Erskine, a chef at the House of Commons, earned the coveted Gold Best in Class award for her creation of White Chocolate, Lychee, Rhubarb and Cherry Blossom dessert.

The DOTY competition is ‘one of the most highly anticipated events’ in the culinary calendar, attracting pastry chefs from around the UK. Erskine’s dessert was chosen for its delicate balance of flavours, masterful pastry techniques and innovative approach.

The judges, consisting of the APC, Craft Guild of Chefs and industry-leading chefs, were particularly impressed with the blend of the tropical lychee, tangy rhubarb and floral cherry blossom, all wrapped in a white chocolate base.

Matt Owens, chairman of the APC, commented: “It was a fantastic competition this year with the standards higher than ever. All the competitors showcased exceptional desserts and displayed extremely high levels of culinary talent.

“Erskine’s achievement of winning Best in Class highlights her exceptional skills and creative flair. Her work was not only a testament to her dedication and talent but also underscored the growing recognition of chefs working in non-traditional culinary environments, such as Government institutions.”

Eight competitors achieved recognition in this year’s competition with one gold, two silver, four bronze and one merit awarded. Chefs Nicole Bruno-Francia from Rosewood London and Simona Spennati from the Savoy Hotel achieved Silver.

Chefs Adgi Ho-Yan-Cheng from the University of Cambridge, Clare College, Dylan James-Smith from the Craft Guild of Chefs Culinary Team, Flore Kubaku from Lexington (Schroders) and Jack Gameson from Halesowen College all achieved bronze. Hiroshana Kaluaggala from Shangri-La The Shard London achieved a merit.

The International Salon Culinaire is one of the largest and most influential culinary competitions in the UK, and this year's HRC saw an impressive range of chefs and culinary professionals competing for top honours.

Erskine’s victory in the DOTY competition adds to her already impressive portfolio, cementing her place as one of the UK's most promising pastry chefs.