Pièce montée
Encyclopedia
A pièce montée is a kind of decorative confectionery
centerpiece in an architectural or sculptural form used for formal banquets and made of materials such as confectioner's paste, nougat
, marzipan
, and spun sugar. Although the ingredients are typically edible, their purpose is purely decorative, and they are often not really meant to be consumed. They are associated with classical French chefs such as Carême
. Carême had studied architecture and is credited with saying, referring to pièces montées, that architecture was the most noble of the arts and that pastry was the highest form of architecture.
The term pièce montée is sometimes used to refer to the dessert also known as croquembouche
, an assemblage of cream puffs (or occasionally other kinds of candy or pastry) stuck together with caramel or spun sugar into a tall, usually conical shape. Unlike the type of pièce montée described above, it is meant to be eaten. It is traditionally served at parties celebrating weddings and baptisms in France.
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
centerpiece in an architectural or sculptural form used for formal banquets and made of materials such as confectioner's paste, nougat
Nougat
Nougat is a variety of similar traditional confectioneries made with sugar and/or honey, roasted nuts , and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from soft and chewy to hard and crunchy depending on its composition, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and...
, marzipan
Marzipan
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal. Persipan is a similar, yet less expensive product, in which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels...
, and spun sugar. Although the ingredients are typically edible, their purpose is purely decorative, and they are often not really meant to be consumed. They are associated with classical French chefs such as Carême
Marie-Antoine Carême
Marie Antoine Carême , known as the "King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings" was an early practitioner and exponent of the elaborate style of cooking known as haute cuisine, the "high art" of French cooking: a grandiose style of cookery favored by both international royalty and by the newly rich of...
. Carême had studied architecture and is credited with saying, referring to pièces montées, that architecture was the most noble of the arts and that pastry was the highest form of architecture.
Croquembouche
A croquembouche or croque-en-bouche is a French pastry, a pièce montée that is often served at weddings, baptisms, and first communions. It is a high cone of choux filled with pastry cream that can be dipped in chocolate bound with caramel, and usually decorated with threads of caramel, sugared...
, an assemblage of cream puffs (or occasionally other kinds of candy or pastry) stuck together with caramel or spun sugar into a tall, usually conical shape. Unlike the type of pièce montée described above, it is meant to be eaten. It is traditionally served at parties celebrating weddings and baptisms in France.
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