserve my diploma if I had scored less than 10. I'm not going to make any friends, but I don't think you should get your CAP with less than 10 in practice. Let's not forget that it's a national exam that represents professional know-how and indicates a certain level of skill. Getting it because you've crammed and got 17 in theory isn't right in my book. It's a bit like giving a driving license to someone who's made 0 mistakes on the code but run a stop sign on the road! Especially as having a CAP is the "easy" part of a reconversion project. For me, finding a job afterwards is the real challenge. Someone who arrives on the market with a very low level of practical experience completely discredits free candidates (who already have a hard time finding work!). Having a CAP means being able to join a brigade, hold down a job and be profitable for a boss. Even if it's obvious that a CAP doesn't make you a "pastry chef". You'll become one with time, humility and learning from the chefs around you (I certainly don't consider myself a pastry chef). And I think it's a shame that some people cry foul because they think they deserve a diploma by not having the average in the main subject.

Injustice when you hold us...

This being the case, we're once again back to the injustice of the CAP pâtissier, because whether or not you get your diploma based on your practical average depends on the académies! And clearly, the rule should be the same for everyone. Another point of debate is that, in some académies, free candidates are clearly being "undercut". Some very good students have received very average marks in the exam. Personally, I think my 11 was well deserved (having done everything but without any real panache). But too many free candidates are so disappointed with their marks that they don't really wonder whether it's unfair to them. Of course, exam conditions and missing gestures can explain a drop in grade. But people whose work I've seen all year via FB groups, and whose test went well, have clearly been under-graded. Once again, we end up with an examination which, because of all the inconsistencies and injustices it suffers, is rendered meaningless. One wonders whether the CAP pâtissier isn't becoming a diploma in a surprise pocket! In any case, I think it's urgent to redesign it to give it back its full meaning.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to remind you that even if you have a CAP in pastry-making, you are not allowed to sell cakes from your own home. Having a CAP also means adhering to professional know-how and a certain number of hygiene rules. And to sell cakes legally, you need a lab. Yes, it's complicated, yes, it's expensive, but many professionals comply with the rules every day in terms of lab rental and charges. I think it's a shame that some people don't (even more so when they make it their main activity).

And as far as I'm concerned, if you're one of those people who get up in the morning to make the world a more beautiful place by creating pastries, if you learn from others every day (and share your knowledge in return), if you create in compliance with hygiene rules, then you deserve your CAP and I have immense respect for your work!

Full recipe

Instructions

1
In the mixer bowl, beat the sugar and eggs at high speed until the mixture triples in volume (about 15 minutes).
2
Gently fold in the flour and mix slowly with a spatula. The mixture should not deflate.
3
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle and pipe onto an 18 cm template (on the back of parchment paper) or into an entremet ring.
4
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C. The sponge cake should be lightly golden, slightly shrunken, and firm to the touch.
5
For the pastry cream, bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla pod split and scraped.
6
Meanwhile, mix the sugar with the cream powder in the robot bowl, then add the egg yolks.
7
When the milk boils, strain it through a sieve to remove the skins and vanilla pods. Then add it to the mixture while whisking.
8
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and return to heat. When the cream begins to boil, continue cooking for another 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
9
Once the pastry cream has cooled completely, place it in the robot bowl and whisk at medium speed. Add the pieces of butter at room temperature one by one.
10
Once all the butter is incorporated, continue whisking for 10 minutes at high speed to incorporate air and make the preparation fluffy.
11
Mix the sugar with the water and bring to a boil. Add the alcohol and let cool.
12
Place the first sponge cake disc in a 20 cm diameter ring lined with rhodoïd film.
13
Choose the most regular strawberries and cut them in half. Place them between the ring and the sponge cake (strawberry interior facing the rhodoïd).
14
Using a brush, soak the sponge cake with the syrup to make it moister.
15
Transfer the mousseline cream to a piping bag. Place a dollop of cream between each strawberry slice and cover the sponge cake with a first thin layer of cream.
16
Place the remaining strawberries cut into small pieces on the cream and cover again with a thin layer of cream.
17
Place the second sponge cake disc on top, soak it with syrup and cover with the remaining cream. Smooth it out (you should reach almost to the height of the mold).
18
Roll out the almond paste very thinly between two sheets of parchment paper and place it on top of the fraisier. Using a pastry roller, remove the excess almond paste.
19
Decorate (here some chocolate in a cornet and a few strawberries)

What does it mean to have a CAP in pastry-making?

Injustice when you hold us...

Full recipe

Instructions

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