‘Panettone World Cup’: Montrealers to present at Italy’s delicious competition

Their award-winning artisanal panettone is taking these bakers from Montreal to Italy to compete in the “Panettone World Cup” next year.

The Viva Panettone team only makes panettones – it’s the star of their company.

“Panettone is about sharing,” said Éric Goeury, co-owner of the Montreal business. “That’s what we try to achieve.”

All is done in Montreal — but the rest of Canada can enjoy the traditional cake too as they ship nationally.

Their baking process, takes three days to complete.

The ingredients, all organic — from their fruits to four different vanillas from across the globe.

The 100-year-old natural sourdough, their favourite ingredient — given to them from a “panettone master” from Italy.

“If we win, champagne!” cheered Goeury. “We’re going to be very proud and happy.”

This is the second time the team qualifies for the Panettone World Cup in Milan – which is where this traditional cake originates from.

30 other panettone makers from across the globe will also be presenting at the competition – including Brazil, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Peru.

“A good artisanal Panettone,” explained Goeury. “When you finish the first slice, normally you can’t resist and you have to take another one.”

The competition aims to enhance and promote the best artisan panettone in the world.

“You have to know that the dough from the beginning to the end, it grows five, six, seven times,” said Goeury, explaining how to know if it’s an artisanal panettone. “You look at the shape, it has to be quite high.”

“The second thing, if you notice, there is some gap between the mold and the panettone,” he added. “That means that you use good ingredients, that means that it’s a rich panettone.”

“And that means there is no preservatives in it.”

After cutting it – Goeury says the inside has to look speckled – with the holes next to the candied fruit and raisins.

“You notice, once you swallow your panettone, you still have the taste of the orange, the vanilla coming,” he said. “It’s like a great, great wine.”

“You still have the perfume in your mouth,” he added. “It’s very good.”

The Viva Panettone team has been selling this Italian sweet bread in Montreal for over three years now – but Goeury perfected making it years ago – before co-creating this local business. 

“I failed so many times at the beginning and I tried again,” he said. “The day I managed to make one good panettone (…) I just fell in love.”

“I decided, wow, that’s all I want to make now, Panettone.”