Who is Manon Billard?

Today I would like to tell you the story of a young and beautiful French girl called Manon.

It’s thanks to her Instagram page called Manon.Billard.97 that I discovered the talent of Manon as a pastry chef and all the fantastic gluten free choux à la crème, éclair, tartes, macarons that she makes for her mother who is gluten intolerant.

I was so impressed that I couldn’t help asking her to share a recipe with Baci di Dama and to introduce her to you.

Her story is so beautiful and touching to say the least.

Let’s discover it together in this interview I did to her.

Chiara: Could you describe yourself a little…

Manon: My name is Manon Billard, I am 19 years old and I have passionate about pastry since the age I was able to cook something by myself. I live in Rennes and I am actually studying mathematics and economics.

About 6 years ago my mother discovered she was allergic to gluten. That was such a bad news for me, How could I continue making my Sunday pastries for the family if my mother wasn’t able to eat them anymore?!

I couldn’t even think of excluding her from this pleasure; I had to find a solution…I started to research about gluten free over and over, and finally I realised that gluten free pastry did exist!

I took the gluten out of the kitchen and I decided to start everything from scratch. I started to create my own gluten free recipes. At the beginning it was hard, I failed and started over but I persevered and today my efforts pay back. I am able to cook very good pastries, that are both «gourmandes» and healthy.

Started from that moment gluten free pastry has become my passion. Year by year I learn new things and get better and better at it.

Today I cook 100% gluten free and lactose free. I decided to share the photos of my pastries via Instagram; my name is Trendy Veggie.

Chiara: What’s your biggest achievement in gluten free pastry?

Manon: The brioche! That was what my mum was missing the most during her breakfast. I still remember the day I got to the right recipe: I was so happy that I basically danced in my kitchen, with the music up loud, so that the brioche would raise more and more.

This recipe let me afterwards make other similar French cakes like the tarte tropézienne, the baba with rum, the kouglof…

Chiara: What’s your favourite gluten free dish?

Manon: Aïe aïe aïe… I love chocolate so much, I could say that it’s what I enjoy the most eating. When I think of it, I think pleasure and vice versa. I would go for the recipe I shared with you of my brownies with peanut butter.

Chiara: What’s your next challenge?

Manon: I would succeed in making French viennoiseries like croissants and pain au chocolat.

Chiara: Are there any gluten free places that you would recommend in Rennes?

Manon: Unfortunately here it is quite complicated. There aren’t 100% gluten free places. However I know Karine, a baker in Tinténiac (not far from Rennes) that makes delicious organic gluten free bread, brioches, and pastries. Her bakery is called the Fournil de Fewen and my family and I go and buy her bread every Saturday at the Marché des Lices in Rennes.

Chiara: Gluten free is…

Manon: One word pops up in my mind almost immediately: DISCOVERY! Cooking and eating gluten free is innovate, vary our daily habits and be creative!

Chiara: Thank you so much dear Manon for everything that you do, you’re great!

pS If you would like to the fantastic recipe of gluten free brownies with peanut butter that Manon shared with Baci di Dama, it’s right here.