As New Year's Eve approaches, the pastry chefs are busy preparing the last logs that will sit on the tables of the French.
A real "marathon" that Europe 1 was able to follow by visiting the laboratory of Philippe Conticini, located in the suburbs of Paris.
REPORTAGE
Coronavirus or not, like every year at three days of Christmas, the French are finishing their preparations for their New Year's Eve.
Among these, a dessert that is essential to follow after the capon with chestnuts: the log.
To meet this demand, the pastry chefs are working hard.
This is particularly the case in the laboratory of Philippe Conticini, in the Parisian suburbs, which was able to visit Europe 1.
>> READ ALSO -
Our Christmas menu so you don't spend your time behind the stove
"We must not miss it"
Here, a dozen pastry chefs are busy shaping the four models of logs from the Conticini house.
And there is plenty to do, since it is several thousand cakes that have to be produced by New Year's Eve.
"It's not the dinette, we make big productions", explains Julien Bispo, research and development manager who sprays a few exotic bites with a shiny icing.
"It's really a marathon for us at Christmas. We can't miss it, we have to make people happy and we have no right to disappoint them."
>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here
Put emotion in it
Especially since making good cakes is not enough for Philippe Conticini, owner of five pastry shops in Paris, London and Tokyo.
"It's not just making a chocolate log, you really have to put in the emotion that I want to feel. I'm not saying that I get there every time, but that's what I do. try to do."
Especially with its chocolate log, "a big chocolate hug", that of blackcurrant jasmine, "fruity to death", or the Yuzu Kumquat "very sweet and very pleasant".
To create all these emotions, Philippe Conticini's teams will work almost night and day.