On August 22, Foodmate hosted its first baking competition, bringing together colleagues who usually work with products, formulations, and customer needs for an afternoon of creativity, hands-on baking, and gelatin applications.
Three designated desserts. Two groups of contestants. One final ranking.
Everyone looked confident before the competition began.
But once the timer started, things got a little more hectic.
From a Busy Start to Creative Rhythm
Once the competition began, the workstations quickly came alive.
Mixing, whipping, flavoring, molding, and decorating kept everyone busy. The aroma of freshly prepared desserts filled the room, occasionally accompanied by the unmistakable smell of something being slightly over-baked.
Although the R&D team had provided detailed recipes and preparation guidance in advance, the actual competition proved that execution can always bring a few surprises.
As the afternoon progressed, however, the initial rush gave way to a rhythm of its own.
Some contestants focused on flavor. Others paid close attention to shapes and presentation. Some carefully adjusted the texture of their desserts, while others brought along their own “secret weapons” to give their creations an extra touch.
In addition to the ingredients and materials prepared by Foodmate, many contestants had brought their own ingredients, decorations, and flavor combinations, hoping to make their final creations stand out.
The same basic recipe can lead to completely different results when creativity comes into play.
And that was one of the most exciting parts of the competition.
Three Desserts, Three Gelatin Applications
All contestants were required to complete three designated desserts, with the final ranking determined by their combined performance across all three creations.
01 | Mousse Cake with Instant Gelatin Premix
The first challenge featured Instant Gelatin Premix. Designed to simplify the mousse-making process, the premix provided a convenient starting point for creating a smooth and delicate mousse texture.
Contestants mixed the premix with warm water before incorporating whipped cream and setting the mousse through freezing.
From there, creativity took over.
They were free to explore different flavors, layers, molds, and decorations. Some incorporated fruits, chocolate, or jam, while others focused on presentation and shape to give their mousse a distinctive look.
The result? A familiar dessert base transformed into a range of individual creations.
02 | Caramel Pudding with InstantGel™ Instant Gelatin
The second challenge featured InstantGel™ Instant Gelatin, used to create caramel pudding. With its excellent solubility in room-temperature water, InstantGel™ helped simplify the preparation process and improve production efficiency.
The contestants combined milk, sugar, and instant gelatin before setting the pudding through refrigeration or freezing.
Despite its simple appearance, caramel pudding offered plenty of room for creativity. How should the caramel sauce be paired? Which flavors could enhance the aroma? And could the serving vessel become part of the presentation?
Each contestant found their own way to reinterpret this classic dessert.
03 | Cheesecake with FoodGel™ BS240D Gelatin
The final challenge focused on cheesecake, featuring FoodGel™ BS240D Gelatin. Designed to provide reliable structure and a smooth texture for rich cheese-based desserts, BS240D helped create a solid foundation for exploring different textures and layers.
Cream cheese, yogurt or milk, whipping cream, and gelatin formed the base system, while biscuit bases, sponge cake layers, and fillings gave contestants additional opportunities to experiment.
From texture and structure to the choice of base and final decoration, completing a dessert required more than simply following a recipe.
It was a test of precision, creativity, and attention to the final product.
Creativity Meets the Final Judging
After more than three hours of competition, all creations were presented to the judging panel. Each contestant introduced their desserts and explained the ideas behind them.
The judges evaluated the desserts across four criteria:
Appearance & Presentation | Finished Product Quality | Taste & Flavor | Gelatin Application
Each of the three desserts was scored individually, with the scores then combined to determine the final ranking.
From the busy workstations to the final presentation, every dessert reflected the contestants’ creativity, effort, and attention to detail.
The Winners
🥇 Gold Award — Elena
🥈 Silver Award — Chelsea
🥉 Bronze Award — Cindy
Congratulations to all the winners! And, of course, a big thank-you to every colleague who took part.
Because this competition was never just about who came first. Every creation reflected the time, effort, and imagination of its maker. In that sense, every participant was a Foodmate Baking Star.
From Gelatin to More Food Innovation
For Foodmate, gelatin is more than a specification on a product sheet or a parameter in the laboratory. Ultimately, it needs to work in real food applications—contributing to texture, structure, mouthfeel, and product creativity.
Our first baking competition offered a different perspective on what gelatin can do. From Instant Gelatin Premix and InstantGel™ SR02 to FoodGel™ BS240D, Foodmate continues to explore new gelatin applications across the food industry and support customers from ingredient selection to application development.
This time, we brought gelatin into the baking arena.
Where will it take us next?
Foodmate looks forward to exploring more possibilities in gelatin and food innovation together with our partners.
