Both for those who choose it in its traditional form and for those who love the eccentric chocolate figures, Catalonia has already crowned the best Easter monkeys of 2024 in the 3rd Edition of the Best Easter Mona Contest, held at the Gastronomic Forum from Girona.
Gone are the typical chocolate eggs to give way to creations so elaborate that they are even worth eating. The most notable chocolate cake is in the shape of Groot, the beloved character from Guardians of the Galaxy, and is made at the L’Obrador bakery in Sant Tomàs de Calldetenes.
As for the traditional one, the prize for the tastiest baking went to a pastry shop from Barcelona, ??Creative Pans, led by master baker Daniel Jordà.
The runner-up in the chocolate egg monkey category also takes the form of a Disney character. The award went to the Fusté Pastry Shop and its version of Baymax, the tender robot from the Big Hero 6 movie. Third place goes to an original figure from the Xocopunt pastry shop, from Molins de Rei. The monkey looks like a chocolate duck gliding on a motorized scooter.
For the choice of the traditional mona, in addition to the visual aspect, the texture, both internal and external cooking, aroma and flavor of the sweet were taken into account. The second prize was awarded to the Obrador de Prades, while the third was awarded to the Fleca Rovira bakery in Cardedeu.
In this edition, 80% of the evaluation of the professional jury, made up of exceptional teachers in the sector, and 20% of the popular jury, made up of godchildren, have been taken into account. The jury was made up of Jordi Roca, Eric Ortuño (best chocolate mona 2022), Gerard Gil (2nd best traditional mona 2022), Mari Cruz Barón (deputy director of the Baking School Barcelona Sabadell), Ángel Garcia (president of the Pastisseria guild of Girona) and Jesús Cerdán (technician at Fills de Moretó).
The contest is an initiative promoted by the Mr. and Mrs. Cake agency. All the monkeys have been delivered to the Coordinator of Solidarity NGOs, which brings together solidarity entities from the Girona regions such as Cáritas Girona, to bring the hope of Easter to all the children.