As for the other metals, Italy won gold, while Japan took silver.

Founded by Gabriel Paillasson, who wanted the competition to be to patisserie what the Formula 1 is to driving, the Coupe brings together the most promising young pastry chefs from around the world every two years. After a selection process involving more than 50 national rounds and four continental rounds in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, 21 teams qualified for the final in Bron, France.

Team USA's chocolate and sugar sculptures.

The finalists gather and have 10 hours to create unique desserts before an audience and a panel of decorated pastry chef judges.

This year, teams from Algeria, the Philippines and Guatemala participated for the first time.

Also new to the competition are rules for the three artistic pieces required in the finale.

Candidates were required to sculpt a block of Valrhona chocolate to include in their chocolate piece. They had to use two blocks of ice in identical dimensions for their ice sculpture and incorporate at least 50 percent drawn sugar and blown sugar into their sugar sculpture.

These new regulations provided a demanding technical challenge.

In all, finalists had to create:

• 3 chocolate desserts
• 3 frozen fruit desserts
• 12 identical desserts on plate
• 1 artistic creation made of sugar
• 1 artistic creation made of chocolate
• 1 artistic creation made of sculpted hydric ice