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 Illustration of a pièce montée representing a cactus, taken fromCharles Ranhofer's 1894 book,The Epicurean. It was to be made of various types of nougat, including pistachio nougat to form the cactus itself. | |
| Type | Decorativeconfectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | France |
| Main ingredients | Nougat,marzipan,spun sugar |
Apièce montée (French:[pjɛsmɔ̃te],lit. 'assembled piece' or'mounted piece';pluralpièces montées) is a kind of decorativeconfectionery centerpiece in an architectural or sculptural form used for formal banquets and made of such ingredients as "confectioner’s paste" (also known aspâté d'office),nougat,marzipan, and spun sugar. Although the ingredients are typically edible, their purpose is mainly decorative, and they are often not meant to be consumed. They are associated with classical French chefs, such asCarême. Carême had studied architecture, and is credited with saying, referring topièces montées, thatarchitecture is the most noble of the arts, and pastry the highest form of architecture.[1]
The termpièce montée is sometimes used to refer to the dessert also known ascroquembouche, an assemblage ofchoux pastryprofiteroles (or occasionally other kinds of pastry) stuck together withcaramel or withspun sugar into a tall, usuallyconical shape. Unlike the type ofpièce montée described above, it is meant to be eaten; in France, traditionally it is served at parties that celebrate weddings and baptisms.
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