Japan wins Pastry World Cup with these desserts

They got a kick out of these desserts.

Japan took home gold in the grand finale of the 2025 Pastry World Cup, outdueling 18 countries from around the world for the sweet taste of success.

The international event was held in Lyon, France, on Jan. 24 and 25.

For the second year in a row, the East Asian country took top honors in the biennial event — having whipped up a lemon, pear, marigold and chocolate granita in the shape of a hemp leaf and an apricot in the likeness of a spinning toy.

“We packed the history and culture of Japan into the design. We were able to incorporate taste and delicate traditional patterns to showcase our techniques,” Chef Masanori Hata told CNN.

“I don’t remember the moment we won. I was so surprised and couldn’t believe it. Japan was recognized two tournaments in a row. I’m happy and proud.”

Each nation had a team of three experts, specialists in chocolate, ice and sugar, who were tasked with creating three desserts within nine hours — with a theme of national heritage.

“It highlights a pastry-making approach that respects nature, its resources, and local specificities, while celebrating creative indulgence imbued with emotions and stories that resonate across cultures,” the competition’s site explained.

For the tasting desserts category, the trios crafted three frozen desserts, 10 restaurant-style desserts sourced from their country, and 26 sweet items.

There was also an artistic creations portion, where participants had to create three items — one made of chocolate, another made of sugar and the last, from sculpted ice.

The final challenge, dubbed “the buffet,” involved them staging an almost 60-inch table of delicacies.

A jury of pastry chefs and chefs determined the winners — taking into account presentation, temperatures, textures, the elegance of the dishes and the team’s performance.

France won the silver medal, making chocolate eggs filled with chocolate-hazelnut soufflé mousse topped with chocolate streusel, and dipped in a citrus-vanilla-infused clarified butter.

Malaysia took the bronze, with a dessert that was “a harmonious blend of bright citrus, sweet apricot, and subtle spices,” to match the multicultural heritage of the country.