An Ocala pastry chef and his talented team have created an equestrian-themed, gingerbread work of art to celebrate the holiday season.
Executive Pastry Chef Yohann Le Bescond and his team continued their tradition at the World Equestrian Center of creating annual gingerbread displays with a new piece this year that was inspired by 1994 American Quarter Horse Association World Champion stallion, A Sudden Impulse.
The gingerbread display was designed in June 2024 and took approximately 350 hours of labor across six weeks to construct.
According to WEC, the gingerbread display is comprised of more than 1,900 cookies and 250 pounds of gingerbread dough. The cookies were made with 125 pounds of flour, 68 pounds of brown sugar, 42 pounds of butter, 36 pounds of frosting, 25 pounds of molasses, and one pound of ground cinnamon.
In addition to the cookies, the piece also features a real, Harris brand Western saddle.
Le Bescond was aided by Hotel Executive Pastry Chef Alberto Febo-Sanchez and Banquet Pastry Chef Kari Howard, as well as the pastry team at Emma’s Patisserie.
In fact, the piece is currently on display near Emma’s Patisserie within The Equestrian Hotel at WEC (1750 NW 80th Avenue).
Le Bescond is no stranger to impressive dessert displays, having made a name for himself on at least two Food Network series over the past year and a half: Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking and Summer Baking Championship.
Le Bescond, who was born in France and is described by the Food Network as a “master at creating delicate French pastries,” regularly brings he and his team’s visions to life at WEC.
To follow the chef on social media, visit Yohann Le Bescond on Instagram.
Do you have festive decorations and displays to celebrate the holidays? Share photos and video of your displays.
UPDATE: This story was updated to include additional details about the construction of the gingerbread horse.
