PA S T R Y BAKING C H O C O L AT E BREAD FROZEN

PASTRY ARTS ISSUE NO. 20 summer 2023

SKY WAVE
B Y D i n a r a K a s k o

Handheld Frozen Treats • Classic French Pastry • Soufflés on the Rise

All Natural Coloring • Whole Bean Vanilla Paste • Avoid Baking Burnout
Contents
Features 98

18
18
Jana Lai
Breaking Barriers in the World of High-End
French Pastry

98
Dinara Kasko
True Pastry Resilience

118
Cedric Barbaret
Elevating the Pastry Scene in the Heart of
Amish Country 118
Pastry Arts 3
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Contents
32 36

12 56 80
Trends
12 110
Cones, Cookies & Color Goes
Churros All Natural

Columns 56 110
92
Vanilla 101: Whole
28 Vanilla Bean Paste

72
Chocolate Science:
But I Need Just a
Little More Tempered New & Notable: Latest
Chocolate Products, Equipment General
130
and Books
32 130
Pastry Virtuosity: 80 Technique: Strawberry
Classic French Pastry Chocolate Talk: Rhubarb Cheesecake
Soufflés on the Rise
36 138
Business Bites: 92 Sourdough Secrets:
Equipped to Succeed Expert Tips: Five Tips How to Make a Successful
Five Experts Sourdough Starter
46
Flavor Inspiration: 114 144
Combos and
Technical Tips
Cottage Life: Avoiding
Cottage Baker Burnout
Teacher Feature:
Peter Greweling 144
Pastry Arts 5
Professional In-Person Course Schedule 2023
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CAOLIF Eunji Lee $1,050*
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Contents
154 160

150
Recipes 170 164 170
150 Strawberry Basil Tart
by Andreas Pita
Watermelon Taco
by Gunawan Wu 174
154 Pistachio Raspberry
Macarons
Cucumber, Green by Marina Voronkov
Apples, Matcha, Parsley
and Mint by Justin Tan 178
160
Gluten-free Hazelnut
Chocolate Panna 174
Rhubarb and Cotta Caramel Tart
Strawberry Shortcake by Simona Pozzetto
by Samantha Santiago
Torres

164
Hazelnut, Coffee,
Cherry by Kristin
Brangwynne

178 184 188

Places
192
184 Knead Bakehouse +
17 Berkshire Provisions

188 196
Bobby Boy Bakeshop Starter Bakery 196
Pastry Arts 7
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 Pastry mArts
ag azin e
Advisory Board
Pastry Arts Magazine En-Ming Hsu
151 N. Maitland Ave #947511
Maitland, FL 32751 En-Ming Hsu is a World Pastry Champion and
Email: info@pastryartsmag.com Chef Instructor at The French Pastry School. Hsu
Website: pastryartsmag.com has been acknowledged as a “Rising Star Chef,”
“Pastry Chef of the Year in America,” in addition to
EDITORIAL receiving a “Lifetime Achievement Award,” “Best
Editor-in-Chief Pastry Chef in Chicago,” and “One of the Top 10
Shawn Wenner Pastry Chefs in America” by Pastry Art & Design and
Managing Editor Chocolatier magazines.
Tish Boyle
Staff Writers Jansen Chan
Meryle Evans Jansen Chan is the former Director of Pastry
AnnMarie Mattila Operations at the International Culinary Center
Contributors (ICC), and founded Pastry Plus at ICC. He’s been
Deanna Martinez-Bey, Dennis Teets, featured in high-profile publications such as Food
Jimmy MacMillan, Robert Wemischner, & Wine magazine, Art Culinaire, and Baking and
Della Gossett, Frank Labasse, Pastry: North America.
Elaine Boddy
Cover Kimberly Brock Brown
Sky Wave
By Dinara Kasko Kimberly Brock Brown is a Certified Executive
Pastry Chef, Certified Culinary Administrator,
Cover Photography and was the first African-American female chef
Courtesy of Dinara Kasko
inducted into the American Academy of Chefs.
CREATIVE She was a Founding Member of the ACF-National
Pastry and Baking Guild, a Dale Carnegie graduate,
Graphic Designer and has medaled in several chef competitions.
Rusdi Saleh

BUSINESS Melissa Coppel

President Melissa Coppel attended The French Pastry School
Shawn Wenner and worked at Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, a
Publisher three-star Michelin restaurant, and ran the pastry
Jeff Dryfoos kitchen at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas.
She was named one of the “Top 10 Chocolatiers
ADVERTISING in North America” by Dessert Professional Magazine
For advertising availability & rates, contact Jeff Dryfoos at and currently owns and operates The Melissa
SALES@PASTRYARTSMAG.COM Coppel Chocolate and Pastry School in Las Vegas.

The opinions of columnists and contributors are their own.

Publication of their writing does not imply endorsement Miro Uskokovic
by Pastry Arts Magazine and/or Rennew Media, LLC. Miro Uskokovic is a graduate of the Culinary
Sources are considered reliable and information is verified Institute of America and is the Pastry Chef at
as much as possible, however, inaccuracies may occur and Gramercy Tavern. Chef Miro’s contemporary
readers should use the information at their own risk. Links American desserts are created out of a collection
embedded within the publication may be affiliate links,
which means Pastry Arts Magazine will earn a commission of personal memories and experiences, as well as
at no additional cost to our readers. No part of this international influence.
magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the
expressed consent of Rennew Media, LLC. For advertising
information, letters to the editor, or submission inquiries, Ron Ben-Israel
please email: contact@pastryartsmag.com. Ron Ben-Israel is the owner of Ron Ben-Israel
Cakes. He’s been featured in countless books, TV
shows, films and publications, and was the host
Pastry Arts Magazine
Published by Rennew Media, LLC and judge for three seasons on the Food Network’s
© Copyright 2023, Rennew Media, LLC Sweet Genius, as well as a judge for three seasons
All Rights Reserved on Cake Wars.

Pastry Arts 9
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Hello and welcome to the heart of summer!

As a brief announcement, last month we launched our annual Pastry Arts Virtual Summit.
Our on-demand event brings together an array of knowledge from industry leaders and
innovators. Registration remains open throughout 2023, which provides instant access
to over thirty-five videos. A world of learning awaits at pastrysummit.com.
In the spirit of this collaborative learning, our current issue has been expertly crafted
with information, inspiration, and a dose of passion. As I turn the pages, I’m particularly
intrigued by the “Flavor Inspiration” column, with its fascinating combinations and
technical tips. Further, our selection of profiles presents the unique stories of Jana Lai,
Cedric Barbaret, and Dinara Kasko, each contributing to the dynamic landscape of the
pastry world in their distinct ways. You’ll find resilience, innovation, and artistry embodied
in these pages.
Remember, the beauty of our profession lies in the exchange of ideas and inspiration,
and we work endlessly to facilitate that. You are the heart of Pastry Arts Magazine, and
your dedication and passion fuel our purpose.
In the midst of diving into this issue and exploring the summit’s resources, let us
remember to pause and savor summer’s simple joys: long sunlit days, fresh fruits, and
the shared pleasure of enjoying a meal with loved ones. So, here’s to a season full of
discovery, growth, and delectable desserts!
As always, thank you for taking the time to read Pastry Arts Magazine.

Dive in and enjoy the issue!

Shawn Wenner
Editor-in-Chief

Pastry Arts 11
Trends

A selection of colorful cones from The Konery.

Cones,
Cookies &
Churros
Creative Containers for Handheld Frozen Treats
By Meryle Evans

12 Pastry Arts
 O
n the March 17th episode of ABC’s Shark Tank,
Jeremy and Kaitlyn Carlson pitched their idea for
Crispy Cones, a sweet dough cone freshly grilled
rotisserie-style, covered with cinnamon sugar,
filled with soft serve ice cream, and topped with
a drizzle of sauce. They were thrilled when Shark Barbara Corcoran
took a bite, with a $200,000 investment for a 20 percent stake in
their company. The financial boost jump-started the couple’s goal to
franchise their adaptation of a centuries old Middle European snack
food, also known as chimney cones or cakes. During the Carlson’s
spirited presentation, Kaitlyn dismissed the traditional ice cream
cone as a boring, crumbly, cardboard coffin – a notion that is also on
the radar of a cohort of culinary entrepreneurs and chefs who are
finding innovative receptacles for their frozen hand-held treats.

In New York at Mercado Little Spain, José Andrés ice cream bars; innovations in shape, size and
is scooping soft serve into xuxos, traditional portability are making snacking on ice cream
crunchy fried croissant-like Spanish pastries; easier than ever.
corn ice cream tucked into a taco shell and Having customers snack on Crispy Cones
topped with cajeta whipped cream is on the nationwide is the Carlson’s mission, and six
dessert menu at Alex Stupak’s Empellon; at weeks after the Shark Tank program aired, the
Pooja Bavishi’s Malai Ice Cream, Masala Chai Idaho-based company had sold 13 franchises.
ice cream is paired with Chai Molasses Cookies; “Now,” Jeremy says, “it’s just scaling and
Fany Gerson bookends ice cream sandwiches growing and perfecting the systems we
with babka or churros at La Newyorkina; and have in place.” After starting out on
the fish-shaped Japanese cone Taiyaki is a the side of the road five years ago, the
Chinatown lure. Carlson’s shifted to a trailer, then to
Barry Callebaut’s Chocolate brick-and-mortar, offering all fresh-
Academy, weighing in on the top bakery to-order cones, natural flavors, and
and pastry trends for 2023, cites street a constant flow of new cones and
food-inspired desserts and baked goods, toppings.
portable on-the-go indulgence, new
twists on familiar concepts, and snacking
more than ever. When it comes to ice Crispy Cones’ cones are freshly
cream, the chocolate company reports grilled, covered with cinnamon
in Ice Cream Innovations for 2023, sugar, and filled with soft serve ice
handheld snacks are no longer just cream and toppings.

Pastry Arts 13
 Recently, black cherry soft serve with While other chimney cone ventures are
chocolate toppings and a coconut powdered cropping up from Mesa, Arizona, to Fort
cone with coconut cream pie were weekly Wayne, Indiana, traditional ice cream shops are
specials. “We plan our flavors six months ahead upgrading their scoops with vibrantly colored
with the operating and market teams to ensure and flavored waffle cones that are neither
good flavor and sufficient inventory,” Jeremy boring or crumbly, made by firms like La Rose
explains. The new franchisees will spend Noire, AussieBlends and The Konery. Kristine
two weeks training at headquarters, and the Tonkonow, who transitioned from F & B to
Carlsons will return the visits for eight days, entrepreneur to found The Konery a decade
split before and after opening. ago, recalled that “it all started with the idea that
Franchising is also on the agenda of another cones could be better, as exciting as ice cream.
rotisseried cone company, California’s House Our goal is always for the cone to enhance
of Chimney Cakes, founded by Hungarian-born whatever it is paired with and add an extra
model Szandra Szabo and her business partner, layer of texture and flavor,” Tonkonow explains.
Chef Omar Lara. At their home base in Anaheim, “We never go too crazy or obscure with flavors,
and satellites in Michigan and Texas, customers because we want the cone to be fun, versatile,
can choose between simple glazed and filled and to be enjoyed by people of all ages.” Over
grilled cones, or opt for one of a dozen over- a dozen color-coordinated flavors, rainbow-
the-top combinations like Tiramisu, chocolate hued red velvet, green matcha, and salted blue
and vanilla bean ice cream swirl in a mocha corn, or delicate lavender and pink vanilla, are
powdered chimney cone, espresso powder, embossed with a distinctive scallop pattern and
coffee syrup, lady finger, mocha pirouette shipped from The Konery’s Brooklyn factory to
cookie, and chocolate sauce. wholesale and retail buyers.

14 Pastry Arts
 dessert artisans are expanding the options at
outlets that showcase local ingredients and
imaginative riffs on the classics.
Ice cream sandwiches have been an
inspirational success story for a pair of
Richmond, Virginia-based culinary partners,
Pastry Chef Hannah Pollock and her chef
husband, Xavier Meers. They worked together
in fine dining establishments for years
before starting to sell Pollock’s hand-crafted
sandwiches as a sideline at farmers’ markets
in 2016. Finding an enthusiastic reception,
the Meers were soon filling orders for grocery
stores, restaurants, and events, and
subsequently left the restaurant kitchen to
build the Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwich
brand. Expanding from a few hundred
sandwiches a week to over 15,000 a day in a
One of The Konery’s neighbors and loyal
dedicated production facility, the ice cream is
customers, Malai Ice Cream in Cobble Hill,
still hand churned and the cookies made in-
celebrates owner Pooja Bavishi’s Indian
house for distribution to markets in 22 states
roots with robust, aromatically spiced South
and counting. Nightingale turns out nine
Asian ingredients. An inventory of 50 flavors
year-round flavors plus limited editions, like
ranges from the flagship Rose with Cinnamon
the upcoming Raspberry Donut and Mango
Roasted Almonds to specials like Madam Vice
Lemonade and last year a collaboration with
President, a blend of coconut and mango
Nicky Hilton on a Blondie, pairing honeycomb
ice cream with jaggery candied lotus seeds
ice cream with golden graham cracker cookies.
accented with a bright blend of ginger root
Nightingale recently launched a mini-version,
and spices. Bavishi has just opened a second
Chomp, that is available on Jet Blue flights to
location in Manhattan at the James Beard
London in their four favorite flavors: Cookie
Foundation’s new food hall, Market 57, where
Monster, Classic, Chocolate Blackout, and
she also sells her dense, rich kulfi pops and ice
Strawberry.
cream sandwiches like Chocolate Chili Cookie
with Spiced Peanut Crunch Ice Cream, and
Frozen treats from
Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookie with Rose
Malai Ice Cream.
Ice Cream.
Ice cream sandwiches and bars have come
a long way since the turn of the 20th century
when street vendors put a brick of vanilla
ice cream between a pair of thin perforated
chocolate wafers. Two decades later, frozen
novelties on a stick came on the scene with
inventors in Ohio, Iowa, and California obtaining
patents for Good Humor, Eskimo Pies, and
Popsicles – the start of a century-long parade of
handheld treats available from carts and trucks,
in grocery freezers, and at scoop shops. Now,

Pastry Arts 15
Ice cream sandwiches from Nightingale. Babka ice cream sandwiches from La Newyorkina.

Other pastry chefs have left restaurants to is Ice Cream (Clarkson Potter, 2017), collaborates
helm brick-and-mortar boutiques that offer an with local artists, culinarians and non-profits
expansive selection of hand-held frozen treats. to craft hand-dipped and decorated gluten-
In Philadelphia, Jen Weckerle, formerly at the free ice cream sandwiches, bars, and pops.
pioneer farm-to-table White Dog Café, built The Grasshopper’s green jacket holds a cream
her own micro-creamery to pasteurize milk custard style ice cream dipped in a chocolate
and provide cream and eggs for Weckerly’s shell with bits of crushed chocolate wafers;
Ice Cream’s two shops. She added a bakery the Caramel Horchata Crunch bar features
so her team could experiment with mix-ins horchata ice cream flavored with cinnamon
using ingredients sourced from local farmers and vanilla, dipped in a golden caramel shell
and purveyors, rolling out a roster of “bold and with crispy rice pieces.
nuanced” flavors like beet ice cream and sweet New sandwiches debut seasonally at
cream walnut ice cream with goat cheese icing Pretty Cool, such as this spring’s strawberry
on walnut brown butter cookies. This spring a lemonade with sprinkly cookies and strawberry
quartet of strawberry sandwiches included a ice cream dipped in a lemony yellow white
Neapolitan with chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate shell; some boost community ties
another with layers of roasted strawberry ice like the Halvah Chocolate Chip Sandwich and
cream and white coffee ice cream with a crunchy Bar, a joint endeavor with Mary Eder-McClure,
almond crumble sandwiched between two the pastry chef at Galit, a restaurant in Cree’s
slices of confetti cake. Weckerly’s sandwiches Lincoln Park neighborhood.
are also sold at local markets, packaged in white In the bygone era when edible ice cream
wrappers with whimsical botanical illustrations. containers were “a novel luxury,” a newspaper
Eye catching covers for a colorful array of reporter marveled “no spoons, nor saucers,
portable frozen novelties are also part of the no washing of dishes.” Now we can marvel at
ambiance at Chicago’s Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the diversity of handheld frozen treats and
opened in 2018 by award winning pastry chef celebrate National Ice Cream Sandwich Day on
Dana Cree and Michael Ciapciak of BangBang August 2nd, and National Ice Cream Cone Day
Pie and Biscuits. Cree, author of Hello, My Name on September 22nd.

16 Pastry Arts
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Profile

Jana
Lai
Breaking barriers
and winning in the
male-dominated
world of high-end
French pastry
By Tish Boyle

18 Pastry Arts
D
espite her small
stature, Jana Lai
possesses a fierce
competitive spirit
and an insatiable appetite for
success, characteristics that
were born out by her recent win
at the Coupe du Monde de la
Pâtisserie. Lai has the distinction
of being the first woman ever
to be a part of a French team
at the Coupe. Even more
impressive was the fact that the
team captured second place at
the event, with Lai in charge of
The Q&A
carving the ice sculpture, a skill
that she had been introduced
Tell us about the school where you
to only a few months before.
teach, Bellouet Conseil.
As a pastry chef instructor at
The school was founded in 1989 by Joël
the esteemed École Bellouet Bellouet and Jean Michel Perruchon. They first
Conseil in Paris, Lai continues to started by making commercial blown sugar
develop her craft as she shares pieces for weddings and events. It didn’t start
off as a school, but over time it developed, and
her knowledge and skills with now we give over 30 courses to professionals.
pastry students of assorted These courses range between two and three
levels and nationalities. Here days and cover everything to do with pastry,
chocolate, sugar and Viennoiserie. We also
she talks about various topics, have a three-month course for people who are
including her passion for pastry, starting out in pastry, where we go through all
how she came to compete at the classics, from A to Z, and it’s an intense,
fast-paced course. Some of the students have
the Coupe, her favorite pastry a little more experience, such as a man who’s
shops in Paris, and teaching currently enrolled who has several shops and
at one of the most prestigious just wants a refresher. People who are in love
with French pastry and want the full experience
pastry schools in the world.
have the chance to do a two-month internship
in a pastry shop, hotel or restaurant of their
choice, which we help them select.

Pastry Arts 19
 traditional education, because my parents were
refugees who went through a lot of difficulty
when they were younger in their country. They
were poor and had no chances for education, so
that was what they wanted for us. It was a strict
upbringing, with the hope we would become a
doctor, lawyer or dentist – not a baker! I started
my professional career doing basic accounting
office work, but I felt like a caged animal and
needed to escape. I looked at countries such
as France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium,
who all specialize in Viennoiserie, and thought it
would be cool to know how to make croissants
or puff pastry, which are flaky, buttery, crunchy
and delicious. If something intrigues me or I
like to eat it, I want to know how to make it.
So I started taking classes at William Angliss
[cooking institute] in Melbourne.

And how did you end up in Paris?

When I was midway through my training at
William Angliss, the Australian government
gave the school money to send some of their
students on an educational travel experience,
and I was one of those lucky students.
So, if a pastry chef or bakery owner They selected France, where we visited 20
wants to get ideas for new products or patisseries in 10 days. We also did several
garnishes, they might take a course or short courses, one of which was at Bellouet
two here? Conseil with the world champion, Julien
Alvarez. We visited beautiful pâtisseries and
Exactly, everybody is welcome to this fantastic
ate amazing pastries. Thank goodness we did
course which opens up the world to us. We a lot of walking, because we ate a lot. That
get people from different nationalities and experience gave me such a buzz that I wanted
backgrounds, from Peru, Nepal, India and to go back. It actually became an obsession, so
Australia. When an Australian attends, it makes when I returned to Australia, my girlfriends and
me feel nostalgic to have someone with the I decided to up our skills and learn new things. I
same accent. was running a coffee shop in Australia, and had
a strong urge to return to France, which I did.
Paris is a long way from Australia – I came back to the school, because I had met
when did you first become enamored someone there and had fallen in love. I wanted
to stay, so I asked Jean Michel Perruchon, who
with pastry, and how did you make
is now my boss, if he knew any pastry shops
your way to the first city of pastry? who were looking for people. He told me he
Pastry is in my blood – ever since I can was looking for somebody at the school, so I
remember, my mom was always baking, and had an interview, and the rest is history – I am
my grandfather was also a baker. I did get a still here!

20 Pastry Arts
So, it was true love that brought He told me to focus on one thing and master
you back? that. He asked if I preferred to be a master at
one thing or average at everything? I agreed he
Yes. I initially came because I loved somebody, had a good point, so I focused on artistic sugar
but I also loved pastry. Following your heart is work. I tried my best and put all my energy into
always the best decision, and I’m not one who it because I loved it. It was more fun than work,
often listens to their head. If I feel like doing but it has been a while since I touched sugar
something, I do it, otherwise I don’t. I really and I’m itching to get back into it.
wanted to be here in the center of it all.

What classes do you teach at I started

Bellouet Conseil?
I currently teach everything except bread and my professional
chocolate sculptures. I don’t mind admitting
that I am not a master at chocolate sculptures,
career doing basic
which gives me more things to learn in the accounting office work,
future. I will continue to learn until I am 80.
I love working with sugar, Viennoiseries and but I felt like a caged
chocolate, especially bonbons, ganache and
praline. I also love making tarts and cakes. animal and
One of my weak points is that I want to do
everything, all at once, and I have no patience. needed to escape.
My boss calmed me down, because initially I
was getting excited about doing everything.

Pastry Arts 21
How did you become part of Team doing ice sculpture and ice cream. This was in
France at the Coupe du Monde de la August, and I wanted to continue tanning on
Pâtisserie this year? the beach before spending six months training
without sun. I hadn’t ever touched ice, so I
France holds competitions to find participants. had to learn it. I knew know how to make ice
Teams are made up of three people – one deals cream, but it wasn’t my specialty.
with chocolate, another sugar work and the
last one, ice. They had the competition for the
chocolate and sugar work, because ice is very So you had never worked with ice
complicated. I finished second in the sugar before and all of a sudden you’re in
competition, so I wasn’t technically qualified charge of the ice sculpture?
for the team. My teammates Jérémy [Massing] That was crazy, but ice sculpture is amazing. If
and Georges [Kousanas] finished first in sugar you try to carve a block of ice straight out of
and chocolate. Such a competition has so much the freezer, the cracks spread and damage your
adrenaline and energy put into it, that you go ice sculpture. When you leave it outside, the
on a downward spiral afterwards, where you ice softens to a texture that when you carve it
don’t know what to do with yourself. I was with the right sharp tools, it’s like meditation. It
actually on holiday in Greece when I got a call is as soft as carving into butter, and when you
from the boys asking if I would be interested carve into that ice after a difficult day, you feel
in joining the team as the third team member, fantastic.

22 Pastry Arts
 I initially came
[to Paris] because
I loved somebody,
but I also loved
pastry. Following
your heart is
always the best
decision, and
I’m not one who
often listens to
their head. If I
feel like doing
something, I do it,
otherwise I don’t.
I really wanted
to be here in the
center of it all.

Pastry Arts 23
How long did you prepare for the improve on in terms of your organization. Our
competition? industry friends sat at a long table in front of us,
criticizing everything, which is exactly what we
It took five months for our team to create the wanted. They documented and photographed
ice cream cake and lollipops, because it involved each of the little messes we made, and gave
a lot of testing. I officially started my sculpture us wonderful feedback on what we needed to
in September, because Sebastian Sanchez, improve. We were not perfect on the fourth
who was my coach, was not available as he attempt, but we felt much more confident.
was working at a well-known event company An hour before the event we were still
in Paris. There was an issue after they changed communicating about our organization for the
the dimensions of the piece, meaning that my actual competition.
original plans were out the window, and I had
to do a new piece. It wasn’t fair, but all the
other teams were in the same boat. Were you the first woman ever to be
on the French team for the Coupe du
Monde de la Pâtisserie?
Did your team do any full practice runs
before the actual competition? Yes, it was the first time they had a woman
on their team. Luck was on my side this year,
Yes, we did that four different times. because they never had an ice sculpture
Coordinating three people over 10 hours in selection, and the team chose me. I thank
three different areas was challenging. I will the universe for sending me this gift of being
admit that for the first three times it was not on the team. It was a great experience being
the result we wanted, which is why we do the the first woman on the team. It will open the
practice runs. That’s where you see all the door for other females, because there are not
little errors you’re making and what you can enough. I have met women who are 10 times
more talented than me, so I want them to get
out there. Each time I see one who is doing
well, it makes me feel so happy, because it’s
representation. All the men I have met in these
competitions have been nothing but kind and
supportive. When they found out I was picked
for the team, they told me how happy they
were for me, which I found heartwarming.
I hope we will see a lot more women in the
future. I started a little later than others, so I
have less patience in terms of my development,
and always challenge myself to reach higher.
Intense competition helps you grow in so
many ways. I learned a lot about coordinating
as a team and speaking without fear of
hurting people by being direct and assertive.
I was always fascinated by ice sculpture, but
never had the time to learn how to do it, as I
competed in sugar work. And then it landed in
front of me. Competition gives you new skills
and perspectives and takes you higher every
time.

24 Pastry Arts
I was always
fascinated by ice
sculpture, but never
had the time to
learn how to do it, as
I competed in sugar
work. And then
it landed in front
of me. Competition
gives you new skills
and perspectives
and takes you
higher every time.

Pastry Arts 25
Which of the techniques that you pastry chefs around France. Their clients still
teach are the most difficult for want traditional products, but they are leaning
students to master? slightly into gluten-free and vegan products.
Two out of 10 of our course products contain
It depends on the level of the students. Piping vegan recipes. I would like to get back to basics
work is challenging for most people. Rosettes
and present people with healthier options
look simple, but you need the correct pressure
containing pure ingredients.
and cream texture to get the right shape. I
tell people to practice with instant mashed
potatoes from the supermarket. Mix them with What is your favorite place to get
warm water until you get the right consistency, pastry in Paris, aside from the school?
and use that instead of meringue or cream,
which eventually splits, gets warm and runny, Now that I have time, I regularly visit pastry
and is expensive. Just put that in your piping shops such as Gilles Marchal near Montmartre.
bag and pipe and repeat. When you are done You could enter with your eyes shut and pick
you can refrigerate it and use it again. That is anything, because everything is fantastic.
an inexpensive and fantastic way to practice Another is Des Gâteaux et du Pain by Claire
your piping skills. Damont, whose Viennoiseries are exceptional.
She works really well and I love her stuff. A
third place I recently discovered is called Brigat’,
Are you currently teaching any vegan which is owned by two Italian brothers who
or gluten-free pastry at the school? have amazing Viennoiseries with interesting
We are not offering a specific course on it, flavor combinations, such as licorice-lime tarts.
but we are adding it into our existing courses, They haven’t been around that long, but they
because most of our students are bakers and are worth a trip – the shop is near Le Marais.

26 Pastry Arts
Chocolate Science

But I Need Just

a Little More
Tempered
Chocolate…
Extending the Capacity of a Tempering System
by Back Filling with Unseeded Chocolate
By Dennis Teets

28 Pastry Arts
 I
n the last article we percentage of melted unseeded chocolate that is
added back to the seeded/tempered chocolate.
looked at controlling seed Dilution frequency is the amount of time between
growth over time and thus the adding back of the unseeded chocolate. This
extending usage time by rate is subject to the overall thickening rate of
the chocolate with more frequent additions
controlling a tempered being preferred to adding to thicker chocolate
chocolate’s flow properties. In because the thicker the chocolate the harder to
get a homogeneous mix. The unseeded chocolate
this article we will expand on temperature will determine how many crystals are
the control of seed growth to melted verses how many crystals are diluted. The
include expanding the capacity key is to keep the overall temperature to less than
91°F (33°C), as this ensures not too many crystals
of a tempering system through are melted out. However, the target temperature
backfilling with unseeded is a moving target that changes with the recipe of
the chocolate, depending on the number and size
chocolate. of crystals in the chocolate, and can range from
86°F to 92°F (30°C to 33°C).

Backfilling reduces the thickness of a chocolate

Creating Initial Temper
by not only decreasing the size and number of
crystals, but also by increasing the space between Chocolate can be tempered using any traditionally
crystals. This is accomplished by combining the seeded chocolate method. However, only part of
melting of some of the crystals and agglomerates the complete mass should be seeded. The rest
with diluting the mass with unseeded chocolate should be fully melted and then brought to the
to increase the space between crystals. This backfill temperature and held there. In general,
combination of melting and dilution decreases it is quicker and easier to heat than to cool a
the interaction of the crystals with each other, and chocolate. Some methods that can be used to
thus provide a thinner chocolate. The differences quickly heat a chocolate include a hot air gun,
between seeded and unseeded chocolate are dehydrator, water bath, heat lamp, etc. To keep a
seen in Figure 1. The top (a) is unseeded chocolate homogenous mixture, ensure that the chocolate
at about 93°F (34°C). Note the rounded corners is evenly heated and scraped from the sides of
on the folds verses the sharp corners on the folds the container.
of the chocolate at the bottom of the picture (b).
The sharpness of corners and the finer details are
due to the presence of beta crystals, which stack
due to their shape. If good temperature control
is used, backfilling allows the chocolatier to get a
double, triple, or even greater capacity from a
system.
There are three basic parameters that can
be controlled to maintain flow properties while
increasing capacity. These parameters are
batch temperature, dilution rate, and dilutant
chocolate temperature. Batch temperature is the
temperature of the chocolate is brought to just
prior to using the chocolate. Dilution rate is the b

Pastry Arts 29
Typical Tempering Cycle Comments
1. Melt all chocolate required for the A well-tempered mass can be maintained in a
production session. usable flow state for a long period of time with the
2. Cool all chocolate to a temperature between backfilling of unseeded chocolate. Actual required
93°F and 95°F (34°C and 35°C). flow properties will depend on the product being
3. Remove the desired amount of melted produced, and needs to be determined for each
chocolate to be added back to the seeded project using such observable characteristics such
chocolate over time, and hold at desired as chocolate to center ratio, flow of a chocolate
temperature. into corners of a mold cavity, ease of air bubble
4. Temper a usable amount of chocolate using removal, foot formation on dipped items, etc.
any traditional seed addition or slabbing Actual temperatures for a project will vary
tempering method. due to the wide variety of chocolate formulae
5. Run a temper check. available. The reason for this is that the more
6. Use the chocolate while reheating to competitive fat in a formula, the harder it is for
maintain it at a usable thickness. the chocolate to form beta crystals, and the easier
it is for the beta crystals to melt out. This is seen
in the traditional tempering system, and simply
Backfill Sequence means that a milk chocolate tempered mass will
Initiate a backfill sequence when the chocolate have a lower add-back temperature than a dark
becomes too thick for purpose of use or is chocolate with no or very little competitive fat.
about 50% of the initial amount of chocolate With a very high-fat chocolate, over-temper will
tempered as measured by volume or weight. be seen more in a dulling of the chocolate and the
Note that adding chocolate back at greater formation of small air bubbles than the thickening
than the 50% quantity increases the risk of of the chocolate.
burning or diluting out too many crystals.
1. Slowly add back unseeded chocolate that Conclusion
is between the temperature range of 91°F
and 94°F (33°C and 34°C). Make sure the The bottom line is that backfilling with unseeded
tempered chocolate temperature stays at chocolate is a low-cost method for both
less than 90°F (32°C) and preferably within expanding capacity and controlling the thickening
1 to 2 degrees F. of the temperature of the of a chocolate, and once project appropriate
last batch of usable tempered chocolate. temperatures and add-back frequencies are
Note this temperature changes over time figured out, one can expect repeatable results.
and in general must be increased as the As such, it is a great tool to have when you need
chocolate thickens. more production capacity, but can’t justify the
2. Mix the newly created mass until a cost or don’t have the space for a larger unit.
homogenous mix is acquired.
3. Run a temper check and, if acceptable, Dennis Teets has worked in the confectionary
continue production. industry for both large and small organizations
4. This sequence can be performed as for over 30 years. During that time, he was both
many times as necessary to complete the a problem solver and a new product developer.
production run. Today, Dennis works as a coach and consultant for
small to medium chocolate companies, focusing on
growth, scale-up and problem solving. His email is
sweetanchorspa@gmail.com.

30 Pastry Arts
Pastry Virtuosity

Classic French Pastry

A Benchmark
of Quality
By Jimmy MacMillan

A classic Paris-Brest from Verzênay Chicago.

32 Pastry Arts
 T
o state that
French pastries
are an incredible
historical feat is
undoubtedly stating the
obvious. However, equally
prominent is the notion
that the untethered history
of American pastry gives
license to the creation
of French pastry with Profiteroles from Le Select.
any manner of flavor
substitution and neo- by Chef Olivier Bajard on classic pastries using
classic variation. These only pâte à choux and buttercream. These two
recipes can create the basis for each of the
variations may be derived recipes above. Simply astonishing.
from the chef’s background, In Chicago, there are several examples of
new establishments returning to the pure
personal experience, or aesthetic of unadulterated French classics. One
creative vision. such bakery is Verzênay Chicago (https://www.
verzenaychicago.com/). Pâtissiere Arshiya and
her husband Aqeel started their small business
in January 2014, selling French pastries at
Green City Market and supplying hotels and
As I have written before, our greatest strength coffee shops. In July 2021, Verzênay opened its
is our greatest weakness. Our culinary terrain very first store in Lincoln Park. Every day, their
is constantly in flux; many styles co-exist in the pastry case is filled with eclairs, tarts, cakes
stream, bubbling up occasionally to catch the and other pastries faithfully rooted in tradition.
public’s attention. Many of these ‘new’ flavors One of their favorites is the Royale Pastry,
and combinations are exciting and sometimes which is layered with a chocolate biscuit,
tasty, and we can all enjoy a dessert world hazelnut feuilletine crunch, and chocolate
where ube-filled croissants and green tea hazelnut praline. You will also find my favorites,
crêpes can exist. Mont Blanc, a 19th-century pastry featuring
sweetened chestnut purée and Chantilly
That said, two things are undeniable. First,
cream that resembles a snowcapped mountain,
these items live on the brilliance of documented
and Paris-Brest, a famous pastry originating in
French recipes, and second, most will need a
1910, consisting of choux pastry and praline
perfectly executed classic French pastry such
cream.
as the Mont Blanc, St. Honoré, Paris-Brest,
Religieusse, and Eclair. When I was younger, I
had the privilege of experiencing a class taught Photo by Anthony Tahlier

Pastry Arts 33
 Classic pastries and cakes
abound at Verzênay Chicago.

“I focus mainly on French classics and sources

from farmers, because this provides a solid
foundation for preparing food rich in flavor and
texture and a clear benchmark on what’s good
versus grand, as classics are what chefs from all
over the world have mastered over time,” says
Arshiya. “In addition, this food creates nostalgia
that breaks barriers and connects people across
borders. This experience is significant to me,
as I grew up in India, trained in Paris, and now something that’s taught early on and evolves
run a pâtisserie in Chicago to establish a clear your entire career,” Chef Casey explains. “I’ve
vision of offering the classics.” enjoyed eating it all, but the biggest reward in
Diners can experience exceptional perfecting each dessert is transporting diners
versions of French classics at the recently from Chicago to Paris with each bite.”
opened Le Select Restaurant (https://www. The newly opened Pistores Pizza and Pastry
leselectchicago.com) rendered by seasoned (https://www.eatpistores.com) from Chef Joel
Pastry Chef Casey Doody, who holds the Reno and Cake Artist Andrea Alverez may seem
position of Director of Pastry with Boka like an unlikely venue to experience pastry
Restaurant Group. Her dessert menu for Le rooted in the classics. Still, their story, rooted
Select reads like a dissertation on classic pastry, in French history, reveals why great pastry can
featuring Profiteroles “Tradition” (choux pastry exist anywhere. In medieval times, the Latin
rounds filled with vanilla ice cream and adorned word “pistor” was given to the person who
tableside with warm chocolate sauce), Savarin would make and bake dough for the town. A
au Rhum (rum-soaked brioche whipped cream), clear distinction was made between a “fornarii,”
Tarte aux Pralines Roses (red praline tart, crème who would solely bake bread, and “pistores,”
fraiche) and Coupe Foret Noire (cherry sorbet, who were the sole makers and bakers of dough
chocolate cake, kirsch, cream). and sweet dough in 1200s Paris. With time
“French pastries are by the book. There and creativity, the profession grew, and the
is no coloring outside the lines with French term “pistor” was replaced with “patissier” to
pastries. Instead, they require precise designate a pastry chef and “boulangerie” to
techniques essential to creating the result. It’s describe a bread maker.

34 Pastry Arts
 In honor of a long-lost culinary art, Andrea them come from the curiosity of those French
and Joel chose “pistores” to reignite the craft people who started it all.”
and showcase Joel’s work as a true modern- French pastries have long been the standard
day “pistor”. Classic dessert selections include a for excellence in our industry. A particular
Blueberry Violet Tart with blueberry compote, responsibility exists for pastry chefs to learn
vanilla cream, candied violet, Baba Rum with the recipes and history early and practice them
mango and light vanilla, and ‘Tropical,’ a petite often. To display the ability to execute these
gateau with roasted pineapple and coconut. desserts indeed proves mastery of our craft.
In addition to stunning pastries, Pistores Any chef exploring these desserts at length is
offers a selection of macarons and candies, sure to strengthen their skills and fall in love
and Andrea creates gorgeous wedding cakes, with the art repeatedly.
such as the classic Croquembouche tiered
cake constructed from filled profiteroles, each
dipped in caramelized sugar and separated by Jimmy MacMillan is a celebrated pastry chef,
layers of nougatine (cast rounds of caramelized food writer, and award-winning videographer.
sugar and nuts). Andrea Alvarez from Pistores Chef MacMillan is a pastry consultant working
states, “I firmly believe it is our responsibility to under the Pastry Virtuosity label. For more
keep the classics alive. They take time to study, information, visit: www.PastryVirtuosity.com
practice, and perfect. All pastries as we know and @jimmymacmillan

Photo by Boka Restaurant Group

A tiered A cake by Casey

Crouquembouche Doody of Le Select.
from Pistores.

Pastry Arts 35
Business Bites

Equipped to
Succeed
In this edition of Business Bites, we asked dessert
professionals how they added or upgraded a piece of
equipment to improve their productivity.

36 Pastry Arts
 What is one piece of equipment that
Alisyn and you’ve incorporated into your business
Arlo Brandl that has improved your production?
Owners, Tecumseh Bread I believe our hand-made Jansen grain mill
has helped differentiate our product from
& Pastry, Tecumseh, MI others by allowing us to mill heritage grains,
tecumsehbakery.com fresh on sight, for almost all of our goods. The
improved flavor and texture means there is a
noticeable difference when it comes to our
What type of business do you have? breads, croissants and tart shells, and also
keeps us focused on using varietal grains
We own and operate a croissant and to help work with our farmer. It may seem
sourdough bread bakery with a focus on tedious, but I start milling my flour when I
utilizing locally grown, organic grains for all arrive around 1 a.m., while I am working on
our products. We are a husband and wife team baking off viennoiserie. I have incorporated
with a full retail operation in a beautiful historic the milling into the daily routine with little
downtown location. We make everything fresh to no effect on my production flow. Turn the
each morning, provide for our community, mill on, view the consistency of the flour, then
and do our best to keep sustainable options walk away.
in mind.

Pastry Arts 37
How did it specifically improve things?

Technically, it reduced waste by using the

WHOLE grain – not just the endosperm. It also
has improved the flavor quality of our products
by using the freshest flour possible and lending
a unique profile to our pastries. We can now
use heritage or more interesting grains on a
small scale to create profiles not accessible by
commodity white flour!

What advice do you have for other

dessert professionals who want to
incorporate the same innovation?
Consider your target market, your region and making small changes to a lineup is a lot
and your nearby bakeries. Taking all these easier to troubleshoot and inform customers
factors into consideration determines if such about than the alternative of going ‘all-in’.
costly equipment and time can really help Working with fresh milled flour and whole
separate you from others – and even if the grains can be challenging, and requires some
grains are conveniently available nearby! Also, experimenting before receiving the results you
determining what products to focus on first would like. Start small, and keep at it!

38 Pastry Arts
Beata Lerman
Founder, Sinless Treats,
Houston, TX
sinlessdesserts.com

What type of business do you have?

I am a founder of Sinless Treats, an artisan
chocolate company that makes premium artisan
sugar-free chocolate.

What is one piece of equipment that

you’ve incorporated into your business
that has improved your production?
In the beginning, we employed ancient Mayan
technology to craft our chocolate – we used to
temper it by hand on a marble slab, which could
take a long time, with sometimes inconsistent
results. We recently bought a Selmi One
chocolate tempering machine from Tomric
systems, and it made us a lot more productive.
We can now produce five times the amount of
chocolate bonbons that we used to make, taking
us from 200 bonbons per day to about 1000.

Pastry Arts 39
How did it specifically improve things?
The Selmi machine can temper 15 pounds of
chocolate in seven minutes, and gets it into
the perfect shine and ready for crafting. Prior
to that, we would have to spend a long time
tempering the chocolate, but we would also
have to work it up in between the different
actions, and if we did it a bit too much, we
would have to re-temper. Plus, the Selmi really
reduced wasted product, because if any of
the less experienced chocolatiers improperly
tempered the chocolate and crafted bonbons
that would not unmold, that would be wasted
product. With this new machine, we get
perfectly tempered chocolate at the right
temperature all day.

What advice do you have for other

dessert professionals who want to
incorporate the same innovation?

Time is money, and the cost of the ingredients

is much higher today than it was a year ago. I
think investing in the machine and automating
the tasks where the potential user error is high
will save both time and money, and will create
a much less stressful work environment.

40 Pastry Arts
Rosanna Ruwe
Owner, Lulu’s Sweets Boutique,
West Chester Township, OH
lulusb.com

What type of business do you have?

I own a boutique bakery that specializes in
custom confections, including cupcakes, cakes,
cookies and French macarons.

What is one piece of equipment that

you’ve incorporated into your business
that has improved your production?
We purchased a smart oven right before
opening our business, and we love it.

Pastry Arts 41
How did it specifically improve things?
We bake everything from scratch, so having
a top-of-the-line oven has been very
beneficial in ensuring all our items are
baked to perfection. The smart oven
allows us to save the ideal baking settings
for each and every kind of bake. This not
only saves time, but ensures consistent results
in our baking process, yielding treats that are
firm on the outside, yet tender and moist on
the inside.

What advice do you have for other

dessert professionals who want to
incorporate the same innovation?
I would recommend other dessert professionals
to invest in a smart oven. The price difference
will pay off in the long run.

42 Pastry Arts
 Ruchit Harneja
Executive Pastry Chef,
Musaafer, Houston, TX
musaaferhouston.com

How did it specifically improve things?

The Thermomix has had a profound impact on
our dessert production in several key ways. First
and foremost, its versatility has been a game-
changer. With its diverse range of functions,
including chopping, blending, grinding and
cooking, the Thermomix has streamlined
our processes and allowed us to achieve
remarkable results with ease.
The precise temperature control and
integrated heating elements of the Thermomix
have been particularly beneficial. They have
empowered us to explore new recipes and
techniques that were previously challenging
to execute. From delicate custards and velvety
mousses to complex sauces and syrups, the
Thermomix ensures consistent and flawless
outcomes, saving us valuable time and effort.
What type of business are you Moreover, the Thermomix has significantly
involved in? reduced waste in our kitchen. Its precise
measurements and all-in-one design eliminate
At Musaafer, we take pride in offering an the need for multiple utensils and appliances,
opulent Indian dining experience, showcasing resulting in a more efficient and sustainable
the rich heritage and flavors of Indian workflow. We can now focus on the art of
cuisine in a very modern and neoteric dessert-making without being burdened by
avatar. As the Executive Pastry Chef, my excessive cleanup or unnecessary resource
role is to conceptualize exquisite desserts consumption.
that complement our exceptional culinary The integration of the Thermomix has also
offerings. enhanced our creativity and innovation. Its
intuitive interface and automated features
What is one piece of equipment that allow us to experiment with unique flavor
you’ve incorporated into your business combinations, textures, and presentations.
that has improved your production? We have been able to push the boundaries
of traditional Indian desserts by incorporating
One piece of equipment that has undoubtedly unusual ingredients and exploring uncharted
transformed our dessert production is the territories of taste. The Thermomix has become
Thermomix. Its multifunctionality and advanced an indispensable tool for us to express our
features have become an invaluable addition to culinary artistry and captivate our diners with
our kitchen. unforgettable dessert experiences.

Pastry Arts 43
 What advice desserts. Explore
do you have for unexpected ingredient
other dessert combinations, showcase
regional influences,
professionals and let your creativity
who want to flourish. Lastly, practice
incorporate the same and refine your recipes. The
innovation? Thermomix offers precision
and consistency, but it also requires
For my fellow dessert professionals who mastery and understanding. Experiment with
aspire to incorporate the Thermomix into their different cooking times, temperatures, and
culinary journey, I offer the following advice: techniques to achieve the desired results.
First, invest time in familiarizing yourself with Through dedication and perseverance, you will
the Thermomix’s capabilities. Understand its unlock the true potential of the Thermomix
various functions, temperature settings, and as a catalyst for your dessert innovations.
programming options. The more you explore In conclusion, the incorporation of the
and experiment, the better you will harness Thermomix has revolutionized our dessert
its potential. Second, embrace the Thermomix program at Musaafer. Its versatility, precision,
community and online resources. Engage with and time-saving features have empowered
other users, share insights, and seek inspiration. us to create exceptional desserts with ease. I
The Thermomix community is a treasure trove encourage all dessert professionals to embrace
of recipes, techniques, and tips that can inspire this remarkable piece of equipment and
and guide your culinary creations. Third, don’t be embark on a journey of culinary excellence and
afraid to innovate. The Thermomix opens doors innovation. Let the Thermomix be your trusted
to endless possibilities, allowing you to create companion in elevating dessert experiences to
unique flavor profiles and reimagine traditional new heights.

44 Pastry Arts
 at The West Hollywood EDITION and its
rooftop counterpart, The Roof. Inside The
Tampa EDITION, Fraser opened the signature
fine-dining Mediterranean restaurant Lilac in
addition to three restaurants and bars.

What is one piece of equipment that

you’ve incorporated into your business
that has improved your production?
A combination oven.

How did it specifically improve things?

We have combination ovens in all of our
restaurants. They are great for consistency and
ease in steaming and drying, since you are able
to have complete control over the amount of
humidity in the oven. For example, we bake our
pea and chevre cheesecake at 300°F with 70
percent humidity, with the cakes uncovered, so
that there are enough water molecules to keep
Sofia Schlieben, the cakes creamy, but not so much that they
get water in them. On the opposite end of the
Corporate Pastry Chef, JF spectrum, we dry the meringue shells for our
Restaurants pavlova at 200°F with 0 percent humidity.

jfrestaurants.com What advice do you have for other

dessert professionals who want to
incorporate the same innovation?
What type of business do you have?
Always play around with your recipes and think
I am the Corporate Pastry Chef of JF of variables you can control past the standard
Restaurants, the hospitality group of chef and time and temperature.
restaurateur John Fraser. Current concepts
in New York include The Terrace & Outdoor
Gardens and 701 West, and two bars – The
Lobby Bar and Paradise Club – inside The Times
Square EDITION. Fraser also revitalized
and reopened North Fork Table & Inn,
an East End institution on the North
Fork of Long Island. Fraser’s newest
restaurants include IRIS – inspired by
Fraser’s Greek heritage and admiration
for Turkish cuisine – and French brasserie
La Marchande at The Wall Street Hotel.
Beyond the tristate area, Fraser and his team
are behind Ardor, the signature restaurant

Pastry Arts 45
Flavor Inspiration

Flavor
Inspiration
In our Flavor Inspiration column,
we connect with professionals who
showcase a unique creation, reveal its
flavor profile and offer one technical tip.

46 Pastry Arts
 Flavor Profile
This dessert is built around smoke and wood,
two flavors that are used in more and more
pastries these days. The inspiration came from
smoking chocolate in the lab for the first time.
Smoked and roasted almonds help highlight
the oak notes of a whiskey mousse, while
prunes lightly soaked in espresso – along with
some blueberries – bring a fuller mouthfeel and
round up the composition.

S.P. Technical Tip

This may not look like the most technical dessert
you have seen. However, getting the velvet
By Elena Kalmykova spray just perfect is an art of its own. A few
Pastry Chef, Consultant, tips: make sure the spray mixture is hot enough
(I use mine around 104°F/40°C), the entremets
Neva Cuisine Paris are well-frozen and have been assembled with
@chef_elenakalmykova no air bubbles, and the size of the spray nozzle
has been chosen correctly (if not, the texture
may seem grainy). Also, it’s important that you
don’t pass the gun too many times on one spot.

Pastry Arts 47
 Flavor Profile
A light crisp pavlova base with Adamance
passionfruit and mango cold-set crémeux.
On top is a pineapple compote with Norohy
Tahitian Vanilla and Valrhona Opalys 33%
Chantilly, and it’s finished with mango gel and
fresh coconut.

Tropical Pav Technical Tip

Use Sosa Gelcrem Cold to make a perfect
crémeux without eggs or milk products, using
By Sean Hu any fruit flavor you like. Once the liquid is
blended with Gelcrem Cold powder, allow
Executive Pastry Chef, it to set on the side for at least 15 minutes.
Then blend again to make a perfectly smooth
The Langham, crémeux.
Shenzhen, China
@sean_gaojie.hu Photos by Sean Hu, The Langham, Shenzhen

48 Pastry Arts
 Seas the Day
By Cori Osborne
Executive Pastry Chef,
Freehand Hospitality,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
@coriosborne_

Flavor Profile
The prominent flavors of the cone are vanilla,
brown butter, white chocolate and cane sugar.
We use Valrhona Opalys to make our mermaid
tails. The brown butter can be found in the
crumble sprinkled around the cone. Our soft
serve is made in house with Madagascar vanilla,
and our cone is surrounded in a ‘fog’ of freshly
spun organic cane sugar, which adds a distinct
flavor.

Technical Tip
One technical tip for the crumble is to
caramelize extra milk solids and add to your
mix. To do this, add skim milk powder to a pan
over medium heat to toast and caramelize the
solids before adding to your crumble mixture.
This will give your crumble a deeper and nuttier
flavor.

Photos by Jessica Emin.

Pastry Arts 49
 Flavor Profile
Purple Rain was built around the iconic flavor
combination of milk chocolate and passionfruit.
Inside this dessert we have a silky Jivara milk
chocolate mousse, which contains an insert
made of super rich and moist chocolate
biscuit, a layer of 66% dark chocolate ganache,
passionfruit cremeaux and passionfruit jelly.

Purple Rain The dessert is finished with a roasted cacao nib

praline crunch, which assists to balance out the
acidity of the dessert.

By Michael Germanos
Technical Tip
Executive Pastry Chef, Always respect the ingredients being used
Darling Group, Melbourne, and be mindful of their application within your
products. It is crucial to have a clean, sharp and
Australia well-balanced dessert, as this will keep your
@michaelgermanos customer base coming back for more.

50 Pastry Arts
 Flavor Profile
This is a dessert concept meant to evoke the
fundamental elements of a pastry shop, while
creating cohesive flavors to indulge guests in the
experience. From the caramel notes of a brûléed
maple and honey marshmallow, dark roasted taste
of black cocoa powder to represent chocolate, fruity
tartness of trailing berries and kalamansi curd, to
the nuttiness of roasted flour and pecans, and the
rich tanginess of a buttermilk ice cream to round up

Building
the dish.

Blocks Technical Tip

When using glazes for cakes such as the devil’s
food cake component of the dish, the temperature
By Carl Sanchez element is of great importance to achieve a perfect
gloss. Having the glaze at the right temperature
Pastry Chef, The (95°F/35°C) allows it to be at its most ideal fluidness
and the cake’s temperature (-0.4°F/-18°C) is crucial
Wickaninnish Inn, for an even, bubble-free coating.
Tofino, BC, Canada
@carlericsons Photo by Caitlin Gray-Ronda
@collectingbeautifulthings.

Pastry Arts 51
 Flavor Profile
Apricot, the primary flavor of this clafoutis, is

Le Clafoutis represented in different textures – poached,

raw and as a sorbet. Complementing the apricot
is a hazelnut crumble, vanilla whipped ganache
Abricot and a refreshing basil gazpacho.

Technical Tip
By Florian Mongaï The essential technique in this dessert is to
Sous Chef Pâtissier, choose good, ripe apricots, to bake the clafoutis
until it is a beautiful golden color, and to make
Hôtel la Coorniche, sure that the gazpacho is well chilled.
La Teste-de-Buch, France
@florianmongai Photos by Axelle Honorat

52 Pastry Arts
 Tarte Citron,
Basilic &
Huile d’Olive
By Mélanie &
Arnaud Mathez
Pastry Chefs, Le Jardin
Sucré Paris
@lejardinsucre_paris

Flavor Profile
In this dessert, we combined fresh ingredients
from the South of Europe: a zesty Sicilian
lemon, fresh basil from our garden, and organic
olive oil.

Technical Tip
In order to enhance the flavors, we suggest
cold-infusing the basil and olive oil in the jelly
for about 12 hours. Once the time is up, filter
the mixture through a fine strainer.

Photos by Le Jardin Sucré/Pauline Lecoq.

Pastry Arts 53
 Flavor Profile
A very powerful fresh lemon and
basil flavor, tamed by the sweetness
and fullness of yogurt and a fine layer
of crusty lime meringue.

Technical Tip

Modern Lemon / The technical tip here is to get a

meringue that’s not too airy by adding

Basilic Vacherin
all the superfine granulated sugar
when the egg whites are halfway
whipped. This results in a smooth
meringue. Then bake it at 122˚F
By Elian Bernadac (50˚C) overnight to retain the white
color.
Head Pasty Chef Consultant
@elianbernadac Photos by G&C.

54 Pastry Arts
 THINK COCOA. THINK DEZAAN.
deZaan’s collection of cocoa powders for chefs and artisans showcase the full spectrum of
what cocoa powder can deliver with its complex range of flavors and colors. Cocoa powder
is a unique and special ingredient and we aim to inspire your creativity with our range.
Vanilla 101

WHOLE VANILLA
BEAN PASTE
An easy to use, flavorful ingredient that
epitomizes a no-waste philosophy
By Robert Wemischner

56 Pastry Arts Sponsored by Tahitian Gold Vanilla

P
astry chefs (and chefs overall) are ever more
conscious of reducing waste in their kitchens, often
turning fruit scraps into sauces and jams, using
rerolled pastry doughs for elegant, deconstructed
napoleons, or layering any less-than-perfectly-shaped
baked meringue in verrines. A key ingredient in many of these, vanilla
bean paste, epitomizes this same no-waste philosophy. From vine
to jar, made from the whole vanilla bean with nothing lost in its
unique manufacturing process, this full-flavored ingredient enhances
everything from crème brûlée to ice creams and madeleines to
Oaxacan chocolate cake, and is a favorite of chefs from Paris to L.A.
Intense yet mellow, vanilla bean paste is like a tempting siren on the
palate, inviting the indulger to go back for just one more bite of that
ganache-filled bonbon, or in Kriss Harvey’s case, a brioche split and
stuffed with vanilla bean ice cream. He enthuses, “You can use this
whole bean paste in canelés without any taste of alcohol. It’s more
cost- and labor-effective, too. It’s a chameleon that can work with
all different flavor profiles. Recently I’ve revisited a classic from an
earlier stage in my career and found that this form
of vanilla is a game changer in a vanilla mousse set
onto a crunchy speculoos base,
shot through with salted, soft
liquid caramel, itself intensely
flavored with vanilla. Here’s the
story of vanilla encapsulated in
one quietly compelling dessert,”
he concludes.

Pastry Arts 57
Kriss’s favorite paste that screams “vanilla” is sweet. We don’t subscribe to the philosophy
based in large measure on Madagascar beans, that sweeter is better. In fact, disproportionate
which deliver the most recognizable and amounts of sugar added to a dessert often are
characteristic flavor profile to a broad swath of used to mask inferior ingredients.” Mogodin
the sweets produced by bakeries, pastry shops, and Liang find that using good vanilla, with its
chocolatiers, and other high-quality outlets. perceived sweetness, allows them to reduce
Adding complexity to the mix, beans hailing the amount of sugar in many of their products.
from Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of Additionally, they find that vanilla rounds out
the tropical island north of Australia, also play any sharp, sour, or even bitter flavors, leading
an important part, offering a solid base upon to immensely memorable and well-balanced
which to build the blend. These beans confer products.
deep flavor in the way that the notes of the Heading west to Los Angeles, vanilla’s
bass or cello resonate in a musical composition. tropical personality fits perfectly into Ellen
Tahitian beans top things off by adding their Ramos’s desserts. Featured at La Cha Cha Cha
unmistakably floral personality, which stands and Loreto, where she oversees the dessert
out in a highly fragrant and pleasing way. programs, her signature desserts include tres
Patrick Mogodin, owner with Kaity Liang leches cake generously flecked with vanilla bean
of Adore Desserts in Redondo Beach, CA, paste, and Carajillo (a concoction of diablito, a
emphasizes: “I love the lingering floral top- kind of Devil’s food cake), a chocolate cremeux,
notes of this trifecta of whole vanilla beans in pecan toffee, pecan ice cream and carajillo
paste form. Adding a judicious dose of it to a foam, caffeinated and liquor spiked. Bringing it
pastry cream just out of the saucepan leads to all home on this last blockbuster is a generous
a diplomat cream and a vanilla Bavarian cream shaving of Oaxacan chocolate. Ramos explains,
that work well in my fruit tarts and signature “The fudginess of the cake is produced by
Emeraude cake. When customers hear that blooming the cocoa in hot water, to which I
there is such a limited window to pollinate the then add the vanilla bean paste. Using only 30
orchid flowers on the vanilla vine, they then grams of the paste per 1030 grams of the cake
appreciate the flavors lent by the paste that batter (about 3 percent by weight), ensures
much more. We find that vanilla in paste form that the vanilla holds its wonderfully fragrant
lends sweetness to a dessert that in itself is less personality to imbue the complete dessert.”

58 Pastry Arts
 Perched 71 floors above the streets of and has made a name for itself with an
downtown Los Angeles, Filiberto Flores’s intensely loyal fan base. Kitchen manager and
desserts soar at 71 Above. In his Strawberries partner Emily Eversman loves to celebrate the
and Cream, an ode to his mother’s homey season with a house-made plum jam rounded
strawberries dolloped with sour cream, a out with vanilla bean paste. “At the moment
Swiss meringue flavored with dried strawberry I’m working on rolling out a cheesecake with
powder is dehydrated and presented like sweet a graham cracker crust which will be topped
penne-shaped tubes. Front and center on the with plums marinated for a short time with
plate is a whipped panna cotta, imbued with a minimal amount of sugar and the flavorful
vanilla paste and shaped in a mold. Adding paste.” She adds, “This version of vanilla has
an element of surprise and seasonality is an made my life easier in that we use it in all our
insert of strawberry-rhubarb compote, while a baked products, from financiers and cannelés
thin almond sablé gives crunch to the creamy to shortbread cookies and scones.”
elements of the dessert. Garnished with fresh
strawberries, compressed green strawberries
in an elderflower cordial, and a flourish of
edible micro greens and flowers, this dessert
gets its complex endnotes from a paste made
with three different vanilla beans, leading to
a longer finish. “Vanilla is not just vanilla; we
want it to be more than a simple add-on to a
dessert,” notes Flores.
Another of Flores’s creations, Chocolate
Cremeux, is a riff on the perennially popular
camp dessert, s’mores. Here, vanilla bean plays
well with marshmallow in two forms: first in the
marshmallow fluff layers nestled between two
thin freeform tuiles, and then in the ice cream,
showcasing how well the flavor of vanilla paste
persists in elements both torched and frozen.
Seasonality rules, especially in the pastry
chef’s paradise that is southern California.
Taking full advantage of that abundance, Flores
draws inspiration from summer corn in all its
forms in a dessert composed of a vanilla paste-
flavored sponge cake topped with huitlacoche
ice cream and garnished with caramelized
popcorn and a dusting of ash from the corn
silk. He explains, “With its truffle-like flavor,
huitlacoche plays very well with vanilla, which
rounds out the darker, duskier notes in the corn
fungus. It’s a perfect balance between savory
and sweet.”
Proof Bakery, located in Atwater Village,
northeast of downtown Los Angeles, is
structured as an employee-owned business,

Pastry Arts 59
 French by birth but international in exposure the taste I like in a dessert, with its contrast
thanks to his classes and consulting all over the between the acidity of the blackcurrant and
world, pastry chef Gregory Doyen relies on the sweetness of the vanilla. The optics are
whole vanilla bean paste to flavor “Miss White,” impressive, too, and using this crucial ingredient
his multicomponent dessert that features white in paste form cuts out the laborious process of
chocolate and cassis. Perhaps it’s not surprising scraping vanilla beans to get the most out of
to find a connection to Burgundy in his pastry them. It’s a win-win-win.”
work. A nod to his birthplace is seen here with The word is out. Considering all of its
the inclusion of black currant, famously found attributes, vanilla bean paste combines the best
in this region where aligoté wine and cassis of all possible flavorful worlds in one simple to
come together in Kir, that delicate and sprightly use package. Aroma, taste, and a nice dose of
drink, an old standby on the wine cocktail front. zero waste sustainability come together in this
“Using vanilla bean paste is simple. Open the pastry chef’s pantry essential.
container, spoon some directly into a cream-
based dessert, with no need for prolonged
infusion to achieve the maximum flavor.” He For information on Tahitian Gold vanilla
sums it up: “The visuals give the impression products, visit tahitiangoldco.com.
that the dessert will have intense flavor, which For questions, please contact Noa Martin at
it does. This dessert is really the reflection of noa@tahitiangoldco.com.

60 Pastry Arts
Choux au
Craquelin
By Patrick Mogodin,
Adore Dessert Café, Redondo Beach, CA

Pastry Arts 61
N
othing could be more classic than
these simple cream puffs, which Vanilla Whipped Cream
are clearly accented with notes
of vanilla. A medley of crispy, • 375 g heavy cream 35%
crunchy and creamy textures features in this • 67 g granulated sugar
combination of a thin crisp shell bursting with • 
4 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
a classic lightened pastry cream filling. Paste, Tahitian Select 3-Fold

Yield: 12 cream puffs 1. Whip all ingredients to medium-stiff peaks.

Pate à Choux Vanilla Custard

• 125 g unsalted butter • 37 g cornstarch
• 250 g water • 67 g granulated sugar
• 5 g salt • 2 egg yolks
• 125 g all-purpose flour • 375 g whole milk
• 190 g whole eggs • 4 g gelatin powder or 2 gold gelatin sheets,
bloomed in cold water
1. Melt butter with water and salt and bring to • 5 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
rolling boil. Add flour all at once and mix to Paste, Tahitian Select 3-Fold
a smooth, thick paste. Let cool to lukewarm.
2. Add the eggs slowly, beating after each 1. Mix the cornstarch and sugar together.
addition until well absorbed. Whisk in the yolks.
2. Bring the milk to a boil, then temper the
hot milk into the sugar, cornstarch and
Craquelin egg mixture. Return the mixture to the
saucepan and cook, whisking constantly,
• 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature until thickened. Add the gelatin to the still-
• 100 g granulated sugar hot cooked mixture. Stir to blend. Let cool.
• 100 g all-purpose flour 3. Fold in the Vanilla Whipped Cream. Allow to
rest in the refrigerator for an hour and then
fill the puffs. These may be served plain or
1. Cream the butter and sugar together to a glazed with a vanilla-scented fondant and
homogenous mixture. Add the flour and mix garnished with caramelized pecans.
until no grains of flour are visible. Wrap and
refrigerate overnight.
2. Pipe out pâte à choux to desired size. Roll
craquelin dough to 2 mm thickness. Cut out
rounds of the dough to cover the tops of
the piped-out choux puffs. Bake puffs in
400°F (204°C) oven for about 20 minutes,
or until fully puffed and golden brown, with
no yellow undercooked spots. Let cool.

62 Pastry Arts
 Miss White
By Gregory Doyen, Pastry Chef

T
his dessert is really the reflection of
the taste I like in a dessert. It’s the Almond Sponge
contrast between the acidity of the
black currant and the sweetness of • 190 g whole egg
the vanilla that makes this dessert so delicious. • 155 g granulated sugar, divided
The choice and quality of ingredients in a • 40 g cake flour
dessert is fundamental, and for this dessert • 10 g cornstarch
I chose to highlight the Tahitian vanilla paste • 130 g almond powder
and vanilla beans from the Tahitian Gold Co.
This vanilla paste has an exceptional flavor • 110 g egg whites
and incomparable level of quality. • 1 g salt
• 25 g unsalted butter, melted
Yield: 12 cakes

Pastry Arts 63
1. Whip the eggs with 110 g of the sugar until
the mixture is smooth and light in texture.
2. Sift together the cake flour, cornstarch and
almond powder.
3. Whip the egg whites with the remaining
45 g sugar and salt to a soft peak meringue
with the similar texture as the previous
preparation.
4. Add the melted butter into the whipped
eggs then slowly incorporate the meringue.
Add all dry ingredients at the end. Pour into
a silicone-lined 16ʺ x 23ʺ (40 x 60 cm) tray.
Bake at 330°F (165°C) for 12 minutes.

Vanilla Cream
• 40 g egg yolks
• 15 g granulated sugar
• 40 g whole milk
• 
5 g pectin, extra slow set
• 120 g heavy cream 35%
• 
15 g gelatin mass
• 
10 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
Paste, Tahitian Classic 3-Fold
1. Combine the purees and heat them with
• 25 g white chocolate
the invert sugar to 104°F (40°C).
• 
5 g cocoa butter
2. Mix the sugar and pectin, then add into
• 
20 g gelatin mass the purees and bring to a boil. Add the
gelatin mass at the end. Allow to cool down
1. Combine the egg yolks with the sugar and completely before use.
emulsify.
2. Heat the cream with the vanilla paste to
104°F (40°C). Combine both preparations
Vanilla Whipped Ganache
and cook at 181°F (83°C) for 20 sec. Pour
over the white chocolate and cocoa butter • 
400 g heavy cream 35%
and then add the gelatin mix at the end. • 
2 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
Emulsify and allow to cool down before use. Paste, Tahitian Classic 3-Fold
• 
80 g Weiss Aneo white chocolate 34%
• 
30 g gelatin mass
Black Currant Coulis
• 
200 g Boiron black currant purée 1. Heat the cream with the vanilla bean paste
to 149°F (65°C), then pour through a sieve.
• 
70 g Boiron raspberry purée
Pour over chocolate with gelatin mass and
• 
50 g invert sugar whisk gently. Emulsify with the help of
• 
20 g granulated sugar a hand blender. Place in the refrigerator
overnight before whipping.

64 Pastry Arts
 2. For the cake, put 20 g of the Vanilla
Vanilla Glaze Whipped Ganache into each of the 2.7ʺ (7
cm) halfsphere molds, and then place the
• 
55 g water frozen Black Currant layer in the center
• 
110 g granulated sugar of the mousse. Close the top of the mold
• 
0.2g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean with the almond sponge, then place it in a
Paste, Tahitian Classic 3-Fold freezer.
• 
110 g glucose syrup
3. Unmold the frozen cake and cover it with
• 
35 g condensed milk the Vanilla Glaze at 82°F (28°C).
• 
35 g evaporated milk
• 
60 g gelatin mass 4. Assemble the dessert as per photo, using a
• 
110 g Weiss Aneo white chocolate chocolate circle and ribbon for garnish.
• 
55 g Miroir Plus neutral glaze, cold

1. Combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean paste

and glucose syrup, then bring to a boil. Add
the condensed milk and evaporated milk
and bring to a boil again.
2. Pour over the white chocolate, and
add gelatin mass with the mirror
glaze, then emulsify. Allow to cool
down to 39°F (4°C) and reheat to
81°F (27°C) for glazing.

Assembly
• 
120 g IQF black currants

1. Place 20 g of the Black

Currant Coulis with 10
grams of IQF black
currants into each 2.3ʺ
(6 cm) half-sphere
silicone molds. Then
spread a layer of
Vanilla Cream weighing
20 grams in each of the
molds. Make sure to place each
layer separately in the freezer for few
minutes before adding the next one.
Freeze. This becomes the insert used
in Step 2.

Pastry Arts 65
 Strawberries
and Cream
By Filiberto Flores,
71 Above, Los Angeles, CA

A
veritable symphony of textures is
orchestrated here in a fruit forward Vanilla Panna Cotta
dessert garnished with green
strawberries, elderberry cordial and • 104 g gelatin sheets
crisp dehydrated batons of meringue. Making • 3280 g heavy cream
the contemporary plated dessert even more • 1200 g granulated sugar
memorable are the panna cotta and a classic
• 
60 g Tahitian Gold 3-Bean Blend Whole
sablé Breton cookie, both of which boast the
Vanilla Bean Paste
signature flavor of Tahitian Gold Vanilla Whole
Bean Paste. • 3680 g crème fraîche
• 1904 g buttermilk
Yield: 60 servings

66 Pastry Arts
1. Bloom the gelatin in ice water. (71°C) over a double boiler. Pour the egg
2. Meanwhile, in a pot, bring to a simmer the white mixture, along with the strawberry
heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste. powder and a couple of drops of red food
Remove from the heat and add the gelatin coloring into the large stand mixer and
sheets, then temper in the crème fraiche whip on speed 2 for 11 minutes. Once the
and buttermilk. Blend with the immersion meringue has become voluminous and holds
blender until smooth. Pass through a chinois, a stiff peak, transfer to a pastry bag fitted
pour mixture into a 12-qt Cambro, covered with a #804 round tip. Over acetate plastic,
with plastic film on the surface of the liquid make lines of meringue and dehydrate at
so that it doesn’t create a skin. Refrigerate 135°F (57°C) overnight.
overnight.
3. In the stand mixer, beat the panna cotta Sablé Breton
with a whisk attachment and place in piping
bags.
• 375 g unsalted butter
• 325 g granulated sugar, divided
Strawberry • 6 g kosher salt
Rhubarb Compote • 
10 g Tahitian Gold 3-Bean Blend Whole
Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1800 g diced strawberries • 150 g egg yolks
• 682 g diced rhubarb • 500 g pastry flour
• 252 g granulated sugar • 150 g almond flour
• 35 g NH Pectin • 16 g baking powder

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the diced 1. In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle
strawberries, diced rhubarb and sugar. Let attachment, mix the butter, 175 g of the
macerate for 10 minutes, until the fruit sugar, the salt and the vanilla bean paste
releases its juices. on speed 2 for 10 minutes, scraping down
2. In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients, the sides of the bowl occasionally, until light
including the NH pectin, and bring the and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat for 8
mixture to a boil. Pour the compote into half minutes, until fluffy.
sphere molds, level with an offset spatula, 2. Sift the flours, the remaining 150 g sugar
and freeze. and the baking powder in the large tamis to
remove any clumps. Add the dry ingredients
to the wet ingredients in 3 additions,
Meringue Sticks scraping the sides after each addition. Once
the dough has come together, package the
• 520 g egg whites dough in packs of 500 grams. Let it sit in the
• 1200 g granulated sugar refrigerator overnight.
• 2 Tbs freeze-dried strawberry powder 3. The next day, roll out the dough between
two sheets of parchment paper to about
• Red food coloring 3mm in thickness and freeze. Cut into
desired shape and freeze for 15 minutes.
1. Based on a Swiss meringue method, gently Bake at 300°F (149°C) for 6 minutes, or
bring the egg whites and sugar to 160°F until golden brown.

Pastry Arts 67
 down in the refrigerator for an hour or until
Elderberry Cordial it has become firm.
Green Strawberries 3. Using the Robot Coupe, blend the gel until
it become fluid and smooth. Pass through a
• 1245 g green strawberries, quartered tamis to eliminate any clumps. Transfer to a
• 500 g elderflower cordial pastry bag.

1. Place the cut green strawberries and cordial Assembly

in medium-size bags and Cryovac. Sous-
vide at 126°F (52°C) for 20 minutes, or until • Fresh strawberries, cut into wedges
tender, then submerge into an ice bath.

1. Using your favorite silicone mold (I use

Strawberry Gel Silikomart Stone 85), fill each cavity ¾ of the
way up with the whipped panna cotta base.
• 1200 g granulated sugar Using an offset spatula, bring up some of
• 48 g agar agar the base to ensure all the walls are covered.
Place a half sphere of compote in the center
• 3000 g strawberry purée
and cover with some more of the panna
• 400 g water cotta base, then level out with an offset
spatula and freeze for at least 6 hours or,
1. Place all the ingredients in a clean saucepan preferably, overnight.
and let stand for 5 minutes to hydrate the 2. Remove from mold and place the panna cotta
agar agar. over the cookie and set on a plate. Garnish
2. Place the pan on the burner. Continuously with a few wedges of fresh strawberries,
whisking and bring the liquid up to a boil. Elderberry Cordial Green Strawberries,
Transfer to a 200 hotel pan and let it cool Strawberry Gel, and Meringue Sticks.

68 Pastry Arts
 Classic
Vanilla
Entremet
By Kriss Harvey,
Pastry Chef and Chocolatier

S
alty, sweet, creamy and crunchy
coexist beautifully in this deceptively
simple dessert. Anchored by a
speculoos layer, here is a bold
statement about the chameleonic properties
of vanilla when paired with caramel and spiced
speculoos, rounded out by a medium-dark
milk chocolate. At its core is an irresistible
Normandy-style salted buttery caramel filling,
gently set with gelatin. A white chocolate the temperature reaches 374°F (190°C),
mirror glaze tops things off, radiating purity of deglaze with the cream mixture. Whisk
intention subverted by that devilish interior. thoroughly and cool to 140°F (60°C).

Caramel Coulis Insert Speculoos Layer

(placed on top of
• 300 g heavy cream
the entremets rings)
• 50 g glucose
• 4 g fleur de sel
• 
200 g milk chocolate 41%
• 
5 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
• 
5 g soft unsalted butter
Paste, Bourbon Premium 3-Fold
• 
100 g speculoos spread
• 2.6 g gelatin sheets (silver)
• 
11 g Maldon salt, crushed
• 
10.4 g water
• 
150 g speculoos cookies, finely ground
• 
550 g granulated sugar
• 
210 g salted butter
1. Melt the milk chocolate and remove from
the heat. Stir in the soft butter and the
1. Warm the cream, glucose, fleur de sel and speculoos spread. Add the salt and the
vanilla paste to 176°F (80°C). Set aside. crumbs. Cool the base to 82°F (28°C).
2. Bloom the gelatin in the water. 2. Smooth into 4.7ʺ x 0.4ʺ (12 cm diameter x
3. Make a dry caramel with the sugar. When 1 cm high) rings and freeze.

Pastry Arts 69
 • 
300 g white chocolate 35%
Vanilla Mousse Layer • 
8 g titanium dioxide
• 
11 g gelatin sheets (silver)
• 
44 g water 1. Bloom the gelatin in 80 g of the
water.
• 
200 g heavy cream
2. Heat the remaining 150 g water with the
• 
5 g Tahitian Gold Whole Vanilla Bean
sweetened condensed milk, sugar and
Paste, Bourbon Premium 3-Fold
glucose syrup. Add the drained gelatin
• 
100 g granulated sugar and ground vanilla beans. Strain over the
• 
150 g egg yolks chocolate. Add the titanium dioxide and
• 
750 g heavy cream, whipped blend with immersion blender. Use at 95-
104°F (35-40°C).
1. Bloom the gelatin in the water.
2. Warm the cream with the vanilla paste and
the sugar. Assembly
3. Whip the egg yolks, then add the warm
cream. Add the drained gelatin and cook • 
White chocolate plaques
over low heat, stirring with a spatula until • 
Edible flowers and leaves
the temperature reaches 180°F (82°C).
Remove contents from pan quickly. Cool, 1. Invert and unmold the entremets. Pour
blend with immersion blender and strain glaze over assembled frozen entremets.
through a chinois. Refrigerate to temper before serving.
4. Cool the crème anglaise to 82°F (28°C). Fold 2. Garnish with white chocolate plaques and
in the whipped cream. Place a 6.3ʺ diameter edible flowers and leaves.
x 1.7ʺ high (16 x 4.5 cm) ring on an acetate-
lined flat surface. Pipe some of the mousse
into the ring. Using an offset spatula, line
the inside of the ring with the mousse. Press
a caramel insert into the mousse, then pipe
a small amount of mousse over the insert.
Smooth with an offset spatula. Place a
frozen speculoos layer onto the mousse, not
in the mousse, then smooth the top (which
will become the bottom when served).

White Chocolate Glaze

• 
20 g gelatin sheets (silver)
• 
230 g water, divided
• 
200 g sweetened condensed milk
• 
300 g granulated sugar
• 
300 g glucose syrup
• 
3 g Tahitian Gold Ground Vanilla Beans,
Bourbon Premium

70 Pastry Arts
New & Notable

The Debut of Ruby

Chocolate Baking Chips
Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading mold in 2017 and we are proud to continue
manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and to champion this unparalleled chocolate,“ said
cocoa products, recently announced the latest Laura Bergan, Director of Brand Marketing at
addition to its North American portfolio: the Barry Callebaut. ”We are thrilled to partner
ruby baking chocolate chip. Ruby chocolate, with food manufacturers from across North
which had been in the making for more than America to distribute the ruby chocolate chip
10 years prior to its debut in 2017, is one of and introduce a new audience to this delicious
the biggest breakthroughs in the confectionery innovation.“ The ruby baking chip is being
industry in decades. The characteristics of launched as a key product solution within
a fresh berry fruitiness and color tone are Barry Callebaut’s Intense Indulgence campaign.
naturally present in ruby cocoa beans. With no Comprised of a bakery and confectionery
color or flavor added, the bean, in combination chapter, the campaign features products that
with the unique processing, unlocks the flavor meet customers’ demand for multisensorial
and color naturally present in ruby. Ruby cocoa and indulgent experiences. The availability of
beans are 100% sustainably sourced and are ruby baking chip rounds out the Indulgence’s
Cocoa Horizons certified, supporting the other solutions, including butterscotch chips,
training of farmers and empowering them to marshmallow chips, lemon chips and the
excel in their craft. “Ruby Chocolate broke the caramel aura baking chips.

72 Pastry Arts
More Than Cake
Pastry Chef and three-time James Beard
Foundation Award finalist Natasha Pickowicz
is likely known as much for her social justice
activity as for her innovative pastry. She
has done collaborations with New York City
Institutions such as Lenox Hill Neighborhood
House, God’s Love We Deliver, the Brigid
Alliance and Planned Parenthood of Greater
New York. Currently, Pickowicz runs the
pastry pop-up called Never Ending Taste,
which has been held at venues such as
NYC’s Superiority Burger, Brooklyn’s the
Four Horsemen, the American-Vietnamese
FLAVORED
bakery, the Taiwanese tearoom T. Company, COCOA BUTTERS
Los Angeles’s Kismet, and the legendary
Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Vanilla, Coffee & Rum
Pickowicz has also just released her first
book, More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes
Built for Pleasure
and Community
(Artisan, 2023),
where she shares
her recipes and
baking know-
how in a book
brimming with the
COFFEE VANILLA RUM
energy, passion, BRAZIL PAPUA NEW GUINEA

knowledge and
spirit of generosity
COFFEE FL AVORED COCOA BUTTER RUM FLAVORED COCOA BUTTER
PRODUCT OF FRANCE VANILLA FL AVORED COCOA BUTTER PRODUCT OF FRANCE

PRODUCT OF FRANCE

that define her

Net wt 15.8 fl oz (450g) Net wt 15.8 fl oz (450g)

Net wt 15.8 fl oz (450g)

work. The recipes

are fresh and
uncomplicated, drawing
on the author’s Chinese and Californian The perfect combination, resulting from
heritage. She pairs nectarine and miso in our expertise, to flavor in a single step.
a tarte tatin and makes a layer cake with
olive oil, mascarpone, and fennel. Black
cardamom gets tucked into pecan sticky Intense aromatic For all your uses:
buns, and galettes go savory with kabocha Ready profile with Clean ice cream, glazes,
squash. “Dessert,” as the author puts it, “is to use consistent Label coatings, flockings,
results and more!
beyond simple calories and nutrition. . . . It
spreads delight in a way that no other kind
of dish can. This is something I think people
really need—it’s not optional.” Find all our recipes on :
www.provagourmet.com
@provagourmet_us
Pastry Arts 73
Upcoming New classes this year:
Online Business Management for Chefs

Valrhona
with Chip Klose, consultant. Classes start
July 31st.
Four One-Day In-Person Classes for chefs

Classes
who feel the need to know more about
chocolate and pastry: two “The Essentials
of Desserts” and two “Fundamentals of
chocolate” classes. Join our Executive Pastry
Chef Guillaume Roesz to discover the world
of chocolate. The classes will provide an in-
depth and hands-on introduction to all there
is to know about chocolate.

This year’s lineup features 20 pastry chefs from

all over the world coming to teach at L’École
Valrhona Brooklyn. Some highlights include:
Bachour Bakery Masterclass with Chef
Antonio Bachour from July 17th-July 19th
(3-Day class).
Vegan Pastry with Chef Toni Rodriguez from
October 2nd-October 4th (3-Day Class).

The classes will also feature L’ École Valrhona’s

Corporate Pastry Chefs, with classes including:
Framed & Molded Chocolate Bonbons with
Executive Pastry Chef Guillaume Roesz from
May 17th – May 19th,
Located in the vibrant Dumbo neighborhood, Introduction to Chocolate: Basics of
just minutes away from lower Manhattan, Chocolate & Pastry by Chef Sarah Tibbetts
L’École Valrhona Brooklyn is dedicated from September 12th-September 13th.
to serving chefs as a welcoming venue to Creative Pâtisserie & Latin Flavors with Chef
exchange ideas and share their high level of Gonzo Jiménez (República del Cacao) from
expertise with one another. Through immersive June 13th-June 14th.
learning, chefs are able to work on perfecting
their techniques and discovering new trends. L’École Valrhona also offers online classes.
The classes range from one to three days of Catering to busy home bakers and chefs, these
intensive learning with the world’s finest pastry in-demand classes are the perfect, affordable
chefs, and classes are tailored to suit the needs option to enjoy classes without sacrificing your
of professional chefs with previous experience schedule. Classes include:
in the industry. New classes this year include Components & Textures of Plated Desserts
online Business Management for Chefs as well with Chef Jason Morale on August 24th.
as one-day classes for busy chefs who want to
Modern Pastry with Chef Patrice Demers on
consolidate their basics pastry and chocolate
August 31st.
technics. L’École is also thrilled to present new
guest chefs this year, including Eunji Lee and To see the full schedule of Valrhona classes,
renowned vegan pastry chef Toni Rodriguez. visit here.

74 Pastry Arts
Pierre Hermé & Häagen-Dazs
In a unique collaboration between luxury The result is the love
ice cream maker Häagen-Dazs and world- story of ice cream and
renowned pastry chef Pierre Hermé, a new macaron with Parisian
macaron ice cream range is hitting shelves flair. Crunchy chewy
across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the mini macaron shells
Middle East. ‘‘The collaboration with Pierre are added to the
Hermé is a perfect way of showcasing the creamy ice cream,
true craftsmanship of our brands. We are both bringing the perfect
passionate about innovating and re-interpreting balance of the taste of
classic favorites and creating extraordinary Häagen-Dazs with the
experiences for our consumers. And what Pierre Hermé macaron’s
better way to do that than with a pure French signature almond flavor. Chef
‘amour’ taste experience. Don’t hold back is Hermé says, “I am very excited
what we embody in everything we do and here and proud of our new collaboration. For the past
we epitomize that with our twenty years, I have constantly been creating
macaron collaboration and reinterpreting my macaron recipes, which
bringing alive Paris in is my favorite creative terrain. My macarons
a pint,” says Manuel are my identity so to put them in an ice cream I
Garabato, Häagen- needed to work with the very best. Häagen-
Dazs Global Dazs is just as passionate as me when
Brand Director. it comes to quality, taste and crafting
things in a new way, so collaboration was
established from the first bite.” We can only
hope that this collection eventually makes
its way to the U.S.!

Pastry Arts 75
Healthier, Lighter
and Tastier Pastry
Pastry Chef Jordi Bordas made a name for to speak. With the B·Concept method I finally
himself by becoming a World Pastry Champion managed to create recipes aligned with my
in 2011, and it was at that point that he began values: healthier, lighter, and tastier.” Bordas’s
to question the recipes that he had been using B-Concept is the foundation for his latest
throughout his career. He explains, “I realized book, Healthier, Lighter and Tastier Pastry, the
that none of those recipes were my own, and English version of a book that was originally
that they all came from other pastry chefs. In published in Spanish in 2021. Bordas uses a
addition, my diet began to be healthier, and variety of methods to make his recipes better,
I saw that my pastry preparations were not from using whole-meal flours and less-refined
aligned with my new lifestyle, nor did they sugars to replacing eggs with products such as
have the flavors and aromas that I wanted to aquafaba. This book is written for professionals,
convey. For this reason, I started to research and includes recipes such as mango-passion
about the ingredients I was using. I needed a fruit cakes, orange and sesame tartlets, and a
system to be able to formulate my own recipes strawberry-basil cheesecake. Bordas includes
and design my own pastry line. This directed nutritional information for each recipe, along
me towards an alternative path, a B plan, so with suggestions for ingredient substitutions.

76 Pastry Arts
 The
Chef Toni Rodriguez first began tinkering
with vegan pastry way back in 2004, a time
when there were no guidebooks to rely on.

Vegan
Inspired by scenes from a slaughterhouse at
the end of a Paul McCartney concert DVD,
Rodriguez vowed never to eat meat again,

Pastry
and took a job washing dishes in a vegetarian
restaurant. When he wasn’t working, he was
experimenting with vegan ingredients and

Bible
testing recipes at home. The following year,
he opened his first vegan pastry workshop in
this home. Today Rodriguez runs Wildslice, a
bilingual vegan pastry academy in Barcelona,
and has already written five books on the
subject. His latest is The Vegan Pastry Bible
(ICEP Publishing, 2023), a handsome book
that offers more than 100 recipes, along with
500 step-by-step photos for creating a wide
range of vegan baked products. Categories
include sponge cakes; viennoiserie; breakfast
and snack items; cookies and shortbreads;
macarons and petits fours; chocolate desserts;
pastries; and creams, flans and mousses.
Recipes include an olive oil-based puff pastry,
pecan pie, vegan macarons and cannoli.

Pastry Arts 77
The World will become the prime
Chocolate partner of the World
Chocolate Masters. With

Masters
its 27 training centers
around the world, the
Chocolate Academy has proven
its indispensable role in coaching and
The World Chocolate Masters – the world’s training all chefs taking part in this competition.
leading competition dedicated to chocolate With its new online platform, the Chocolate
– has opened applications for its new ‘24/25 Academy brings chocolate know-how to
cycle to professionals in the confectionery, kitchens around the world – empowering
patisserie and hospitality industries around chefs to be at their creative best. The new
the world. The new theme ‘Play!’ is inviting WCM theme ‘Play!’ expresses what chefs
them to re-think how chocolate brings fun do with chocolate: making people happy and
and indulgence, while rewarding emerging excited. The competition asks all contestants
consumer expectations. National and Regional to rethink how chocolate creations will fit new
Selections will take place in 2024, ahead of consumer lifestyles while providing a daily dose
the world final in autumn 2025. Chefs and of indulgence. The competition also urges all
artisans who want to participate must submit contestants to consider sustainable choices to
their applications at least three months make people and the planet happy by avoiding
before their national selection at www. food waste, reducing our footprint, etc. And
worldchocolatemasters.com/apply. ‘Play!’ is also about playing with nutrients to
The World Chocolate Masters are powered create fresh, tasty and good-for-you delights.
by the Chocolate Academy, supported by For information about the new theme and the
Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Mona Lisa. As of assignments for the National Selections, visit
the new ‘24/25 cycle, the Chocolate Academy www.worldchocolatemasters.com.

78 Pastry Arts
 Anna Olson’s
Baking Wisdom
Anna Olson, a professionally trained chef and cookies & bars
host of FoodNetwork Canada’s Bake with Anna and breads.
Olson, as well as the Oh Yum with Anna Olson With over 150
channel on YouTube, has already written two recipes, there
baking books (Baking Day with Anna Olson and is something
Set for the Holidays with Anna Olson), but it’s her for every taste
latest one that really has our attention. Anna and skill level
Olson’s Baking Wisdom (appetite by Random here. Standout
House, 2023) is a baking resource that will recipes include Anna’s non-traditional
answer every baking question you’ve ever had Cannelés; Esterházy Torte; Matcha Swiss Roll
– and many you haven’t – offering a veritable with Raspberry Cream; and Torta Setteveli
masterclass in baking. Anna’s triple-tested (“seven veils”). As it says on the cover, this is
recipes are grouped together by technique or the complete guide to everything you need to
principle, and include chapters on pies & tarts, know to become a better baker, and that’s no
pastries, cakes, custards & creams, confections, exaggeration.

Edible Flowers Cosmos

Matcha & Cashew Milk 70% Chocolate Millefeuille, Flower Honey Cake

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Chocolate Talk

Soufflés
on the Rise
Recipes by Della Gossett,
Pastry Chef, Spago Beverly Hills

Sponsored by
Guittard Chocolate Company
80 Pastry Arts
A
dessert soufflé is a overnight. We test all newly developed
perfect way to finish a soufflés for correct timing.
spectacular meal and Baking: We like our soufflés to go out
leave your guests with creamy in the center. This ensures that we
one final memorable don’t overbake the soufflé, thus causing
moment. The soufflé it to fall prematurely. Some soufflés also
is a series of contrasts – light and airy, do a little carry-over cooking as they go
hot and cold, sweet and savory, and is a to the table.
satisfying way to finish a meal and a great Timing: We fire soufflés all night, so it’s
complement to a variety of dessert wines. very important that you have a timer
It is also extremely visual and interactive that can accommodate all rotating bake
and able to turn heads of surrounding times. I’ve found a timer by Taylor that
diners as it makes its way across the has a mini dry erase board divided into 4
restaurant and served to the lucky sections that keeps all our soufflés
recipients. organized. After we’ve
We all know that figured out the bake time,
soufflés are also a for example 12 minutes,
balancing act that I will divide the timing
requires impeccable of each soufflé so we
timing, skill and can alert the dessert
training. We spent plater to prepare
some time with Della for the soufflé and
Gossett, Pastry Chef, organize all the other
Spago Beverly Hills, desserts that need to
who loves to make and go out at the same time.
serve dessert soufflés. For a 12-minute fire, it
She has some delicious would be 9 by 3 minutes. At
recipes and pairings to share the 3-minute mark, we would
and some helpful tips to help you call a warning to the dessert plater.
deliver a great soufflé experience. The cook that is firing the soufflé would
then wipe off the “9” on the dry erase
timer so everyone knows the soufflé is
Chef Della’s Souffle
on the “3 minute” mark.
Tips and Tricks
Organization: When plating soufflés
Here are a few tips and tricks that I follow with many components, organization is
when preparing and serving soufflés on a key. If possible, prefill your components
busy night of service to make sure that I like creams, crumbles, sauces ahead of
deliver a great soufflé experience. time for a smooth transition. Make sure
Preparation: Many soufflé recipes can your front-of-house servers have all
be finished in soufflé ramekins and the tools and knowledge to make your
kept at least for most of dinner service, soufflé delivery a success, for example,
approximately 5-6 hours. Very stable service spoons if they are doing table side
soufflés, like chocolate, can be saved service, linens, etc.

Pastry Arts 81
 Hazelnut Crêpe Soufflé
with Teff Crêpes and
Milk Chocolate Shaved
“Truffle”
Wine pairings with desserts are one of my For this dessert experience, shaving the Milk
favorite things to suggest to really bring out Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle tableside is a fun
the flavor of the dessert and the wine. This way to interact with the guest. It melts on the
Hazelnut Crêpe Soufflé was created by pairing warm teff crêpe soufflé, creating an aroma of
a chocolate dessert with Banyuls, a dessert sweet malty caramel, hazelnuts and chocolate.
wine, which has notes of red fruits, toasted The teff crêpe lends earthiness and the cold
nuts and a touch of spice, perfect for black black truffle gelato rounds the flavors together
truffles, chocolate and roasted hazelnuts. in the dessert.

82 Pastry Arts
 Teff CRÊPE Milk Chocolate
Hazelnut “Truffle”
• 260 g teff flour
• 60 g granulated sugar • 
300 g Guittard 38% Soleil D’Or Milk
• 1 tsp fine sea salt Chocolate Wafers
• 10 g instant espresso powder • 
72 g cocoa butter
• 20 g Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder • 
720 g hazelnut praline paste, 50%
• 560 g milk • 
240 g paillete feuilletine
• 200 g eggs • 
2 g fleur de sel
• 
60 g unsalted butter, melted and kept
warm 1. Temper the milk chocolate with the cocoa
• 
500 g Guittard Cocoa Rouge and Dark butter. Whisk in the hazelnut praline paste
Cocoa powder, 50/50 blend for dusting until homogenous. Fold in the paillete
feuilletine and fleur de sel.
1. Mix all the dry ingredients (except the 2. Using aluminum foil, create pouches to
cocoa powder blend for dusting) in a bain- resemble black truffles. Let crystallize.
marie. Add the milk and eggs and blend 3. Roll “truffles” in a blend of Guittard Cocoa
until smooth with an immersion blender. Rouge and Guittard Dark Cocoa Powder.
With the blender running, stream in the Press into the chocolate form and use the
butter. warmth of your hands to create the shape
2. Refrigerate overnight. of a truffle.

Note: To be used when making the crêpe soufflé

and individual soufflé.

Pastry Arts 83
 smooth. Cool slightly, then add egg yolks,
Crumble Base vanilla extract, salt and hazelnut praline
paste. Whisk until smooth. Note: the
• 160 g bread flour hazelnut base can be made ahead of time,
• 180 g granulated sugar but must be blended until smooth.
• 90 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold 2. Just before serving your soufflé, make the
meringue: Whip egg whites with cream
of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add the
1. Combine the bread flour and sugar in the
sugar and whip egg whites until firm, but
bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cold butter
not dry. Sprinkle in cornstarch and finish by
and paddle the mixture until butter is well
gently folding until just incorporated. Fold
blended and a sandy texture is achieved.
1/3 of the meringue into the batter just to
2. Set aside until ready to use. loosen the hazelnut mixture. Gently fold
in the remaining whites. Use this soufflé
Hazelnut Milk base immediately when making the Crêpe
Soufflé.
• 1000 g hazelnuts
Note: For the Crêpe Soufflé, place a teff crêpe on
• 250 g milk
a baking sheet. Spoon hazelnut soufflé batter on
half of the crepe folding the other half on top.
1. Roast the hazelnuts.
Bake at 375°F (90°C) for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat the milk and add the roasted hazelnuts.
Blend with an immersion blender and
refrigerate overnight.
3. Strain.

Hazelnut Soufflé
• 400 g Hazelnut Milk (see recipe above)
• 287 g Crumble Base (see recipe above)
• 80 g egg yolks
• 10 g vanilla extract
• 0.5 g salt
• 100 g hazelnut praline paste, 50%
• 242 g egg whites, at room temperature
• 0.5 g cream of tartar
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 30 g cornstarch
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• Generous pinch fine sea salt

1. Bring Hazelnut Milk to a simmer. Add 287

g Crumble Base and whisk together until

84 Pastry Arts
 Black Truffle Gelato
• 928 g whole milk
• 175 g heavy cream
• 26 g invert sugar
• Black truffle shavings, as needed
• 210 g egg yolks
• 52 g non-fat milk powder
• 280 g granulated sugar
• 28 g glucose powder
• 44 g dextrose
• 5 g ice cream stabilizer
• Fine sea salt, as needed

1. Heat the milk, cream and invert sugar; add

black truffle shavings and infuse overnight
in the refrigerator.
2. Blend the yolks into the cold truffle mixture.
3. Mix all dry ingredients together. Whisk
the dry ingredients into the truffle-infused
liquid. Pasteurize the gelato base. Add salt
to taste.
4. Fill a Paco Jet container as directed by the
manufacturer.
5. Freeze and spin when needed.

Pastry Arts 85
 S’Mores Soufflé
I’m always trying to find a twist for a chocolate Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Wafers are ideal
soufflé. The components of a S’more are for this soufflé. They have subtle fruit notes
chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker. with well-rounded rich chocolate undertones
Smoked vanilla and toasted marshmallow, and a light touch of molasses with soft tannins.
reminiscent of cooking over a campfire, is the The soufflé is topped with a smoked vanilla
inspiration for this soufflé. I opted to bring marshmallow with a hint of orange and finished
balance by pairing those two ingredients with with house-made chocolate sauce made with
a dark chocolate soufflé made with melted Guittard 100% Oban Wafers. Vanilla gelato,
chocolate. I like to use organic ingredients in my graham cracker crumble and dark chocolate
recipes whenever possible, and Guittard’s 66% sauce are served on the side.

86 Pastry Arts
 Smoked Marshmallow Fluff
• 390 g light corn syrup
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 8.5 g smoked vanilla sugar
• ½ smoked vanilla bean, split and scraped
• Zest from ¼ orange
• 135 g egg whites, at room temperature

1. Cook corn syrup, sugar, vanilla sugar, vanilla

bean and zest together to 239°F (115°C).
Turn off the heat and let the bubbles fade a
little. Carefully remove vanilla pod.
2. In the meantime, whip the egg white to soft
peaks. With the mixer running, stream the
hot vanilla syrup into the egg whites. Turn
mixer to high and whip until stiff peaks
form. Store in an airtight container in the
cooler until ready to use.

Graham Cracker Crumble Chocolate Soufflé

• 200 g graham flour or whole wheat flour
• 
340 g Guittard 66% Organic Dark
• 80 g pastry flour Chocolate, plus broken pieces as needed
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon • 106 g unsalted butter
• ½ tsp baking soda • 400 g egg whites
• ¾ tsp salt • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 70 g granulated sugar • 150 g granulated sugar
• 55 g honey
• 150 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold 1. Melt the 340 g chocolate and the butter
• 1 egg together over a water bath to 114°F (46°C).
2. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar to
1. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle soft peaks. Slowly stream in sugar and whip
attachment, blend first 6 ingredients to form firm and shiny peaks.
together for 1 minute until combined. 3. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the chocolate
2. Add the honey, butter and egg. Continue mixture to lighten the base. Gently fold in
mixing until mixture is crumbly, resembling the remaining meringue.
granola. Spread out onto sheet pan, and 4. Put the soufflé in a piping bag. No tip
dry out in cooler, unwrapped. needed – cut a generous hole at the tip to
3. Bake at 325°F (160°C) until golden brown. prevent souffle from deflating. Pipe into
Stir with a spatula while still warm to break vessel, adding broken chocolate wafers as
up into pieces, if necessary. desired.

Pastry Arts 87
 Assembly
1. Prepare the soufflé dishes with softened
butter and sugar.
2. Pipe a ring of Marshmallow Soufflé around
the edge of the soufflé dish. Pipe the
chocolate soufflé in the middle, adding
chocolate wafer pieces throughout. Hold
soufflés in the cooler and bake to order.
These soufflés will keep for approximately
5 hours.
3. Bake for approximately 12 minutes,
depending on the size of the dish. Testing
is necessary.

Additional ingredients
Serve with Graham Cracker Crumble, Whipped
Crème Fraiche, extra Marshmallow Fluff, House
Made Chocolate Sauce or Smoked Vanilla
Gelato, if desired.

Marshmallow Soufflé
• 100 g egg whites, at room temperature
• Generous pinch of cream of tartar
• 30 g granulated sugar
• 360 g Marshmallow Fluff

1. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar

together to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar
and whip until meringue is firm, yet still
smooth.
2. Add 1/3 of the meringue into the fluff to
loosen the base. Gently fold in the remaining
meringue. Put the marshmallow base into a
piping bag fitted with a large round tip.

88 Pastry Arts
Pistachio
Chocolate
Chip Soufflé
with Raspberry
Stracciatella
I enjoy going to the Santa Monica Farmers’ it tends to saturate the lightness of the soufflé.
Market to look for seasonal fruits, nuts, herbs The contrast of chilled whipped crème fraîche
and even vegetables to use as inspiration for and a touch of raspberry sauce adds the perfect
desserts. The Farmers’ Market berries are so amount of acidity. Raspberry Stracciatella is
lovely, and I enjoy all their different varieties served on the side for a refreshing treat.
and flavors. Raspberries, as well as other berries
and fruit, change in flavor as the season and
varieties change. The Santa Barbara pistachios Pistachio Paste
are also so delicious here. Along with their
pistachios, they also press their own 100% • 400 g Santa Barbara Pistachios, raw
pistachio oil and nut pastes. • 
50 g Santa Barbara 100% pressed pistachio
oil
The Pistachio Chocolate Chip Soufflé with
Raspberry Stracciatella is a favorite at Spago. • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
We serve the pistachio and Guittard chocolate
chip soufflé with soft, whipped crème fraîche 1. Put all ingredients into a Paco Jet container.
that is topped tableside with raspberry sauce. I Process as many times as needed to achieve
prefer not to top soufflés with gelato, because desired consistency of paste.

Pastry Arts 89
 1. Place the Pistachio Paste and oil into a large
Pistachio Soufflé bowl.
2. Begin to whip the egg whites with 104 g
• 400 g Pistachio Paste of the sugar and the cream of tartar to soft
• 40 g pistachio oil and foamy peaks.
• 1360 g egg whites, at room temperature 3. While the whites begin to whip, cook the
• 1064 g granulated sugar, divided water and the remaining 960 g sugar to
• 4 g cream of tartar 235°F (113°C).
• 360 g water 4. Stream the hot syrup into the meringue.
Beat to medium peaks that are shiny and
• 
Handful of chopped Guittard 66% Organic
smooth.
Bittersweet Chocolate Wafers (6 pieces
per soufflé) 5. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the Pistachio
Paste mixture to soften the paste. Carefully
fold the remaining meringue into the
lightened batter.
6. Spoon the soufflé batter into the prepared
buttered and sugared ramekins. Alternate
the batter with Guittard 66% Organic
Bittersweet Wafers. Bake at 375°F (190°C).

Candied Pistachios
• 350 g Santa Barbara pistachios
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 30 g water
• 5 g honey
• 7 g fleur de sel

1. Place the pistachios in a mixing bowl.

2. Combine the sugar, water and honey and
bring to boil. Cook for a few additional
minutes. Let the bubbles dissipate.
Pour syrup over the pistachios. Stir to
coat. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel. Cast
pistachios onto a Silpat-lined sheet pan.
Bake for about 12-14 minutes, stirring
every 5 minutes, at 325°F (160°C).
3. When toasted, stir pistachios until cool and
separated.

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 Raspberry Stracciatella
• 2000 g milk
• 700 g heavy cream
• 90 g dextrose
• 500 g granulated sugar
• 225 g glucose powder
• 90 g non-fat dry milk powder
• 2000 g raspberry purée
• 15 g vanilla extract
• 30 g Chambord or raspberry liqueur
• 
450 g Guittard 66% Organic Bittersweet
Chocolate, melted and cooled

1. Prepare and pasteurize gelato base, chill.

2. Add raspberry purée, vanilla and liqueur.
3. Spin gelato in the machine as directed.
4. Using a pastry bag, drizzle fine lines of
chocolate into the gelato while stirring, to
create chips

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Expert Tips

Five Tips
Five Experts
In our Expert Tips column, we connect with
five professionals in the categories we remain
focused on—pastry, chocolate, baking, bread,
frozen—to attain one high-level tip.

92 Pastry Arts
 doing the final rounding. Have
Bread your flexible bench scraper
handy to release the dough from
Robert Wemischner, the work surface as you finish
author of The Dessert Architect the rounding. To get clean cuts
(Cengage Learning, 2009) during scoring, be sure to replace
the razor in the lame frequently,
When shaping boules, always make sure that keeping track of how many times you have
after you have divided the dough into desired used it. Remember to reposition the razor
units, cover it and give it a 15-minute rest on blade to take advantage of the fresh and still-
the bench to allow the dough to relax before sharp side.

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Pastry
Mai Nguyen, Executive Pastry Chef,
Coquette and Cocorico, Boston, MA
The temperature of your croissant dough
and butter sheet should be 55˚F (13˚C). If
the butter is too cold when laminating, it
will crack inside of your dough, leaving tiny
spaces in which the dough will fuse together,
resulting in an undesirable bread-like
texture. If your dough is too hot, place in the
walk-in for about 30 minutes to bring down
the temperature. If your dough is too cold,
leave at room temperature until it reaches
55˚F (13˚C), being careful not to place over
direct heat.

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Frozen
Tracy DeWitt, Chef Instructor, Auguste Escoffier School of
Culinary Arts
For ice cream to have a smoother texture with fewer
irregular ice crystals, I allow the ice cream base to sit
overnight in the refrigerator before freezing. This allows
the proteins to absorb excess water from the liquid phase,
resulting in a slightly thicker ice cream base and a noticeably
smoother outcome.
To cut and serve an ice cream cake (entremet glace), the
internal temperature of the ice cream should be between
8˚C to 10˚C (-12˚C to -13˚C) for best results. The sweetness
and flavors will be more distinguishable at this temperature,
and the cake will cut nicely without splintering.

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 Cake
Jenna Jenkins, Cake Decorator
and Owner, Butter•Sugar•Flour
When baking for your upcoming event, add
an additional four-inch cake in your client’s
favorite flavor. Do a simple buttercream
design and box it up for the couple to take
home for their one year anniversary. By
doing this you can add the servings of your
top tier for service, and it’s a smaller package
that saves space in the freezer for your
couple! As an additional touch, I like to add a
tag with their one year anniversary date and
well wishes. Your couples will appreciate the
small details you put into their special day!

96 Pastry Arts
 wipe it up before everything in the lab is
covered with red cocoa butter. Scrape the
outside of the mold before you put it down
to prevent having to clean the bottom of the
cooler. As a mentor of mine once mentioned,
“Slow down and speed up.” I also use plastic
wrap to cover things I know are going to get
chocolate on them, like the
edge of the melter, as
I hand-shell praline
Chocolate molds, and then
when I am
Brian Donaghy, Corporate Chocolatier, Tomric done I can
Systems, Buffalo, NY pull up the
plastic wrap
Is it the chocolate that’s messy or the and throw it
chocolatier? Spoiler alert, it’s the chocolatier. away. It seems
If there is chocolate on your hands or on the so apparent, but most of
handle of your tool, clean it up. Otherwise, the time when I see chocolate in
it transfers to the next tool, the fridge door places it doesn’t belong in the kitchen, it’s
and the table. If you spill cocoa butter in the because we didn’t take the extra second to
microwave or down the outside of the bottle, prevent the mess.

Pastry Arts 97
Profile

Dinara Kasko
True Pastry
Resilience
By Shawn Wenner

98 Pastry Arts
S
he defines herself
The Q&A
as a creative
person, immensely
interested in Was there a person, situation or event
which helped you get onto the path
art. Following you are on today?
her time at the University I was born in a small city. We didn’t have enough
of Architecture and Design money when I was young, so my mother always
told me I had to work and study well because
and having worked as an no one could help me escape that city. When
I was 17 I moved to Kharkiv, where I achieved
architect-designer and 3D good results at school and got accepted into
visualizer for several years, the university. I earned a red diploma which
is the equivalent of a distinction, which was
the Ukrainian chef Dinara important to me. I always competed with my
best friend at university, who now has a team of
Kasko finds in pastry the ideal over 200 working for him. My husband believed
terrain to express her creative in me, that I could do something special. I was
an architect and worked as a designer, but
restlessness, with architecture once I started baking, I spent all my money and
free time learning about pastry. He noticed my
and geometry as tools, and passion, supported me and we always shared
with the ultimate purpose of ideas. He helped with photos and videos and
we also traveled together. The cloud mold,
finding beauty. She uses a 3D which is one of the most popular molds at
Silikomart, was his idea and we worked on the
printer to construct a silicone 3D model together. He continues to help me
mold for shaping cakes. Her today.

works of confectionery art

employ the mathematical
principles of the Voronoi
Diagram and biomimicry.
Her main Kyiv bakery was
bombed in 2022 and she fled
to the UK shortly thereafter.
Her bakery and silicone mold
business now operate from
the UK and Poland.

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What was the hardest part to get to chefs, but it happened to me suddenly. I was a
the point where things came together housewife designer making cakes at home in
successfully? a tiny kitchen. The most difficult part was the
travel, as I didn’t see my family and my small
In 2016, I suddenly, and unexpectedly, became daughter wasn’t ready yet. Being an architect
popular after an article in So Good Magazine. It who suddenly became a popular pastry chef
featured five of my cakes, three of which used was mentally difficult for me. Today I no longer
a 3D printer. Many magazines, newspapers attend seven interviews per day, so I can work
and TV channels wanted to interview me and I quietly and do as I please.
received 300,000 followers within two months.
Everyone wanted to collaborate with me, but
I wasn’t ready for it. Today it is common to How was it being thrust into the
become popular through social networks, but spotlight?
back then I couldn’t understand the attention,
because I didn’t have enough pastry knowledge I received a lot of support at the time, but some
or experience. Today I understand that I people didn’t respect me. They thought I was
cannot be the best pastry chef in the world, copying something and that I wasn’t a pastry
but I can be a very good pastry designer, so I chef. I felt that and I thought I did not deserve
decided to grow and work in that direction. In the attention. That was a problem so I had to
2016, I learned many techniques by attending speak with a specialist about it. I worked hard
classes. Chefs usually start working at 16, at to achieve my position by using social media. I
different hotels and restaurants, then enter learned how to make perfect cakes so nobody
competitions and become executive and pastry can say I am fake.

100 Pastry Arts

Did you suffer from Impostor big hotel, but I told them I couldn’t because
Syndrome? I felt I was not ready. It is simply a matter of
experience. If you believe you do not deserve
That is exactly what happened to me. I had to it, that may be, but sometimes we don’t choose
understand that it would not last. Today I was and it simply happens.
famous, but tomorrow people will forget who I
was. If you have a chance today, don’t hesitate,
What were you doing before the war in
thank the universe, keep it and push as much
as possible. We all have different backgrounds Ukraine?
and tastes. Some want to win the Coupe Du In 2018, I opened the studio in Kharkiv, and also
Monde, but others are happy making a great rented a second space in the summer of 2021.
croissant. Today one can become popular by We opened an online shop with ingredients
making something simple and delicious at and tools for confectioners. My team and I
home, but if you want to be executive pastry were working on many projects in the studio as
chef in a five star hotel, social media is not nobody believed war was possible.
enough. To overcome Imposter Syndrome you
need to feel comfortable, so I tried to work
as much as I could and learn, so that I could
feel normal around other chefs. Even if you do
something special, everyone only cares about
themselves, so you should do what you want
If you have a chance
to do for yourself, because this is your life. I today, don’t hesitate,
wasn’t ready in 2016 when this happened to
me. I remember trying to answer every social thank the universe,
media comment, which kept me up until 3AM.
I was happy and sad at the same time. I would keep it and push as
be very happy if it happened to me today, and
wouldn’t think about Imposter Syndrome.
much as possible.
Last year I received an invitation to work in a

Pastry Arts 101

 decided to leave our city. We didn’t plan to be
away for years, so we moved from one city to
another, sometimes sleeping in the car due to
traffic jams. We stayed in Western Ukraine and
moved between shelters because there were
several daily air alarms. At the time they were
shelling from Belarus and nobody could predict
where the rockets would go. Shelters were very
cold and dirty because people do not live in
basements and underground parking. The kids
had health issues as a result of the cold. Once
we had a chance we went to Moldova, then
Romania. We moved through many European
countries over two weeks, not sure where to
go. We stayed with relatives in Spain, then my
friends suggested applying for UK, visas, which
we had to do in Portugal, so we stayed there for
two months. We moved to the UK, not planning
to stay long, but we have been here for almost
a year already. We waited initially, thinking the
war would end and we would be able to return
home. It is still dangerous to be there. Four days
ago my assistant went home from Chernivtsi
to Kharkiv, and that evening 80 rockets were
fired, 15 in my city. The first week after the war
broke out was the most dramatic moment in
my life. My adrenaline levels were very high, I
The war unfolded quickly. I remember
couldn’t eat or think, my eyes and hands were
seeing your posts of being in a shelter constantly shaking and I was vomiting. I wasn’t
with your kids — can you take us ready for it, but I helped with evacuations and
through what the initial few weeks buying medicine. Many of my followers sent
were like and what happened to you? us money which I used to help the people in
my city. Today my studio is closed because the
Like all Ukrainians, I heard explosions at 5AM members of my team all went to different cities
on February 24th. I had attended a big event and countries. We kept the equipment at the
that evening and came home after midnight. studio until September, and only moved it to
My husband told me war was coming but I our garage in October when
told him to go to bed as I didn’t believe him. I thought it was possible
He saw many many military vehicles at the gas to go home. I have
station at 1:30 AM, and I remember going to since realized it
bed very stressed at 3:30 AM. Then we heard is impossible,
explosions, and our windows were shaking. so my
People started sending messages asking if we equipment
were okay and what to do. It was very strange is waiting
and I couldn’t eat or breathe normally for two for me.
weeks. By midday we had heard five sets of
explosions, so we packed two suitcases and

102 Pastry Arts

We didn’t have
enough money
when I was
young, so my
mother always
told me I had to
work and study
well because no
one could help
me escape
that city.

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Hearing you talk about that and What were some of the first things you
knowing the entire time you had kids started doing as you got back to work?
makes me emotional. It’s amazing how
We had a warehouse in Poland, so we didn’t stop
you made it through; you have serious
all our business. The war started, but we had
resilience inside you. several big orders in February and March from
We are also here because my kids are very our wholesale customers, and we had recently
young and I have to keep them safe. If I was received a container of molds in Poland. My
alone I could have stayed in Ukraine but I Amazon shop continued working and we held a
can’t live in a place that will be dangerous for charity sale in which almost everything we had
my kids. They didn’t feel the war or hear the was sold. In June, we started doing handmade
shelling. I remember being in the shelter on production again. I went to my first event as
the fifth day of the war. We went to the shelter a participant only, so I showed my cakes and
every two hours and had to take all our clothes received an award there. I began traveling
downstairs from the sixth floor, which was again and offered my first class in Poland in
difficult, especially at night. My daughter said December. I am working as much as I can, but
to me, “I don’t like this hotel, can we move to without an assistant or a studio there are still
another one, I don’t like this game any more.” timing issues. I could open a studio here, find
We told them we were going for a picnic. Each investors, bring all my equipment and start the
time we went we took some food and toys, put same business again, but we haven’t decided
blankets on the floor and tried to play or watch where to live yet. My English allows me to travel
movies. We were talking about war and shelling and give classes and presentations. We lost
so they understood the situation. My daughter 40% of our possibilities, but my knowledge and
feels very good here, she likes the place and is hands are still with me so I can make it again.
very happy, but she misses her grandparents. We bought a new apartment a year before the
war started, so we invested everything there.
I still have a strange feeling inside me that if
I start something again, somebody will take it
from me. I cannot do that then lose it again,
which is why I need time.

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I received 300,000
followers within
two months.
Everyone wanted
to collaborate
with me, but
I wasn’t ready
for it.

Pastry Arts 105

Did you establish a relationship with worldwide shipping from Ukraine. We also
Silikomart before this period? Further, have a Polish warehouse and fulfillment center
what’s happening regarding the molds for wholesale orders. Our post office and DHL
started to work at the end of May. DHL sends
you conceptualize and sell ?
our parcels to Kiev by car, then to Warsaw on
We collaborated with Silikomart in 2016. I had a special train, then by plane internationally. It
many ideas and asked them to make my mold. was four days faster, but businesses have to
When I posted the So Good Magazine article become smart to survive.
about me on my Instagram, hundreds of people
wrote to me daily asking where they could buy What advice would you give those
my mold. We started to hand make and sell who are seeking a high level of success
the molds. Two years later I found a Chinese
in the pastry world?
company to make them for me. I make the 3D
model, we send it to that factory, they do the Work hard. Better quality cakes result in more
molds for us, then we ship them from China to invitations. If you do nothing, you will have
the Ukraine, Poland and the US. In 2021, we nothing. It is possible to become popular by
placed a huge order before the war started. We using social media, as happened with me. If you
were expecting it at the beginning of 2022, so want to travel, teach and become famous, you
we already had a lot of molds to sell. I couldn’t have to produce photos and videos and post
stop working because we still had to pay for them on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. If
expenses. I still want to work and don’t want you make beautiful cakes and don’t show them
someone to ruin my dream, so I continue making to the world, no one will know. Social media
new designs. I have to create three new models helps all businesses grow. You should make
next month for some events and exhibitions. something good, strange or unique.
I have 3D printers here, so we print different
things daily. I send them to Ukraine by car, then
our master makes the molds and we sell them.
The process is much more complicated now.

What is the rhythm with new

molds and where is the
best place to find
upcoming molds?
Last year we had no new
molds but this year we will
launch 10 new designs.
We have 50 to 60 designs,
35 of which are made in a
factory. I have many ideas,
but they remain ideas only
because it takes a lot of time
and money to make it work
for a real cake. We sell through
Amazon in the US market,
then we have an online shop with

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 I received a lot of support at the time,
but some people didn’t respect me.
They thought I was copying something
and that I wasn’t a pastry chef.

Pastry Arts 107

 If you make
beautiful cakes
and don’t show
them to the world,
no one will know.

causes my account to be blocked. You have to

abide by the rules. TikTok is easier to grow than
Instagram. You have to make video reels if you
want a community of followers. Instagram did
Do you have any tips or considerations
everything for people, they simply uploaded
for pastry and baking professionals reels, because pictures alone don’t work. Your
reading this? videos should be trendy but it’s better to find
your own special style so that people will
Learn as much as you can. Attend many courses
recognize you. Collaborate and do not stop
and change jobs often because experience is
posting. Have a system, because if you only
vital. It’s important to feel comfortable about
post twice a year, you won’t succeed. Many
what you do – if you don’t like it, don’t do it.
people think bloggers don’t understand how
You may have to change your career, but do
to work, but social media marketing is a huge
something you are passionate about and have
job. Coming up with posts, producing videos
fun. Today, I made 3D models, tomorrow I will
and writing descriptions takes time. The older
make cakes, and the next day I will travel. I
chefs who can make cakes but cannot make
cannot do the same thing daily. You need to
videos, think that the younger generation who
be open and understand that making mistakes
play with video on social media are not chefs.
builds your experience. You have to live each
Someone who has many followers means they
day to the fullest, because nobody knows what
have knowledge and did a good job. I know
they will have tomorrow.
people who like to do the same thing. They
are comfortable working in mass production
What advice do you have for those because they have no issues with views or
trying to leverage social media to get promotions and they receive a salary. Having
themselves out there? your own business requires constant promotion
which is always unpredictable. You must work
I currently have difficulties on social media daily and cannot have lengthy holidays or ever
with everything I post, because the war often forget about your business.

108 Pastry Arts

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Trends

Color Goes
All Natural
By AnnMarie Mattila

Allison Reiss
(@buttercreambreakfast on
Instagram) creates buttermilk
doughnuts naturally glazed with
a mixture of pink pitaya and
butterfly pea flower powders
from Suncore Foods.

110 Pastry Arts

 Depending on your needs, one of the most

L
straightforward solutions is going directly to the
manufacturers you know and trust. Chefmaster,
ike practically known for their consistently colorful gels, has
everything released a line of natural food coloring that
boasts being both vibrant and plant-based.
in the food You will find natural alternatives such as beet
world these powder, beta carotene, and spirulina instead
of the notorious “red dye 40” and similar
days, a recent synthetics on the ingredients label. Though
hyper-focus on natural the current colors selection is limited, it simply
requires some experimenting to achieve the
sources for food coloring
look you may need while still maintaining the
has hit the pastry texture, flavor, or smell of your products.
kitchen. Demands from
discerning customers and
even some governments
to remove processed
chemical-based food
colorants from products
have become more
common. However,
finding alternatives to
traditional liquid, gel,
and powdered dyes
isn’t as challenging as it
sounds. Between new,
dependable commercial
options and your own
test kitchen experiments,
you can color the
rainbow without
chemicals, no matter
what delicious application
you have in mind.
Hibiscus raspberry and match macarons
by Michelle Hernández.

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Cupcakes by Allison Reiss are naturally colored with beet juice and Chefmaster Natural Liqua-Gel Food Coloring.

If you had the immediate thought upon Of course, you can distill this concept
reading the ingredients in natural commercial down even further—quite literally! Rather
products that you could go directly to the than purchasing food color, you can create
source of that color, you’re not alone. In fact, your own. The main idea is simple. “The key to
powdered versions of those natural ingredients achieving the most vibrant color is to start with
have become increasingly popular and more as concentrated of a base as possible,” notes
widely available. Blue pea powder seemed pastry guru Erin McDowell. And so reducing a
almost magical when it first came on the scene fruit purée, for example, or dehydrating fruit,
with its ability to achieve a seemingly unnatural
flowers, or vegetables will give you a more
blue even in sandwich bread, and turmeric needs
concentrated color. However, she does advise
little more than a sprinkle to make yellow pop.
some caution. “The challenge with naturally
Now brands like Suncore Foods have become
occurring food colorings is that they aren’t
kitchen darlings, offering organic, powdered
versions of 100 percent natural products such as intense as commercial ones.” Michelle
as beets, blueberries, purple sweet potatoes, Hernández, the owner of botanically-inspired
and more. Keep in mind because the products Le Dix-Sept in San Francisco, has made natural
are natural, color may vary, you may see some colors part of her philosophy and agrees.
slight change in texture depending on the “Manage everyone’s expectations,” she notes,
amount, and flavor may be affected. Most adding, “Customers may want big, bold colors,
fans of the brand note subtle flavor profiles in but that can be unnatural depending on what
finished products. it is.”

112 Pastry Arts

 And even more so than the commercially
processed natural powders, the food colors
you make will have a distinct flavor profile.
This, of course, works with the notion that a
customer should be able to look at a dessert and
understand what the flavor may be based on
what it looks like. For example, using common
sense, a strawberry dessert should be pink.
And indeed, chefs like Hernández use that to
their advantage, even with her bespoke cakes.
If a customer orders strawberry, or her favorite
flavors of hibiscus and raspberry, they should
expect shades of pink. “With botanicals, you
can get a lot of pretty colors,” she notes. You
need to work with clients, so they understand
the benefits of natural colors and flavors in the Crazy in Love by Allison Reiss is a gluten-free
end result. almond sugar cookie using powders
If the thought of switching to all-natural colors from Suncore Foods.
has you seeing red, remember that you can mix
and match all of these ideas, depending on the
application and client. For a brightly colored
cake covered in fondant, using anything other
than commercial gel food color might result in
disaster. On the other hand, experimenting with
red cabbage and baking soda to make a blue
food coloring might be just the innovative twist
you’re looking for to entice your customers.
After all, isn’t the fun of working in pastry the
endless creativity?

Gluten-free almond sugar cookies

by Allison Reiss uses the purple sweet potato
powder from Suncore Foods.

Strawberry cake with strawberry confit and

vanilla bean buttercream by Michelle Hernández,
finished with edible bows, flowers, and gold leaf.

Pastry Arts 113

Cottage Life

Avoiding
Cottage
Baker
Burnout
By Deanna Martinez-Bey

114 Pastry Arts

 A
re you feeling burned out running your cottage
bakery? Do you feel like you go, go, go and never
stop? Then, it is time to stop the madness! This
article will discuss planning ahead of the rush,
pre-orders, and proper marketing timelines.
1. Planning ahead: Menu preparation
2. Pre-orders: Why we need to take them
3. Marketing timelines: How far in advance to start sharing.

We, as cottage bakers, can take advantage of 1. Purchase ingredients

many holidays and special events. Of course, 2. Bake everything in advance so that you
we have the basic list of main holidays, but have pictures to share in order to get pre-
did you know there are other special event orders (marketing)
days such as Teacher Appreciation Day, 3. Start taking pre-orders
Grandparents’ Day, National Employee
Appreciation Day, National Pound Cake Day, Tip 1: Remember, organization is the key to
and so many more? If you would like to see a list success (and prevents you from losing your
of every special day throughout the calendar mind).
year, click here: https://nationaldaycalendar.
com/ Pre-Orders
With that in mind, let’s look at how to
A pre-order is when a customer tells you what
prepare for these special days.
they want to purchase before a specific date.
Pre-orders are our friends. You can determine
Menu Preparation how many you would like to take for an event
so that you aren’t baking for five days straight
A cottage baker must plan their menu at least without sleeping, eating, or showering. Okay,
one month before an event. Two months is that’s a bit extreme, but you get my point. As
optimal, but life can get busy. For example, a cottage baker, you control how many orders
let’s say you are gearing up for Mother’s you can take.
Day in May. You will want to prepare what
you will be baking by April 1. You may be Tip 2: You can determine how many pre-orders
thinking, why would I prepare my menu so you will accept by setting a goal of how much
far in advance? Allow me to explain. You will money you need to make or by choosing how
need to: many hours you want to spend baking.

Pastry Arts 115

Marketing are PayPal, Venmo, Cashapp, Zelle, and Square.
Most cottage bakers request a full or partial
Sharing your menu and pre-order guidelines is payment when an order is placed.
essential to having a successful event. At least
one month before your event, you want to start
Tip 3: Be sure to include your menu, how to
sharing your menu and photos of the baked
order, order cut-off date, payment options
goods you have to offer. You will also need to
accepted, pick-up days and times, and bright
determine a cut-off date for pre-orders and
and crisp product photos in every marketing
share that information with your customers.
post on social media.
You will need to share how they can place
their order, what payment options you accept,
and when they need to pay. Tip 4: Remember to send your event/ordering
information to your email list!

Order Placing
Proper planning and organization are key to
Your customer can contact you directly through avoiding cottage baker burnout. I hope that this
online messaging, texting, or by phone. You article has helped you feel less overwhelmed,
can also create an order form through Google more in control, and like the boss that you
Forms that allows them to order. If using a already are!
Google Form, you can set it up so that you
receive an email each time an order has been
placed. You create the form, so be sure to add Deanna Martinez-Bey is a cottage baker,
all pertinent information. baking class instructor, content creator, and
multi-genre au-thor. With fifteen published
Payments books under her belt and a certified cottage
bakery, everything she does re-volves around
There are many types of payment options you food and writing in one way, shape or form.
can choose from. A few of the most popular www.deannasrecipebox.com

116 Pastry Arts

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Profile

Cedric
Barbaret
Elevating the Pastry Scene in
the Heart of Amish Country
By Tish Boyle

118 Pastry Arts

C
edric Barberet’s love for pastry gradually developed
when, as a young boy, he spent his free time
playing with dough at his family’s pastry shop,
Patisserie Barberet, near Lyon, France. It was also
here where, as a teen, he served his apprenticeship,
learning the skills and techniques required to become a top pastry
chef. Barbaret followed this apprenticeship by honing his skills
at top patisseries, hotels and restaurants in France and the U.S.,
including Le Bec-Fin and Buddakan in Philadelphia, Mar-a-Lago and
Maison Janeiro in Palm Beach, and M Resort Casino & Spa in Las
Vegas. In 2015 he opened Bistro Barbaret & Bakery in Lancaster, PA,
where he delights customers with some of the finest pastries and
desserts in the country. Barbaret went on to be named one of the
Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Dessert Professional Magazine,
and has been recognized as a member of the prestigious Academie
Culinaire de France since 2011. He is also one of only 12 U.S.-based
members of the Cacao Barry International Ambassador Club. Busy
as he is, Chef Barbaret took time to speak with us about his career,
competitions and his life as a pastry chef and entrepreneur in the
heart of Amish country.

Pastry Arts 119

 hotel, or going to a small seasonal U.S. hotel in
Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I was always drawn
to the United States, so I chose that over the
glamour and prestige. When I arrived, I didn’t
speak English, but like most French people I
could say ‘hello’ and ‘how are you?’. We learned
British English, which differs to American
English, but luckily everyone in the Cape Cod
kitchen spoke French. The chef and two line
cooks who came with me from Paris were
French, so it was easy. Communication was
harder outside the kitchen. When you have no
choice you learn a few words, but it was a rough
experience. Also, their pastry techniques were
completely different to what I had learned.
Wedding cakes were a big debacle for me.
Buttercream in the U.S. is different to Europe,
especially with mass-produced wedding cakes.
People use shortening and powdered sugar
and never understand how a cake can stay
outside in 90 degree weather without melting.
I now understand why their buttercream was
so white, while mine was yellow. It was a
good experience, but the I.R.S. shut the place
down after I had been there for eight months.
In 1995 I moved to Florida to work with my

The Q&A dad’s friend, who was the chef at a fancy Palm
Beach restaurant, Maison Janeiro. The owner
was an eccentric American from Pittsburgh and
the restaurant had zebra booths, Versace and
How did you get started in the pastry Sambonet silverware and flatware and Riedel
industry? glasses. We had the best table settings in the
United States, according to many magazines.
I started in my parent’s bakery in Villefranche- I learned how to make soufflés there, as they
sur-Saône, near Lyon, France. I grew up in the had 16 soufflés on their menu. I stayed there
pastry world with my dad being a pastry chef, for six years, until it closed. I knew many people
so from the age of 11 I played with pastry for fun in Palm Beach, and the Executive Chef of Mar-
on weekends. School was not the right choice a-Lago offered me the Pastry Chef position. I
for me, as I wasn’t successful there, so I chose knew it was a difficult place to work because
pastry and did my apprenticeship for two years staff couldn’t keep their positions for more
at my dad’s bakery. After getting my diploma, than a year. It was a gamble, but I took the job
I went to Nice and worked for two years on a and stayed for six years. I revamped their entire
pastry master’s degree at Patisserie Chereau. pastry program, to the capacity that you can in
That was much more difficult than working in a country club. People pay for membership,
your parents’ bakery. After that I had six months but expect the same comfort food they get at
free and I had a choice between working in a home. After a point I got bored and wanted to
ski resort at a two-star Michelin restaurant in a be more challenged.

120 Pastry Arts

While you were there, you made cake in layers of flowers and do some accents
Donald and Melania Trump’s wedding with buds. I ended up making the cake for 450
cake – was that a big challenge? guests, including the Clintons, Barbara Walters,
Shaquille O’Neal, Oprah and Larry King.
Yes, Melania approached me one weekend We decided to make a cake for the display
and asked me to do the wedding cake. I was and pictures and a backup cake, as well. We
worried she would bring me a million pictures also made favor cakes that were small versions
from magazines that look super nice and sharp, of the big cake – chocolate ganache topped
because in reality, it is not always what you see with a pastry rose. I was able to get the box
in the pictures. She showed me a picture of a monogrammed with 24-carat gold leaf, which
blue cake with gold and white roses and asked if each guest could take home. That is what you
I could make that. Then we talked about flavors saw when Barbara Walters and others showed
and we ended up choosing a chiffon cake. She their cakes publicly. Years later, many of those
also wanted to do a mini cake as a favor box. cakes were auctioned for thousands of dollars.
We did that cake in chocolate ganache. We The large cake was the biggest piece of work
did a small version of the wedding cake for her because it had to serve 450 guests. We made
to see, but she didn’t like it. She moved some a huge base that was five feet in diameter. We
flowers and asked if we could stack flowers on had woodworkers make the platform of the
one side. I told her we could cascade the flowers cake, which was white and gold-plated on the
from the top to the side, but many people had side. We started to build the cake up, but the
already done that, so I suggested if she wanted biggest work was making the pastillage flowers,
something unique, we could cover the whole which took two months.

Pastry Arts 121

How many flowers were on the cake? the volume side, and I really learned pastries,
because I created all the pastries. Jean-Claude
Between 2,500 to 3,000 pieces, once you was more in the background, letting me do
count every accent, flower and bud. The base everything, but after a year it was too much.
and flowers weighed 200 pounds. Several After that, I went to Le Bec-Fin in
structures had a Styrofoam base, but the rest Philadelphia. Jean Banchet asked me if I was
was real. I call it the Fort Knox of cake, because interested in working at Le Bec-Fin, as he
there was no way to get inside, but you had to heard I was looking for an exit. I knew a little
leave space for them to take pictures. Couples about the restaurant, but not much about
always cut the cake in the wrong place, and Georges [Perrier]. I had heard he was verbally
end up doing it with their hands. abusive. I went there for a tasting, but it never
happened. I had a good time with him and was
Where did you go after Mar-a-Lago? hired. I took over Le Bec-Fin and all the other
restaurants he was a partner with.
I went to Las Vegas for a year to work with
Jean-Claude Canestrier at the M Resort Casino
& Spa, where we were doing 12,000 covers a
day. The buffet was the best in town, because After working for many years,
buffets are important in Las Vegas. They do I could have taken over
everything at the beginning to attract all the
customers – cheap price, all-you-can-eat and my parents’ bakery. I never
all-you-can-drink, so you have 5,000 people. wanted to take it over, and I
The hotel had 12 restaurants which our bakery
shop serviced. We also did 400- to 500-cover was also turned off by the way
banquets, which were not that big for Las things were going in France.
Vegas. Sometimes we had huge conventions
with outdoor events. Zachary Golper from
I saw my parents working so
Bien Cuit was my head baker at the time. I hard for something, but at the
had a good team of people and I still talk to
end they were taxed
many of them. That was a good experience on
50 percent when selling
their business.

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What inspired you to open your own
business?
After working for many years, I could have
taken over my parents’ bakery. I never wanted
to take it over, and I was also turned off by
the way things were going in France. I saw my
parents working so hard for something, but
at the end they were taxed 50 percent when
selling their business.
bank for X dollars, they want you to have that
collateral and put down 40 percent, but if I had
Is it much more difficult for a small that I wouldn’t be asking them. We tried to find
business owner in France than it is in different options, but never found the right
the U.S.? thing. We had one, but it fell through. We tried
to buy Art of Bread, Georges Perrier’s place, but
Yes, either you are huge, or you are on your people see a French person that doesn’t know
own. If you are in between, with eight or nine anything about business, so it wasn’t very taken
employees, you can make a living, but you have seriously. A friend of mine was looking to open
to be careful how much you sell, because the a catering business in Lancaster. He brought
government will take a good share of it. I am me along, because they were looking at a space
happy I left, because I now call Lancaster [PA] with a private investor, but he disappeared, so I
my home. When we were in Philadelphia, my was in direct contact with him. He was tearing
wife and I wanted to open something. We down a building in downtown Lancaster and
had several opportunities which required a was planning to build it up. He put his son on
private partner, because banks have a hard the roof to run a bar and restaurant and needed
time lending money to a bakery because, like someone on the bottom. He was willing to pay
a restaurant, it has an 80 percent chance of all expenses to open it. I wanted a bakery and
failure. They don’t like to take risks and that my partner wanted a restaurant, so we decided
has gotten worse since Covid. If you ask a to do both both.

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What’s your biggest challenge?
Scheduling is challenging, because the restaurant
is evening work and the bakery is early morning.
For the first five years I was here from 5 AM until
10 PM, because I had to be in the restaurant. I When we opened the
cannot do that all the time, so at one point you
have to rely on your staff. I am not a savory chef, bakery in Lancaster,
so I don’t have the perspective of cooking on the
line, but I have been in the restaurant business the county was known
long enough that I know what I’m looking for
and how the food should taste. I am involved in for its all-you-can-eat
all the menu development. My staff comes up
with all the ideas, we do a tasting and I choose buffets with Amish
whether it goes on the menu. That also reflects
what I’m doing on the pastry side. When we and Dutch pies and
opened the bakery in Lancaster, the county was
known for its all-you-can-eat buffets with Amish
other heavy food.
and Dutch pies and other heavy food. Since
then it has become more fine-dining oriented,
Since then it has
with smaller operators opening decent high-end
restaurants – not Michelin star, but that kind of
become more fine-
level. Whether they succeed or not is a different
story, but there are still some very interesting
dining oriented, with
restaurants in Lancaster. There are no longer
busloads of tourists eating at places serving
smaller operators
3,000 meals a day. There’s an Italian restaurant, opening decent high-
for example, which has been nominated twice
for a James Beard award. There is also a end restaurants – not
mixologist bartender in Lancaster on that list.
There is a good dynamic in this city, and they’re Michelin star, but that
doing everything to make downtown very
interesting. I am in one of the biggest farmland kind of level.
areas in the Northeast, where I work with fruits
and vegetables that I have a hard time finding
in other cities. When you buy strawberries from
the farm, for example, they last five weeks,
whereas if you buy from regular distributors
they cross the country and only last five days. How would you describe your style
Promoting local is tricky, because it has a price and your approach to pastry?
tag. A restaurant or high-end bakery is a luxury,
not a necessity, so people will challenge you on Traditional French with a modern twist, but
the price more than they will a grocery store. not ultra-modern as I can see certain pastry
A flat of strawberries from a distributor costs chefs do. I like that, but it’s not what I do.
$40, but it costs almost double locally. You will What I make is reminiscent of something very
get nice strawberries, but they are a lot more classic, but I do have those little twists on
expensive. certain items.

124 Pastry Arts

You have been part of various pastry
competitions over the years, including
Chopped Sweets in 2019, which you
won. What motivated you to enter
those competitions, and what are
some keys to your success in those
competitions?
There are two different types of competitions.
There are the ones where you bring something
you’ve made and then build it up, and then the
ones where you are required to do something
on the spot. I did the Charles Proust Junior
competition in France, which is a very high
level one. That was my first competition where
I was introduced to a higher national level.
I’ve also done competitions back in the day
where you do a showpiece and you put it in Thomas Keller, Eric Ripert, Georges Perrier and
a glass dome. Then you carry it and drive with many other big-name chefs were inducted. A
it to the competition, hoping it’s not going to few years after we opened the bakery, people
break before the presentation. Many of those from TV competitions called us, because they
competitions are like this, which is cool but saw our Instagram and LinkedIn posts. But
sometimes you don’t know, anybody could during the first four years it was hard to get
have made it. If you go elsewhere you wouldn’t away, and even now we are lucky if we can
be able to recreate it and your credentials get a week or two off. A few times they called
will quickly diminish. I did many of those and and said they would love me to be on the TV
won a few. One in Lyon was the first Biennial show, but I would have to do castings. I agreed
International of Lyon, owned and run by Gabriel but when I asked when, they said it was during
Paillasson, the former Coupe du Monde de the week of Easter, Mother’s Day or between
la Pâtisserie President and founder of the Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s great, but I
World Cup. He is a good friend of my dad, and am running a business, so I can’t do that. One
nominated me for the medal of Chevalier du day I got a similar call, and I said yes, but I didn’t
Orde du Mérite Agricole. The TV competitions want to do it. We did Zoom meetings, and I
are slightly different. When I opened the bakery had to send a video so they can see it. They
I quickly got many accolades, some from the did that meeting with me on the computer,
French government like the Chevalier du Ordre and I didn’t say anything that was intriguing
du Mérite Agricole, and I also received several or funny, I was cold, hoping I would not get it,
letters from different presidents of France, but I did get it. Then I went to the next stage
congratulating me on my success. The Top 10 and decided to do it. It was the first time they
Pastry Chef award from Dessert Professional were doing Chopped Sweets. I know Chopped
magazine was another accolade I had in 2016, a – you open a mystery basket which, on the
year after I opened. Before that I was inducted savory side, doesn’t contain crazy ingredients.
into the Académie Culinaire de France, which Chopped Sweets was slightly more crazy. It’s a
you need to have a certain curriculum and little bit of everything – luck, experience and
background in order to enter this academy time management. Those shows are made for
of chefs, which is very prestigious. Chefs like you to be uncomfortable during the game.

Pastry Arts 125

Chopped Sweets
was slightly more
crazy. It’s a little bit
of everything – luck,
experience and
time management.
Those shows are
made for you to
be uncomfortable
during the game.

They want to make sure that your time and you only have 30 minutes. Also, the pantry
management gets up quickly. You’ve got doesn’t have any labels on ingredients, so it’s
35 minutes on the first round to do a dish, hard to recognize things. Everything is in jars –
which should include the baking. You know it will say sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, but it won’t
the theme of what you’re going to be doing have anything that you will recognize. Your
two weeks prior, so you know you’re going alcohol has no branding, and you are not used
to do Neopolitan – you know it’s going to be to seeing that. You have two minutes to look
chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. What order through the pantry, then the show starts. Your
you don’t know, but it does give you enough first round is 35 minutes and the second and
time to prepare yourself. If you are competitive, third rounds are 45 minutes. It’s nice, because
and I am, I had no intention to be out on the we shot in November in a warehouse, not a
first round. I worked for two weeks on vanilla, kitchen. It’s a set with a stove and a fake hood.
strawberries and chocolate. I’ve seen shows on There are hundreds of lights, and the stoves are
regular Chopped, and I knew I needed a dessert running the whole time. You start at 6 AM and
that could change very quickly, depending on end at 11 PM, because there are interviews
the ingredients. You have a core recipe, and can in between. That specific show, compared to
do different things with it, so that was my idea. others, was a better fit for what I was doing
You basically don’t know anything, so you ask because I saw people with bugs and spider
questions such as, “Can I bring my recipe book legs, which I wouldn’t even try to touch. I also
with me?” No recipe book, you can only bring believe you have to train. I saw that on the
a small index card with what you’re thinking show they work on a small six-foot table, so I
you’re going to do. Memorize it, because it’s not set one up and timed myself. I realized I had
with you when you do the competition. You are already spent 50 minutes and needed to come
in stress mode because you’re doing something down to 30 minutes.

126 Pastry Arts

Did you approach it as if you were I did it with a candy that people in their youth
doing the Coupe de Monde? probably eat a lot, which is the Jolly Rancher
green apple one. I use that as my filling and
Yes, because I didn’t want to be out. I still run mousse, then we do a green apple ginger and
a business and I spoke with my friend Florian lemon compote in the center. That sells pretty
Bellanger who is on Cupcake Wars on the Food well. The line of macarons, if we count that
Network, and he told me to be careful and by the piece, is another big seller at the retail
reminded me that I had a reputation. I trained store. We sell about 8,000 per month, which is
for two weeks and when I got there my six- not crazy, but everything is done by hand. We
foot table was only three feet, because I had pipe and mix by hand, there is no machine. We
a contestant next to me. It was created to are in between the volume where you can use
make you feel uncomfortable right away. I saw a machine and the volume where you cannot
many big name pastry chefs doing that show use a machine. It is time consuming. We also
who were booted off in the first round. It also do chocolate bonbons, but they’re all molded --
depends on what you get. It is a combination of they are not enrobed bonbons, because I do it
many things that will make you either succeed by hand and I have a small machine. We also do
or fail. many jams in different ways, but all natural, so
only fruit, sugar, apple pectin and lemon juice.

What are some of your most popular

items?
Everything chocolate is popular, but that seems
to be the trend anywhere you go in the U.S.
Anywhere I worked, everything that has
chocolate was my biggest seller. If it’s a fruit tart
or something like this, it sells. A cake with fruit
is harder to sell than other items. 85 percent
of my items are gluten-free. I have a seven-
layer cake which is 71 percent dark chocolate
and flourless chocolate sponge, cocoa syrup
– that’s my biggest seller. It has a super deep
black glaze and a couple of little chocolate
decorations. A few too many decorations on
my cakes, but that’s who I am. Another one
that sells a lot is the Azure, which is a blue
glaze with a sparkle. That is a milk chocolate
and vanilla crème brulée, also gluten-free. We
also do an upside-down Snickers, which is the
version of the candy bar that we interpreted
our way, which is peanut butter with a liquid
salted caramel that oozes out. It’s got a hazelnut
dacquoise and milk chocolate whipped cream
with peanut brittle pieces. That’s a big seller.
We also did the Apple, which is a play on a
Cédric Grolet dessert, but I only did the apple
because my name is Cedric as well, that’s why.

Pastry Arts 127

Do you ship any products? the work that goes with running a business. It’s
a fairly large hospital with 15,000 employees.
Not yet. We sometimes do corporate orders, Their food court does 1,500 covers per day. It
but not on a regular basis. We would like to is brand new, and run by the Compass Group,
open an e-commerce shop at some point, but so you have to run with their program. That’s
we haven’t done that yet. I am 90 percent the next step. We are trying to work on an
concentrated on retail, so e-commerce is fine. e-commerce shop, too, because I believe we
I don’t do any wholesale, only one account, can generate revenue with that. It’s hard with
because I have a good relationship with the shipping, because pastries are very fragile. You
locations, so it’s easy and is a good way of can ship macarons but 50 percent of them will
making extra income. break. You have to buy the special packaging for
the macarons, and the same for the chocolate
bonbons. You can say fragile all over the place,
Do you have any exciting projects in but UPS and FedEx will handle it the way they
the works? handle it. I am trying to concentrate on jams
and chocolate tablets, because they are easier
We just partnered with a hospital in Lancaster to ship and have a long shelf life. We do many
to take over a portion of their retail space and jams, and usually produce 150 to 200 jars at a
offer a new line of pastries there. The advantage time. We do different flavors, such as mango
of it is the location will have my name on it, but and lime, peach and lavender, peach-saffron
I don’t have to run it at all. I sell the pastries, but and strawberry and black peppercorn. We
I don’t have to take care of any of the rest of make some pretty interesting flavors.

128 Pastry Arts

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Technique

Strawberry
Rhubarb
Cheesecake
By Franck Labasse,
Executive Pastry Chef, The Broadmoor Resort,
Colorado Springs, CO

130 Pastry Arts

O
nce rhubarb lemon juice and vanilla bean pulp and salt.
Scrape the bowl. Add the eggs and yolks in
is in season, three additions, scraping after each addition.
I incorporate Mix until homogenous. (Do not whip!)
it into all my 3. Scoop using a grey scoop into rings already
prepared with baked sablé, about 100g.
dessert menus. Bake 35- 40 mins at 215°F (102°C) until
I love its vibrant color, fibrous just set (do not allow to fully souffle, just
bake until set).
texture and tangy flavor. In this
recipe, rhubarb marries with Vanilla Sablé Breton
strawberries in a compote and
also balances the sweetness • 2000 g all-purpose flour
• 8 g salt
of a strawberry tuile, creating
• 80 g baking powder
a full-bodied, yet refreshing, • 1000 g unsalted butter
dessert. • 400 g egg yolks
• 800 g granulated sugar
• 20 g vanilla paste
Yield: 1 full frame cheesecake
1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, combine the flour, salt, baking
powder and butter, mixing until sandy
textured.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the yolks (#3),
Cheesecake Batter sugar and vanilla until they are well mixed
and have a slight body to them (#4). Add
• 1702 g cream cheese to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl
• 14 g all-purpose flour and mix until a dough forms (#5). Roll ¼ʺ
(0.6 cm) thick (or no. 3 in the machine) and
• 464 g granulated sugar
freeze until ready to use (#6).
• 106 g sour cream
3. Cut and bake at 350°F (177°C) until nicely
• 16 g lemon juice golden brown. Stamp with the frame as
• 6 g vanilla beans, split and scraped soon as it comes out of the oven.
• 2 g salt
• 476 g whole eggs
• 50 g egg yolks

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle

attachment, mix the cream cheese (Photo
#1) until soft, but do not whip (#2).
2. Mix the flour with the sugar and pour into
the bowl while mixing. Add the sour cream,

Pastry Arts 131

 2

1 3

Strawberry Lemon Chantilly

Rhubarb Compote
• 227 g egg yolks
• 24 g pectin NH • 248 g granulated sugar
• 20 g vanilla paste • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Finely grated zest of 4 lemons • 58 g fresh lemon juice
• 600 g granulated sugar • 170 g unsalted butter
• 800 g fresh rhubarb • 280 g whipped cream
• 400 g fresh strawberries, diced
1. In a saucepan, combine the egg yolks, sugar,
1. Mix the pectin, vanilla, zest and sugar lemon zest and juice (#11) and cook over
together (#7). medium heat, stirring constantly, until the
mixture pops a couple of times. Strain over
2. Combine the rhubarb and strawberries in
the butter at 104°F (40°C) and mix with
a pot (#8). Add the sugar mixture to coat
immersion blender (#12). Refrigerate until
(#9) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
ready to use (you don’t need all the lemon
simmer until the strawberries and rhubarb
curd for the Chantilly).
are tender, about 10 minutes (#10).
2. Fold the whipped cream into 80 grams of
the lemon curd until fully mixed together
(#13).

132 Pastry Arts

 Vanilla Crumble
• 300 g unsalted butter
• 300 g brown sugar
• 600 g all-purpose flour
• 6 g vanilla paste
• 20 g water

1. Mix all ingredients together until well mixed,

then push through a grate. Freeze.
2. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 8 minutes.

5 6

7 8

Pastry Arts 133

 Italian Meringue Strawberry Tuiles
• 
500 g granulated sugar, plus a small • 200 g strawberry purée
handful • 150 g confectioners’ sugar
• 125 g water • 3 g xanthan gum
• 250 g egg whites • 2-3 drops red food coloring

1. Bring the sugar and water to 248°F (120°C) 1. Burrmix everything together. Spread onto
while whisking the whites in a mixer. Once lined sheet pan (#15, 16) and bake at 275°F
the whites reach soft peaks, add a small (135°C) for about 15 minutes, or until dry to
handful of sugar and continue to whip. the touch.
Once the sugar reaches 248°F (120°C),
slowly add it to the whisking whites and
finish whipping to stiff peaks. Strawberry Coulis
2. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted
with a star tip #863. Pipe nickel-sized • 70 g Crystal Glaze
meringue kisses onto a sheet pan lined • 150 g fresh strawberries
with parchment paper (#14). Bake at 220°F
(104°C) in a convection oven for 1 hour.
1. Purée ingredients together (#17).

9 10

134 Pastry Arts

11

12

13 14

Pastry Arts 135

 Plating
• Fresh strawberries, quartered

1. Just off-center on the plate, pipe 7

15 quarter-size rounds of Lemon Chantilly
with a #807 round tip in 2 lines. Next,
add a piece of Vanilla Crumble to the
left side of each Lemon Chantilly round.
Follow with a fresh quartered strawberry
piece placed to the right side of each
Lemon Chantilly round.
2. Cut the cheesecake into 3/4ʺ (2 cm)
squares. Staggered in between the
Chantilly rounds, add a piece of the
cheesecake square and a meringue kiss.
3. Fill a cornet with Strawberry Coulis. For
16 brightness and flavor, pipe 3 alternating
dots within the now composed dessert
element and pipe 8 more dots (#18)
that gradually get smaller in an arch to
the right of the composed line to add
movement. Top with a Strawberry Tuile.
Note: The key to plating this dessert is
to make sure that it is not overcrowded
when plated. Allowing space allows the
textures, shapes, and flavors to shine
through.
17 Photos by Chad Chisholm
(foodphotographerchad.com)

136 Pastry Arts

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Sourdough Secrets

How to Make a Successful

Sourdough
Starter
By Elaine Boddy

138 Pastry Arts

H
i, I’m Elaine from Foodbod
Sourdough, and I am a sourdough
baker, cookbook writer and
teacher, but mostly a sourdough
‘simplifier’. The key focus of everything I do,
and share, is to show how truly simply it is to
make sourdough. I remove the complications
and the unnecessary steps – and often the fear –
that can come with making sourdough. I show bakers all over
the world how they can easily make their own healthy, tasty
bread, week-in and week-out, in their home kitchens, to suit
their lifestyles and timing. And that is just what I will be doing
now in this column – sharing my simple sourdough ways with
you. Welcome to my sourdough world.

I have now written three sourdough books, and I also host a

podcast all about food, The Foodbod Pod.

Pastry Arts 139

 How to
If you’ve ever fancied making a sourdough
starter, now is the time! Below are my tips
for success, and my simple guide for making a
starter. If you do decide to have a go and need

make a
any assistance along the way, feel free to get in
touch, I’m always happy to help. And if you do
have a go, enjoy it!

sourdough
What exactly is sourdough starter?
Sourdough starter is where it all begins. It is the
starting point for our creations, it’s what lifts
our loaves, and gives sourdough its texture and

starter
flavor. The key difference between a starter
and other bread raising agents is that starter is
in liquid form and lives and lasts forever, rather
than being in dried form and added straight
from a package. And it is truly simple to make
and to use. Flour and water, that’s all it is –
flour, water and time.

140 Pastry Arts

Top Sourdough Starter Tips •  tarters are very resilient. They are rarely
S
dead unless they get moldy. Starters don’t
My top tips to make and to keep your starter in need constant tending, or feeding just for
good condition are: the sake of it. Once your starter has been
made and established, you only ever need
• 
Use good flour. You can use any wheat to feed it to use it. It doesn’t matter if you
flour to make a starter, but if you are use it once a week, once a fortnight or once
new to sourdough baking I would highly a month. It will survive in the fridge when
recommend using strong white bread flour you go on holiday – no one needs to come
or whole wheat flour. And choose the and tend to it. And never assume you need
best quality that you can, it does make a to chuck it out and start again; starters can
difference and is worth the investment in always be tended back to health, unless, as
your starter. I mentioned, they get moldy.

• 
Water. in most places tap water is fine, but
if you’re not sure, try filtered water.

•  se a digital scale. Weighing your flour

U
and water makes a huge difference to its
strength.

• 
Keep it small. I only ever use small
quantities for making and maintaining my
starter. This saves on waste, and keeps it
lean and healthy.

•  ive it time. Starters don’t work to a

G
clock – they will be ready when they’re
ready. There are some ways that you can
encourage it along, but patience is key.

• Be consistent. When you find what works

for you, stick with it.

• se a thermometer. Using a room

U
thermometer it will help you to judge your
starter’s activity; when it’s cold it slows
down, when it’s warm, it works faster. By
being aware of how your starter works in
your kitchen, it will help you to plan when
it’s time to use it.

• 
If you’re new, don’t read too much. You
can easily get overwhelmed with a flood
of information. Choose a single source and
stick with it while you learn how sourdough
works.

Pastry Arts 141

How to Make a Sourdough Starter
A sourdough starter is basically fermented flour
and water; by mixing them together, allowing
them time to ferment, managing how much
we keep, and watching the consistency, we
can easily create a happy working successful
starter.

What You Need

• A digital scale.
Method
•  container, preferably a glass bowl or
A Day 1:
jar with a fitted lid, around 600ml. I use a In your container, mix 50 grams of flour with
580ml Weck 744 tulip jar. 50 grams of water. Stir the mixture well; it will
be nicely thick, even thicker if you are using the
•  ood quality strong white bread flour
G whole wheat flour option. Place the lid loosely
or strong whole wheat flour. In the U.K., on your jar, and leave it on the kitchen counter.
I use Matthews Cotswold Flour strong
white bread flour, or their stoneground
Day 2:
wholegrain flour. In the U.S., King Arthur
Add 30 grams of your flour and 30 grams of
Bread Flour is a great option.
water, then stir and leave as above.
•  ater — typically tap water works fine, the
W
best thing to do is to try it and see. Day 3:
Bubbles may be appearing now, and it may be
starting to smell eggy or cheesy, or wheaty and
More Tips
sour if using whole wheat flour. Add 30 grams
Each step represents a single daily action. This of your flour and 30 grams of water, then stir
can be done at any time of the day; after each and leave as above.
one, stir the mixture well, scraping down the
sides of the container, and mixing it all in, then Day 4:
loosely cover the pot again and leave it on the Your starter may now be smelling vinegary;
counter. that is all normal, it shows that the process is
On the days you are asked to remove half happening. Remove half of the contents of the
of the contents, do so by eye and collect the container. Add 30 grams of your flour and 30
discarded starter in a bowl and use it to make grams of water, then stir and leave as above.
pancakes or other recipes.
While making a starter, always sit the lid Day 5:
on your jar so that it is well covered, but not If your starter is now looking less active and
wholly firmly pressed closed; as part of the bubbly, do not be disheartened; it is all part of
fermentation process your starter will release the process. Stick with it and keep building the
gasses which need to be able to escape. This strength in your starter. Add 30 grams of your
also explains why the underside of the lid can flour and 30 grams of water, then stir and leave
often be damp – this is all normal. as above.

142 Pastry Arts

Day 6: to keep discarding and feeding; when you are
Remove half of the contents of the bowl. Add going to use it, feed it for making your dough.
30 grams of your flour and 30 grams of water
then stir and leave as above.
How to Use Your Starter
Day 7: Only ever keep a base amount of between 50
Hopefully, you are now seeing bubbles all the to 100 grams of starter at any time.
way through the mixture and it responds and When you want to make your dough, feed
grows after each feed. White flour starters this base amount of starter with 30 grams of
can look really exciting now, bubbly and even flour and 30 grams of water to generate the
volcanic. Whole wheat flour starters will be amount of starter you will need for a single
more textured, with an undulating surface. Add loaf, using my master recipe. Stir it well; it
30 grams of your flour and 30 grams of water, should have a thick, batter-like consistency.
then stir and leave as above. Replace the lid and leave it to respond, grow
and become active. Once it has, remove the
Note quantity you need for your dough, replace the
lid, fit it on firmly, and return your starter to the
If your starter becomes thin at any point, feed fridge until next time. Then follow the process
it with 30 grams of flour and 15 grams of water again.
to maintain its thickness. Repeat this action if
the starter keeps becoming thin.
For more tips, guidance and troubleshooting,
And if your starter develops a murky, watery
plus everything you could ever need to know
surface, it is not ruined, it is just telling you
about making sourdough as simply as possible,
that it is hungry; feed it and continue, and if it
check out my book, The Sourdough Whisperer.
feels thin again at any point, repeat this action.
Always aim for your starter to have a thick For more help and advice, feel free to contact me
wallpaper paste or American pancake batter- directly at elaine@foodbodsourdough.com.
like consistency. Starters typically become thin
if the flour is weak, or they are being kept too
Photos by James Kennedy Photography
warm. Resist the temptation to leave them in
warm spaces for hours and hours. Some warmth
is nice, too much will weaken your starter.

Is My Starter Ready to Use?

Your starter is ready to use as soon as it routinely
grows and becomes active several hours after
being fed. If you are not sure whether it is ready
by Day 7, repeat the same process again from
Day 4 onward until this happens. You’ll know
what this means when you feed your starter
and after a few hours it’s grown and become
textured and lively.
Once it is ready, keep the lid tightly shut
and store it in the fridge until you are ready to
use it. From this point on, you no longer need

Pastry Arts 143

Teacher Feature

Peter
Greweling
Professor, Baking and Pastry Arts,
The Culinary Institute of America,
Hyde Park, NY

144 Pastry Arts

W
ith a career spanning nearly four decades, Chef Peter
Greweling has left an indelible mark on the pastry
industry, most notably in the area of chocolate and
confections. As a Professor of Baking and Pastry
Arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, he has
taught over 8,000 students, specializing in his acclaimed course,
Chocolate and Confectionery Technology and Techniques. During his
early years in the industry, he honed his skills in hand-dipping truffles
while working at La Crémaillère restaurant in Banksville, NY, learning
a technique that he still teaches today. Greweling’s passion for
chocolate work was further ignited when, as a young teacher, he took
a confectionery technology class that was recommended by a dean
at the CIA. Alongside his teaching, Greweling is the award-winning
author of Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for
the Artisan Confectioner (Wiley, 2007) and Chocolates and Confections
at Home with The Culinary Institute of America (HMH, 2009). In
this interview he talks about how a simple conversation changed
the course of his career, the importance of teaching fundamental
techniques, and his recent induction into the Candy Hall of Fame.

Pastry Arts 145

 The Q&A

After graduating from culinary school, and confectionery, and said, “If you’re smart,
your ambition was to become a “good you’ll get in on the front edge of it.” He handed
chef”. When and how did you first get me a brochure for an upcoming confectionery
interested in making chocolates and technology class, and said I should go to that
confections? class. I did, and was immediately fascinated
with the science of candy making, which set
Like most people, my career has been a series me on a path to continue to educate myself
of unexpected opportunities that brought me in the field, and ultimately to combine that
to the current moment. I went from cooking,
science with artisan techniques and formulas.
to pastry, to teaching, and as a teacher I
It is that combination of the technical and the
became interested in confectionery. In 1994
artisan aspects of confectionery that has been
(or thereabouts), I was a young pastry chef-
instructor at the CIA. My dean was probably the basis of my teaching and my writing. It is
the only person on faculty or administration really astounding what an effect one short
that was younger than I was at that time. conversation had on my life. I recently had
His name was Markus Farbinger, and he was the opportunity to talk to Markus. I reminded
a brilliant pastry chef and a very forward- him of that conversation and thanked him.
thinking individual. One day he approached me, As educators, we interact in meaningful ways
mentioning the new (at that time) and ongoing with students every day, and you never know
artisan bread revolution. He said that the next when a simple conversation may have such a
area for that to happen would be in chocolates profound effect on someone.

146 Pastry Arts

How do you keep up with industry educate myself in the field. The PMCA
trends and advancements in chocolate [Professional Manufacturing Confectioners
and confections? Association] is a great resource for education,
including their magazine, Manufacturing
Truth be told, I’m not particularly interested Confectioner. For people who want new trends
in industry fads. If my business was marketing and techniques in industry, I always recommend
and selling confections, that might be very taking continuing education classes such as
important to me, but as an educator, I am those offered by Barry Callebaut. If you walk
charged with teaching young professionals the away from a class like that with just one new
fundamentals of chocolate and confectionery. idea, it has been well worth the time!
Those fundamentals do not change no matter
who posts what on social media that day!
Students have a tendency to want to play Can you describe your approach to
improvisational jazz before they have mastered teaching chocolate and confections
scales. It is the solid foundations that allow to students with different skill levels?
people to progress to become brilliant industry What is one of the hardest chocolate
leaders. I work to help them learn those skills for students to master?
foundations. I do, however, try to continually
With what I teach, there is nearly boundless
opportunity for more advanced projects.
Within any class, there are many levels of
students, from the very enthusiastic and quick
to learn, to those who might be intimidated
by chocolate, or just not have the interest.
Even in the relatively short time frame of my
class, some students excel, and I am always
happy to help them take on more challenging
projects. For the students who are struggling
a bit, I work with them to get a good grasp on
the fundamentals that they might need in any
professional situation. Everybody starts on
the same page, how far individuals progress
depends on their commitment and ability.
I work to keep everyone educationally engaged
and challenged to the proper degree.
I’m not sure there is any one skill that is
the most difficult to master, but students who
believe they want to work in baking/pastry/
confectionery really need to work to develop
their fine motor skills. Many students come
in wanting to be pastry chefs, but really have
not grown up doing much with their hands. Of
course, it is a very physical business requiring
good hand skills. I say, only joking slightly, that
all of our students should be doing needlework
when they are not in class to develop
concentration and fine motor skills.

Pastry Arts 147

How do you inspire creativity in your How do you balance the science
students when it comes to developing and art of chocolate making in your
new flavors and products? teaching?
Inspire creativity??!! Ha! I don’t need to inspire This question is really the essence of my
them, I need to reign them in! Our students are approach to teaching and writing about
filled with many ideas, but often don’t have chocolates and confections, it is a unique
the technical skills to execute them. The first blend of technical concepts combined with
time they see a formula that they have never artisan techniques and formulas. My culinary
made, they want to change it! Yeah, inspiring foundation is in artisan handwork. I have been
creativity is not an issue, channeling and blessed to take courses from, sometimes to
refining it however, is. In my class we do one or work with, and to become friends with some
two days of shell molding. I used to give carte really smart, highly educated technicians in the
blanche freedom of chocolate, fillings, etc. As a candy industry. I worked hard to understand
result, students who had never before touched as much of the science as I could, and to bring
a chocolate mold wanted to use three different that to the artisan community. I believe that
chocolates, two fillings, three inclusions, five good teaching is the ability to take complex
colors, etc.....You get the picture, they wanted subjects and make them easily understandable.
to fly before they could walk. Now for an We’ve all met people who like to try to impress
introduction they all use dark chocolate, with how much they know, but if you cannot
because it contracts the most and sets to be communicate concepts in an approachable
the hardest, and all use ganache because it way for your audience, you might as well be
sets, contracts, and provides the best chance speaking a different language. It is vital for
for them to be successful. I still let them go confectioners to understand the basic science
crazy with the colors though, and they usually of what they are doing so that they can make
do just that! It’s a simple case of building the their ideas work, move forward, and move the
foundation before you put in the stained glass! industry forward.

148 Pastry Arts

What are some project that your centerpieces, at least two more times. It is a
students have done under your thrill to be a part of someone’s professional
guidance? development like that.

The recurring project that my students face

is a graduation buffet each semester. This is You were inducted into the Candy Hall
really the culmination of their time in my class, of Fame last year, a coveted honor.
and gives them the real world feel of setting You must have been thrilled —
up and serving the products that they have was that a surprise?
worked hard on to guests and peers. There is
Being inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame
no flexibility in the time frame or quality of that
was indeed a wonderful honor. For a group of
event, so it is a valuable experience for them, it
lifelong industry professionals to select me to be
is very high visibility!
honored for my lifetime’s work and contribution
Beyond that in-class experience, there to the industry is almost beyond description.
have been many times that I have worked The process is interesting: I was nominated by
with students outside of regular class to help my friend Thalia Hohenthal, whom I’ve known
them achieve goals. Mentoring is a part of and admired for many years. After nomination,
any educator’s job. For instance, many times I the nominee fills out a lengthy questionnaire
have had students who have wanted to learn about their career, which sounds arduous,
chocolate panning, which is not a regular part but actually I found to be a really meaningful
of my class, and I’ve happily helped them to exercise! We are all so busy that we forget all
learn that craft. Once you catch the panning of the steps that led us to this moment. To stop,
bug, it is difficult to stop! think, and reflect was very cathartic for me, as
Recently I had a former student, really a I believe it is for all nominees. The honor is for
super student, who wanted to come back to my individuals from all areas of the candy industry:
class to make a chocolate centerpiece. Again, sales and marketing, manufacturing, education,
this is not a typical part of my curriculum. She etc. I think I’m a bit unusual in that I am not
designed and executed it beautifully, and I directly working in that industry, but my work
was able to provide some techniques that she has been in educating those who will be. Being
could use to make her vision a reality. She has something of an outsider makes my induction
since repeated that feat, with other chocolate even more meaningful to me.

Pastry Arts 149

Recipe

Watermelon
Taco
By Gunawan Wu

150 Pastry Arts

H ere’s a fresh
dessert that’s
great for
summer. It
has a hint of
rose water and is accompanied
by a lemony polenta that
brings out the corn flavor
and complements the taco
shells and crème pâtissière.
Spiced Compressed
Watermelon Wedges
• 150 ml simple syrup
• 1 tsp chili powder
The dish is finished with a • 1 tsp ground coriander
fragrant rose water chantilly • 1 tsp ground cumin
cream and spiced compressed • 1 tsp sweet paprika
watermelon, which adds a little • 1 Tbs brown sugar
kick. • 
1 medium-sized watermelon, cut into 3/4ʺ
(2-cm) wedges
Yield: 8 servings
1. Combine the simple syrup with the spices
and sugar.
2. Place the sliced watermelon wedges
individually into vacuum bags with some
of the syrup and vacuum all the air out
so the spiced syrup is absorbed by the
Crème Pâtissière watermelon.

• 125 ml whole milk

• 125 ml heavy cream
Rose Water Compressed
• 3 egg yolks Watermelon
• 50 g superfine granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste • 1 medium-sized watermelon
• 15 g cornstarch • 100 ml simple syrup
• 2 Tbs rose water
1. Pour milk and cream into a pot and bring to
a simmer. 1. Cut the rind off the watermelon and cut the
2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together, flesh into rectangles to fit into taco shells.
then whisk in the vanilla and cornstarch 2 Combine the syrup and the rose water.
while slowly adding the warm milk and Place the watermelon and some syrup
cream. Return to the clean pot and whisk into vacuum bags and vacuum all the air
over medium heat until bubbling and out so that the syrup is absorbed by the
thickened. Store for later use. watermelon.

Pastry Arts 151

 cm) square cake pan and bake the cake for
Lemon Polenta Cake 20-25 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Let it cool
in the chiller for 6 hours or overnight.
• 115 g unsalted butter 2. Cut the polenta cake into rectangles that
• 125 g superfine granulated sugar are the same size as the watermelon
• 115 g almond meal rectangles (to fit in the taco).
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 75 g eggs Rose Water Chantilly Cream
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 10 ml lemon juice • 200 g heavy cream
• ½ tsp baking powder • 30 ml rose water
• 65 g polenta flour • 30 g confectioners’ sugar
• 1 g salt
1. Whip all ingredients together until stiff
1. Cream the butter and sugar together well. peaks form.
Mix in the almond meal and vanilla paste,
then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in
the lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, Assembly
polenta and salt. Scrape batter into 8ʺ (20
• Taco shell (any kind you like)
• Micro herbs
• Edible flowers
• Toasted pistachios

1. Pipe some Crème Pâtissière into the

taco, then place a Lemon Polenta Cake
rectangle inside, followed by a Rose
Water Compressed Watermelon
rectangle. Pipe some Rose Water
Chantilly Cream on top.
2. Garnish with micro herbs, edible
flowers and toasted pistachios.
Place some Spiced Compressed
Watermelon Wedges on the side
of the taco.

152 Pastry Arts

 Current Flavor Favorites
I’m doing savory-sweets flavor combos
and have been experimenting with these in
macarons. For example, I do a fried chicken
macaron with tomato ketchup jelly, and I add
crispy chicken skin to the macaron shell, pipe
it like a chicken drumstick, then stick some
cornflakes and chicken seasoning on top. I also
add some diced gherkin pickle to the tomato
ketchup filling. I make new flavors every week
for my customers to try after their main course
and before their dessert. It acts as a bridge,
without restarting your palate.

Production Tip
If you don’t have a Thermomix, you can make
curd by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and
placing it in a low heat bain marie. This way you
can do other tasks and whisk the curd every

Gunawan Wu time you pass by, until it is thickened.

Pastry Chef-Owner, Gazoz Restaurant, Technical Tip

Batam Island, Indonesia, @awi_wu In order to substitute ingredients in a recipe,
you must understand how the ingredient
works; then you can substitute an ingredients
Early Influence with the same characteristics. The substituted
I have always been passionate about the ingredient may offer a different texture or
arts, drawing in particular, and I began to see flavor, but should have the same basic result.
plates as a blank canvas where I could draw For example, when making macarons, you can
my imagination in a form of dessert. I kept substitute an alternative ingredients for the
improving, and now I am not only drawing almond meal, such as corn chips. You will get
colors and shapes on the plate, but also flavors a rougher textured macaron if you use 100
that spring from my imagination. percent corn chips, but you will have the flavor
of the corn chips. By using 50 percent corn
chips, you will get a smoother texture, but less
Signature Style flavor.
My style in pastry is simple, yet beautiful.
Career Advice
Inspiration for New Recipes Everyone has different starting point, so don’t
My inspiration is from memories of things I’ve compare yourself with others! Everyone has
eaten, flavors I grew up with, my environment their own struggles, so focus just on your own
and things I have seen while travelling. goals.

Pastry Arts 153

Recipe

CUCUMBER,
GREEN APPLES, MATCHA,
PARSLEY AND MINT
By Justin Tan

154 Pastry Arts

 I mmerse yourself in a vibrant and refreshing celebration of all things
green with this remarkable dish, which pays homage to the fresh
flavors of cucumber, parsley and mint. The recipe begins by juicing
locally-sourced cucumbers to craft a luscious cucumber ice cream,
while the remaining pulp is transformed into a tangy cucumber and
green apple granite. To add a touch of crunch, we’ve lightly pickled the trimmings
of the green apple and cucumbers. For a soft and delicate texture, we’ve blended
fresh parsley and mint into a soft financier, which perfectly complements the
creamy Greek yogurt. To complete the experience, a delicate and artfully crafted
piece of matcha dentelle provides the perfect finishing touch. At the heart of our
culinary philosophy is a commitment to creating desserts that are as inspiring as
they are flavorful, and we are confident that this dish will leave you feeling both
satisfied and amazed.
Yield: 10 servings

1. Heat the milk, skim milk powder, glucose

Cucumber Juice powder and cream to 104°F (40°C). Whisk
in the stabilizer and sugar and cook to 185°F
• 1000 g locally grown cucumbers (85°C). Chill the mixture rapidly, and once it
• 50 g water cools, use a hand blender to mix in cucumber
juice.
2. Freeze in Paco Jet canister and churn a few
1. Peel the cucumbers, reserving the peels and hours before needed.
trimmings for pickling. Juice the cucumbers
in a liquidiser/fruit juicer with the water.
2. Strain and freeze as stock. Cucumber Apple Granite

Cucumber Ice Cream • 450 g Cucumber Juice (above)

• 75 g green apple purée
• 300g milk • 150 g water
• 35 g skim milk powder
• 25 g glucose powder 1. Mix all of the ingredients together and freeze
• 100 g heavy cream in Paco Jet canister.
• 
4 g Stab 2000 Louis Francois ice cream 2. Churn. Make sure the mixture is fine and
stabilizer fluffy in texture.
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 275 g Cucumber Juice (from above)

Pastry Arts 155

 1. Blend together the herbs, 164 g of the sugar,
Pickling Liquid for Apple the olive oil and the eggs yolks until smooth.
and Cucumbers 2. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and
baking powder and mix into the egg yolk
• 250 g water mixture just until combined.
• 150 g lemon purée or juice 3. Make a semi-stiff French meringue with the
• egg whites and the remaining 330 g sugar.
100 g granulated sugar
Fold the meringue into the batter and pour
• Cucumber and apple trimmings onto silicone baking mat-lined half sheet
pan. Bake at 338°F (170°C) for 25 minutes.
1. Bring the water, lemon purée or juice and
sugar to a boil. Place liquid and trimmings
in vacuum bag (the rule of thumb is 20-30% Matcha Dentelle Decoration
pickling liquid to trimmings).
• 30 g T45 flour
2. Vacuum and reserve in fridge.
• 160 g water
• 180 g grapeseed oil
Greek Yogurt Cremeux • 4 g matcha powder

• 225 g heavy cream 1. Blend all ingredients together and pass

• 112 g granulated sugar through sieve.
• 35 g gelatin mass (200 bloom) 2. Pan fry the mixture in a nonstick pan. Place
• 378 g Greek yogurt on a kitchen towel to absorb the oil.

1. Bring cream and sugar to a boil, then add Assembly

gelatin mass and dissolve. Use hand blender
to blend in Greek yogurt. Cover surface with 1. Cut the parsley and mint sponge into 3/4ʺ
plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (2 cm) cubes and place on plate. Pipe 5 dots
2. Whip mixture until smooth and reserve in of Greek Yogurt Cremeux on the plate and
piping bags. place a few pieces of pickled cucumbers and
apples around.
2. Put a scoop of Cucumber Ice Cream in
Parsley and Mint Sponge the center and place the Matcha Dentelle
on top. Before serving, spoon 3-4 spoons
• 75 g parsley leaves of Cucumber Apple Granite on the plate
• 30 g mint leaves tableside.
• 494 g granulated sugar, divided
• 164 g olive oil
• 100 g egg yolks
• 290 g T45 flour
• 15 g cornstarch
• 7 g salt
• 8 g baking powder
• 140 g egg whites

156 Pastry Arts

Justin Tan
Consulting Pastry Chef,
Second Nature Pte Ltd
@justintjm

Early Influence
There were two key influences that helped
me become the pastry professional I am
today. First, I have always had a deep love
of food, and second, I have a passion for
exploring new flavors and ingredients.
From an early age, I was always eager
to experiment in the kitchen and learn
more about baking. This curiosity and
enthusiasm for food ultimately led me to
pursue a career in pastry, where I could
channel my passion into creating delicious
and beautiful desserts.

Signature Style

My style in pastry can be described as

modern and innovative. I am always
pushing the boundaries of traditional
pastry techniques and experimenting with
new flavor combinations and presentation
styles. I love to incorporate unexpected
ingredients and textures into my desserts,
creating dishes that are both visually
stunning and exciting to the palate.
Whether I am playing with new techniques
or reimagining classic desserts, my goal is
always to create unique and memorable
experiences for my customers. Ultimately,
my style in pastry is all about embracing
creativity and taking risks to deliver truly
one-of-a-kind desserts.

Pastry Arts 157

 Production Tip
To ensure efficient work and resource
management, it is essential to have a well-
structured plan before taking on any task. A
plan not only helps the team to work more
efficiently but also reduces errors. However,
it is important to seek advice and tips from
experienced professionals in the industry.
Sharing knowledge is vital for the growth of
the younger generation and the community as
a whole.

Technical Tip
Tempering chocolate is an essential technique
to master in the pastry industry. For those new
to the industry, it is recommended to learn
from the plethora of information and videos
Inspiration for New Recipes available before attempting the task. Unlike
When creating something new, I, like other in the past, when people learned through
pastry chefs, often follow a process that hard work and rigor, our generation has the
involves several steps. This may include advantage of being able to shorten the learning
researching and experimenting with new time and keep up with the ever-changing pastry
ingredients or techniques, testing different trends.
flavor combinations, and refining the recipe
until it meets their exacting standards. Some Career Advice
chefs also collaborate with other professionals Never stop learning and growing. In the
or draw inspiration from customer feedback to constantly evolving world of pastry, there
refine and perfect their creations. Ultimately, is always something new to discover and a
the process of creating something new in pastry new technique to master. By staying curious
is highly personal and can vary widely depending and always seeking out new challenges,
on the individual. The most important thing is to pastry chefs can continue to refine their
stay curious, open-minded, and willing to take skills and develop their craft over time.
risks to develop unique and inspiring desserts. Successful pastry chefs often emphasize
the importance of perseverance and resilience
Current Flavor Favorites in the face of challenges and setbacks. Pastry
I am currently exploring the use of more locally- is a demanding and often stressful profession,
sourced vegetables, fruits, and ingredients and it can be easy to become discouraged or
in my cooking. By understanding the process overwhelmed at times. However, by remaining
of how these ingredients are grown and focused on their goals, maintaining a positive
affected by the local terroir and environment, attitude, and staying true to their passion for
I can discover endless flavor combinations that the craft, pastry chefs can overcome even the
genuinely represent the region. It is important toughest obstacles and achieve lasting success
to use what is available locally in order to in their careers.
communicate a message through our food to
the consumer. Photos by Justin Tan

158 Pastry Arts

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Recipe

Rhubarb and
Strawberry
Shortcake
By Samantha Santiago Torres

160 Pastry Arts

T his is an
interpretation of the
classic strawberry
shortcake, with a
twist. The rhubarb
gelato gives the
dish a tartness that balances really
well with the sweet strawberries. This
dessert was created for our brunch
menu, so I wanted to add an item that
complements the rest of the dishes,
and for this reason I added the lemon
scones.
Yield: 24 servings

3. Roll out to a thickness of 0.8ʺ(2 cm) and cut

Scones into 1.18ʺ x 3.15ʺ (3 cm x 8 cm) rectangles.
Paint with yolk twice and sprinkle with
• 1000 g all-purpose flour sanding sugar. Bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for
• 170 g granulated sugar 15-20 minutes.
• 30 g baking powder
• 224 g unsalted butter Rhubarb Purée
• 20 g lemon zest
• 4 large eggs • 2000 g granulated sugar
• 284 g buttermilk • 2000 g water
• Egg yolk, for egg wash • 1500 g rhubarb

1. Mix the dry ingredients, butter and lemon 1. Make a simple syrup with the sugar and
zest with the paddle until you get a sandy water, pour it over the rhubarb and cover
texture. the container with plastic wrap. Leave it an
2. Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk hour until it is soft, then strain the rhubarb,
in a separate bowl and add to the dry reserving the syrup.
ingredients until everything comes together 2. Blend the rhubarb until pureéd.
(don’t overmix it). Leave in the refrigerator
for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

Pastry Arts 161

 2. Bring 600 g of the cream to a boil. Pour over
Rhubarb Gelato the trimoline, gelatin and chocolate and
emulsify with a hand blender. Add the rest
• 1700 g milk of the cream and allow to cool in refrigerator
• 750 g heavy cream overnight.
• 500 g granulated sugar 3. Whip it the next day.
• 150 g milk powder
• 125 g dextrose Plating
• 25 g stabiliser
• 1500 g Rhubarb Purée • Confectioners’ sugar
• Compressed rhubarb with rhubarb syrup
1. Heat milk and cream to 104˚F (40˚C), then • 
Compressed strawberries with rhubarb
add all the dry ingredients. Heat it up to syrup
167˚F (75˚C), and then cool it down. • Mint leaves
2. Pour it over the Rhubarb Purée and blend.
1. Pipe a big portion of Strawberry Whipped
Strawberry Ganache on one side of the plate. Warm up
the scones and sprinkle with confectioners’
Whipped Ganache sugar. Arrange 2 scones crossing each other.
2. Scoop one ball of Rhubarb Gelato and put it
• 2 sheets gelatin across the cream.
• 1200 g heavy cream, divided 3. Cut 3 slices of compressed rhubarb and
• 400 g Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration place it on the top of the whipped ganache.
• 120 g trimoline Place 2 slices of compressed strawberries
• 600 g heavy cream on the Rhubarb Gelato. Put 3 rhubarb curls
and a couple of mint leaves across the plate
to decorate.
1. Soak the gelatin in cold water.

162 Pastry Arts

Samantha Inspiration for New Recipes
I really like flavors that remind me of my

Santiago childhood and places that I used to live. I also

like to do interpretations of classic desserts. I

Torres don’t really have any special process to create;

I think of flavors and the rest I improvise. I don’t
sketch my desserts, because honestly I’m really
Executive Pastry Chef,
bad at that. So usually everything is in my mind,
Gage Hospitality Group, Chicago, IL
and from there it goes to the plate creation.
@pastrychefsamantha
Current Flavor Favorites
For this summer I’m going with prickly pear,
gofio and cheese. It’s a combination that I did
Early Influence in a cake with flavors from the Canary Islands,
I’ve always loved baking – I started when I was which is where my family lived. I really want to
10 years old, with my mum’s old baking books, bring my culture to the States, and I can do it
which didn’t have any pictures. But I think my through my desserts.
real passion started the day that my pastry chef
told me I wouldn’t be successful in my career. Production Tip
That day I promised myself that I would prove
Well, as we say in my country, “Every teacher
her wrong, and I think I did pretty well, as I’m
has their own rule book.” In other words,
still here, 15 years later.
there is more than one way to make things.
Try different ways to do your anglaise, your
Signature Style cremeux, your sponges... you will be surprised
I always struggle with this question. I like “cute how much you can speed up your production,
things,” so I guess I have a child-like wonder and with the same quality if you don’t make
and whimsical style. everything by old pastry rules.

Technical Tip
As far as plating goes, I always like more small
bites on the plate, because they look really
cute and enticing. Now that I’m in a restaurant
group it is a new aspect to consider. I think I’m
getting pretty good at it. My advice is, don’t
stick to just one plating style, and practice a
lot. It’s true that practice makes the master.

Career Advice
You can learn things from anyone! Even a
dishwasher can show you things that will help
you at some point, so humbly listen to what
people have to say.

Pastry Arts 163

Recipe

Hazelnut,
Coffee,
Cherry
By Kristin Brangwynne

164 Pastry Arts

T his dish is one of
my favorite petits
gateaux that I
have created. I had
recently tested my
ratio for developing a mousse
using various nuts, and in this
case I used hazelnuts. Inside the
hazelnut mousse is a cherry curd
•
•
•
•
•
Cherry Compote
500 g cherries, pitted
200 g granulated sugar
20 g vanilla extract
15 g lemon juice
5 g cornstarch
and a coffee pastry cream, three • 2 g water
flavors I normally wouldn’t put
together. However, the nuttiness 1. Combine the cherries, sugar, vanilla and
from the hazelnut mousse and lemon juice in a pot and cook until cherries
the tartness from the cherry get soft.
curd is a balanced pairing that 2. Create a slurry with the cornstarch and
water and stir into the cherry mixture. Cook
all must try. Adding a thin layer until thickened. Spread on a plastic wrap
of coffee pastry cream brings lined tray and freeze until solid.
a full-bodied experience. The
coffee layer and cherry layer Coffee Pastry Cream
are thinner on account of their
bold flavors allowing them • 50 g instant coffee powder
to blend seamlessly with the • 159 g milk
hazelnut mousse. Overall, this • 97 g heavy cream
dessert embodies everything • 1 Tbs vanilla extract
I love about pastry: beautiful • 76 g egg yolks
• 31 g granulated sugar
flavors, ingredients used not in
their conventional ways, and
1. Combine the coffee powder, milk, cream
fun, exciting colors and design, and vanilla in a pot and bring to a boil.
making this mousse cake a 2. Whisk into the yolks and sugar, then
memorable experience inside return the mixture to the heat. Whisk until
and out. thickened.
3. Pour over frozen Cherry Compote and freeze
Yield: 8 servings until solid.
4. Once solid, cut out with mold to make
inserts.

Pastry Arts 165

 3. Place milk, cream and vanilla bean in a pot
and bring to a boil. Temper mix into egg
yolks. Return to heat and cook until the
temperature reaches 189°F (87°C), stirring
occasionally. Add the bloomed gelatin. Pour
over the hazelnut paste, mix to combine.
4. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour into mold
and press in cherry-coffee inserts. Freeze
until solid.

Red Glaze
• 18 g gelatin sheets
• 150 g water
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 300 g sweetened condensed milk
• 350 g white chocolate
• Red food coloring, as needed

1. Bloom gelatin in ice water.

2. Combine the water, sugar, vanilla and
condensed milk in a pot and bring to a boil.
Hazelnut Mousse Add the bloomed gelatin, then pour over the
white chocolate. Add the red food coloring
• 213 g hazelnuts and mix until homogeneous.
• 173 g confectioners’ sugar
• 1 large egg white Assembly
• 3 sheets gelatin
• 217 g milk • Feuilletine, as needed
• 168 g heavy cream • Hazelnut tuiles
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped • Tempered white chocolate discs
• 50 g granulated sugar • Cherries, halved
• 4 large egg yolks
• 210 g whipped cream 1. Once frozen, unmold petits gateaux onto a
glazing rack. Glaze with red glaze.
1. Combine hazelnuts, confectioners’ sugar 2. Press feuilletine around the base of the
and egg white in a food processor. Pulse dessert. Garnish with hazelnut tuile,
until a paste forms; set aside. tempered white chocolate discs and halved
2. Bloom gelatin in ice water. cherries.

166 Pastry Arts

 Early Influence
As a child, I was all about art. My paternal
grandfather was an artist, and though he passed
away while I was a baby, I grew up in a house filled
with his art. I sketched all the time, sometimes
attempting to recreate his drawings. I dreamed
of being an illustrator, being able to create
for a living. However, as I got older I started
helping my mother out in the kitchen, making
cheesecakes and cookies for family parties, and
I realized that this was art in a whole different
way. Art that tasted so sweet and delicious. As
I entered eighth grade, I knew that my goal was
to become a pastry chef. From then on I laid out
my path to my dream job. With my mother’s
organization and realistic vision, and my father’s
grit and hardworking mentality, I knew that I
would be equipped and supported in finding my
way through the pastry world.

Signature Style
Clean and pristine – I am drawn to petits gateaux
and entremets, desserts which I can give a crisp
and beautiful finish to, while making the interior
exciting to the eye with unique and colorful
layers. I also love incorporating ingredients and
flavor combinations that aren’t as common in
desserts. For example, combining herbs with
Kristin familiar favorite fruits or utilizing a savory spice
element to draw excitement through the flavors
Brangwynne as well as the look.

Pastry Chef, Conrad Nashville, Inspiration for New Recipes

Nashville, TN
When creating a new recipe, I first think about
some of my favorite flavors that I haven’t utilized
in a while or ingredients that I have never worked
with or haven’t worked with too frequently. I find
one flavor to start with, and I build the recipes
around it. Researching and experimenting with
complementary flavors, trying the ingredient in
different cooking methods: using it in a curd,
a caviar, a gel and seeing how it behaves and
where the ingredient shines. I focus on creating
a solid base with a combination of ingredients
that I am excited to use, and just enjoy watching
a whole dessert start to blossom.

Pastry Arts 167

Current Flavor Favorites Career Advice
Currently I am exploring a lot of classically I feel like the best career advice I have ever
savory elements in dessert applications. A received was from my parents. It was so simple,
dessert I am now recipe testing is a mango and but has rung in my head throughout culinary
jalapeño tart. This area of flavor combinations school and my entire professional career: “Trust
is really interesting to me, because it can be a yourself, you know what you can do better than
moment of hesitation for people to taste as anyone.” I struggle a lot with self-confidence,
well as create. It all comes down to balancing but having that phrase in my head – especially
the ingredients so that all the flavors shine related to the career that I have such a passion
through. For me, these combinations start for – was absolutely life changing. So just keep
with pure curiosity from a professional growth on trusting yourself – I promise, whatever
standpoint. Challenging myself with trickier happens is all part of the process.
ingredients and – depending on how my testing
and research goes – they may eventually end Dessert photos by Kristin Brangwynne;
up on one of my menus. chef photos by Justin Kaicles

Production Tip
My biggest tip I can share to other pastry
professionals is a cross utilization of base
recipes. If you have a mousse or sablé recipe
that works and delivers the flavor and texture
you look for, use that recipe as a base to create
new menu items. For example, I use the same
base mousse recipe and enhance it with the
spices or the fruit flavors or whichever element
I am looking for in that particular dessert, and
adapt it to the recipe. This helps save time and
labor in the kitchen.

Technical Tip
I would have to say that one pastry I feel I have
truly mastered is the petit gateau. Through
trial and error and playing with a multitude of
flavors pertaining to each season, I have a
repertoire of many different petits gateaux. I
found the key is discovering which components
work better as inserts (curds, cremeux or
sponge cakes) and which style of mousse you
prefer on the exterior (diplomat, chiboust,
Bavarian). Playing around with different ways
to flavor them helps you really understand
the dessert. From there comes the fun part of
using different silicone molds and playing with
different colors and garnishes. They bring me
so much excitement because no two will taste
or look alike!

168 Pastry Arts

Recipe

Strawberry
Basil Tart
By Andreas Pita

170 Pastry Arts

T he first dessert I ever
made was a strawberry
tart – made with dough
that was bought frozen,
and pastry cream from
a mix, and with the
strawberries covered in a glaze. I was
pretty proud of that tart, back in the
day! Here I decided to do another
version of that tart, this time with a
Strawberry Marmalade
•
•
•
•
•
350 g fresh strawberries
62 g granulated sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean
10 g pectin Nh
35 g lemon juice

1. In a saucepan, cook the strawberries and 52

g of the sugar and the vanilla bean. When
the temperature reaches 100°F (38°C), add
the pectin and the remaining 10 g sugar.
surprising twist: a basil-infused pastry
Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, then
cream. Because it’s a fairly simple add the lemon juice. Pour into a tray to a
recipe, make sure to use beautiful, thickness of 1.2ʺ (3 cm) and reserve in
sweet strawberries at their peak and the refrigerator, making sure it’s on a flat
organic basil. surface.

Yield: about 8 servings

Basil Milk
• 400 g milk
• 12 g basil leaves
Sweet Dough
1. Bring the milk to a boil; add the basil leaves
and allow to infuse in refrigerator for 24
• 175 g unsalted butter hours.
• 45 g almond powder 2. The next day, strain out the leaves.
• 120 g confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 70 g whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 290 g T55 flour

1. Make the dough the day before. In the

bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, cream the butter until softened.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the almond
powder, the sifted confectioners’ sugar
and the salt. Add the almond mixture to
the butter, mixing until homogenous. Add
1/3 of the eggs and 1/3 of the flour. Mix 1
minute, then repeat with the remaining 2/3
of each. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap
in plastic and allow to rest in refrigerator.

Pastry Arts 171

 Basil Pastry Cream Vanilla Chantilly
• 340 g Basil Milk • 250 g heavy cream
• 60 g egg yolks • 30 g confectioners’ sugar
• 67 g granulated sugar • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 30 g pastry cream powder
• 34 g unsalted butter 1. Whip the cream with the confectioners’
sugar and vanilla bean pulp to medium
1. In a saucepan, bring the Basil Milk to a boil. peaks.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg
yolks, sugar and pastry cream powder. Pour Assembly
1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture
and whisk well. Pour this mixture into the
remaining milk and cook for 4 minutes, • Fresh strawberries, as needed
allowing it to boil for at least 1 minute. • Lime zest or edible flowers
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.
Transfer to container, cover and reserve. 1. Butter eight 2.7ʺ (7 cm) tart rings. Roll out
the tart dough to a thickness of 0.12ʺ (3
mm), then cut out 8 circles that are 3.15ʺ (8
cm) in diameter and 8 strips that are 0.8ʺ (2
cm) wide. Press the dough rounds into tart
rings, then place the strips of sweet dough
around the edges and trim away any excess
dough. Reserve in refrigerator
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake
the tart shells for 20 minutes.
3. Cut rounds from the Strawberry Marmalade
with a 1.4ʺ (35-cm) cutter, and reserve them
in the freezer.
4. Cut some fresh strawberries and add them
to the bottom of the tart shells. Top with the
Basil Pastry Cream and smooth the tops.
Place the Strawberry Marmalade rounds
off-center on top of the pastry cream. Pipe
the Vanilla Chantilly with a St. Honore tip
around the Strawberry Marmalade. Garnish
with lime zest or edible flowers.

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 Inspiration for New Recipes
I am trying to get the perfect mix between what
I’ve learned in the companies I have worked for
before and all the new styles I see on Instagram,
magazines, etc. I watch a lot of savory cooking
shows, and the way they mix ingredients that
are not supposed to be together really helps
me find a twist that I need.

Current Flavor Favorites

I am currently exploring the combination of
black rice and chocolate for a macaron. I’ve
tried black rice ice cream in Paris, which was
amazing. I think it’s rare to have a chance to eat
something sweet based on a black rice flavor,
so I’m very interested to see if the customers
will like it or not.

Production Tip
Organization is the keyword in a kitchen. My
kitchen is organized like an army. Everyone has
different tasks. I have a planner that is always
filled up three days in advance, so I am sure
I won’t miss any ingredients. Make sure to
listen to your coworkers and keep the work

Andreas Pita environment peaceful. It’s easier to work with

a good team spirit.
Head Pastry Chef, Ladurée Los
Angeles, Beverly Hills, CA Technical Tip
I would say tempering chocolate is my greatest
strength. I was terrible at it, and my first chef
kept pushing me to understand what I was
doing. My tip would be to consider your room
Early Influence temperature. A lot of apprentices focus on
My mom was my biggest influence. Since I the temperature of the chocolate. The room
was little, she’d make us pastries, crêpes, and temperature is also very important, depending
desserts every Sunday, and I always wanted to on how cold or hot it is.
help her. Around 10 years old, I knew I wanted
to be a pastry chef. Career Advice
My first chef told me that the most challenging
Signature Style part of this job is the first few years. Once
Simple – I love creating a good classic pastry, you pass it, it’s much easier. That’s the point
but with an added twist. Like this tart, it’s a when you understand what you do, believe in
regular strawberry tart, but the basil will make yourself, and start being creative. That’s the
it different from other tarts. best advice I ever had.

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Recipe

Pistachio
Raspberry
Macarons
By Marina Voronkov

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 P istachio and Raspberry are the most popular flavors of
macarons, so I decided to combine these two flavors
in one cookie. This macaron has a pistachio ganache
filling, with a raspberry confit in the center and roasted
pistachios around the sides.

Yield: 24 macarons

3. Put half of the French meringue into the

Macaron Shells bowl with the almond flour mixture. With a
rubber spatula give 5 to 10 mixes. Add this
• 125 g almond flour mixture into bowl with the rest of French
• 125 g confectioners’ sugar meringue. Start folding. The batter is ready
when it drips down from your spatula “like
• 100 g egg whites, room temperature lava”.
• 100 g granulated sugar 4. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted
• Green food coloring with a round tip and pipe macarons onto
a silicone-lined sheet pan. (For these
1. Put the almond flour and confectioners’ macarons, I piped one shell with a round
sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse tip and another shell with a Wilton #6B tip).
a few times until the mixture looks like fine For the macarons piped with the round tip,
meal. Sift this mixture through a fine-mesh drop the tray to release air bubbles; do not
sieve 3 times. do this with the ones pipe with the Wilton
#6B tip. Let the macaron shells dry for 10-
2. Place the room temperature egg whites
15 minutes.
into the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on
low speed (#1) for a few minutes until they 5. While the macarons are drying, preheat the
look frothy, and no egg white liquid remains. oven to 275°F (134°C). When you touch
Once you reach this stage, increase the the macarons with your finger and none of
speed to 4 and start adding the granulated the batter sticks, they are ready to bake.
sugar in 4 parts. Wait 20 -30 seconds before Bake the macarons shells for 12-14 minutes
adding the next part. Continue whipping for on the center oven rack. Remove from the
10-15 minutes, without changing the speed. oven and let cool completely.
Add the green food coloring and whip again
for another 20-30 seconds.

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 1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or
using a double boiler. In a small saucepan,
bring the heavy cream to a simmer (do
not boil!). Pour the hot heavy cream over
the chocolate in 2-3 parts. With the help
of a rubber spatula, keep mixing fast and
pressing down as you add the cream. Add the
pistachio paste. Emulsify the mixture with
the hand blender. Add the salt and chopped
pistachios.( I pulse roasted pistachios in
the blender a few times to make very small
Raspberry Confit pieces.)
2. Transfer the ganache to a flat container and
• 150 g raspberry purée cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to touch
the surface of the ganache. Refrigerate
• 30 g granulated sugar ganache to stabilize. Check for piping
• 6 g pectin NH consistency by pressing with your fingers.
• Pinch of citric acid Ganache should be soft to touch.

1. In a small saucepan, cook the raspberry Assembly

purée over medium heat until it reaches
104°F (40°C). Mix the sugar with the pectin
NH and add to the raspberry purée. Cook • Fresh raspberries
for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the
citric acid and mix again. 1. Lay one of the macaron shells flat sides up
2. Transfer the confit to a flat container and and the other flat side down. This will help
cover with the plastic wrap, allowing to pipe the ganache and stick the shells
it to touch the surface. Cool to room together easier. Transfer the raspberry
temperature, then refrigerate until ready to confit to a pastry bag. Cut a small tip at the
use. end. Put the pistachio ganache into a pastry
bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe the
ganache on each inverted shell, then pipe
Pistachio Ganache the raspberry confit in the center of each
ganache. Sandwich the macaron shells
• 200 g white chocolate so the ganache forms a beautiful rim and
• 100 ml heavy cream doesn’t stick out. Roll the sides of each
macaron in crushed pistachios.
• 
40 g pistachio paste, store-bought or
2. Place macarons in airtight containers and
homemade
keep in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.
• Pinch of salt Macarons need to mature before you can
• 
20 g roasted crushed pistachios, plus more enjoy them. Before serving macarons, you
for decor can decorate with fresh raspberries.

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 Production Tip
Measure all ingredients with a kitchen scale and
get all equipment ready before even starting to
making dessert. Use good quality ingredients,
keep your kitchen clean and do not be afraid to
experiment with flavors.

Technical Tip
The first time I baked macarons they were far
from perfect, and I was determined to learn
how to make them. I used many recipes and
took many classes to learn how to make these
cookies. Learn how to make meringue and get
to know your oven – that I’ve learned from my
personal experience.

Career Advice
Do not be afraid to experiment with flavors!
That’s how I came up with the recipes of
Tomato Macarons, Smoked Salmon Macarons
Marina and Beetroot Macarons.

Voronkov Photos by @naim_ibrahim

@wilsonchengstories @apcachefonline
Owner, Everything Marina
www.everythingmarina.com

Early Influence
Watching professional chefs work, I learned
not to copy their work, but to create my own.

Signature Style
Classic recipes with my modern twist.

Inspiration for New Recipes

Nature is my big inspiration for new recipes. I
love to use natural products for flavor.

Current Flavor Favorites

I love hazelnut for flavor and what could be
done with that, like praline for a texture and
color. Hazelnut with caramel macarons and
mousse cakes are my next projects.

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Recipe

Gluten-Free Hazelnut
Chocolate Panna Cotta
Caramel Tart
By Simona Pozzetto

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 s ince becoming gluten-free in 2010, I have tried to recreate classic
desserts that are as close as possible to how I remembered them,
so that I wouldn’t feel that I was missing out on anything. In the last
couple of years, though, I have been feeling more adventurous and
have experimented with new combinations of flavors, textures and
pastry techniques. The inspiration for this tart comes from one of these experiments.
Growing up in Italy, tarts were a staple in our home, and I wanted to pay a tribute to
my country while filling the pâte sucrèe with some fun: flavorful hazelnut frangipane
with a few hazelnuts for crunch to remind me of the wonderful nuts we produce in
Italy; smooth chocolate panna cotta as a surprisingly cool layer in
honor of the typical Italian dessert; and luscious caramel cream
and caramelized hazelnuts to bind the flavors together and
enhance their depth. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
when I created it.

Yield: 12 servings

Simona’s Gluten-Free
Flour Mix
• 
1080 g superfine white rice flour
• 576 g potato starch
• 270 g superfine sweet rice flour
• 180 g modified tapioca starch
• 18 g xanthan gum

1. Blend together all ingredients. 1. Cream the butter, salt and confectioners’
sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Add the
flours and knead until smooth. Wrap in
Pâte Sucrée plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator
for at least an hour.
• 75 g unsalted butter, softened 2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Grease
• Pinch of fine salt a 10ʺ (25 cm) tart pan with a removable
• 60 g confectioners’ sugar bottom and line the bottom with parchment
paper.
• 
35 g whole egg mixed with egg yolk (mix
1 egg with 1 yolk and then measure 35 g) 3. Roll out the refrigerated dough to 1/4ʺ (0.6
cm) thickness. Gently ease the dough into
• ½ tsp vanilla extract the pan. Make sure that the dough reaches
• 300 g Simona’s Gluten-Free Flour Mix the edge. Prick the bottom and freeze while
• 30 g almond flour preparing the frangipane.

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 1. Cream the butter, salt and sugar.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg and yolk
with a fork and then add them to the
butter mixture. Lastly incorporate the flour
mix, hazelnut flour and the rum. Mix until
smooth.
3. Remove the tart from the freezer and spread
the frangipane evenly in it. Place the 20
hazelnuts randomly in the frangipane. Bake
for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and
the frangipane is firm to the touch. Let it
cool on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Panna Cotta

• 8 g powdered gelatin (250 bloom)
• 500 g heavy cream
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for at least 5

minutes.
2. Pour the cream into a saucepan together
with the sugar and vanilla extract. Heat to
boiling point. While the cream is heating up,
melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a
bain-marie, stirring until smooth.
3. Filter the cream by passing it through a
fine-mesh strainer and slowly add it to the
melted dark chocolate, stirring with a whisk.
Pour back into the saucepan, and heat over
low heat, stirring to avoid lumps. Melt the
Hazelnut Frangipane gelatin in the microwave for 30 seconds
and add to the chocolate mixture. Stir until
• 100 g unsalted butter, softened combined.
• ¼ tsp salt 4. Remove from the heat and pass through a
• 100 g granulated sugar fine-mesh strainer. Cover with a piece of
• 50 g whole egg plastic wrap making sure it touches the top
• 18 g egg yolk of the panna cotta, so it doesn’t develop a
skin. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes.
• 30 g Simona’s Gluten-Free Flour Mix
5. Pour the panna cotta in the tart shell, over
• 100 g hazelnut meal the frangipane, almost to the brim – you
• 15 g rum might have some left over. Refrigerate for
• Hazelnuts, roasted (about 20) at least four hours, until set.

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 2. Once the caramel is ready, dip the hazelnuts
Caramel Cream in it and then hang them and let them dry (I
used a piece of cardboard hanging over the
• 3 g powdered gelatin (250 bloom) counter, and inserted them upside-down).
• 120 g granulated sugar One cooled, remove from the toothpicks
• 150 g heavy cream and set aside. Let the remaining caramel
drop onto parchment paper, to form little
• 75 g unsalted butter
rounds, and let them cool.
• 240 g mascarpone cheese

1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for at least 5 Assembly

minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, 1. Unmold the cooled tart, and place onto a
sprinkle a thin layer of sugar. Watching serving plate.
very closely, allow the sugar to melt. As it 2. Remove the Caramel Cream from the
becomes liquid, sprinkle more granulated refrigerator and using a double boiler,
sugar over the melting sugar until it has warm it while whisking vigorously, until it
all been added. The sugar will begin to reaches the consistency of buttercream.
caramelize very quickly once it melts. You Place into piping bags, one with a round tip,
can turn the heat down to slow the process one with a star tip, and decorate the top of
down. Remove the pan from the heat as the tart. Place the caramelized hazelnuts
soon as your caramelized sugar has reached decoratively on top of the tart, and carefully
its desired color. Add the cream carefully, place the caramel dots at the center of the
because it will splatter. Bring the pan back stars. Serve at room temperature.
on the heat until the caramel sauce becomes
smooth. Add the butter util incorporated.
Remove from the heat.
3. Melt the bloomed gelatin in the microwave
for 30 seconds. Add to the caramel sauce.
Wait until the sauce reaches 180˚F (82˚C),
then add the mascarpone. Mix well, pour
in a medium bowl and cover with plastic
wrap directly on the surface of the cream
to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate
until completely cooled.

Caramelized Hazelnuts
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 50 g roasted hazelnuts

1. Prepare the caramel by melting the sugar

over medium-low heat until it turns amber
yellow, the same way you did earlier for
the caramel cream. Meanwhile, insert
toothpicks into 10 hazelnuts. Set aside.

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 Current Flavor Favorites
I like to combine flavors that we don’t necessarily
think of putting together. I recently was asked
to bake something with peanuts. Because I love
the textures and layers of entremets, I decided
to create a peanut saffron entremet: peanut
joconde, milk chocolate peanut crunch, peanut
mousse, and saffron Bavarian cream.

Production Tip
My gluten-free flour mix is very versatile and,
with the exception of breads, can be used in any
gluten-free production, with a 1:1 substitution.
It’s easy to recreate, and it can make it easier
for any pastry chef to accommodate a gluten-
free request. The desserts taste no different

Simona than their gluten-full equivalent.

Pozzetto Technical Tip

I have been baking gluten-free for over 12 years
Gluten-Free Professional Baker and now, and one tip that I have used with cakes
Instructor, Simona Gluten-free and cupcakes that creates a more moist and
@simona.glutenfree desirable crumb is the addition off vegetable
glycerin to the batter.

Career Advice
Early Influence “I hope you are ready to be successful.” Before
I grew up in Milan, Italy, and followed my mother I heard that, I used to think of all the obstacles
and paternal grandmother in the kitchen. I I would encounter. That advice was given to
suspect that my sweet tooth was behind my me before I opened my wholesale gluten-free
early interest for baking and pastry. bakery 10 years ago.

Signature Style
Growing up in Europe, I tend to like simplicity
in my style. I try to use different textures,
and I have recently become bolder in flavor
combinations.

Inspiration for New Recipes

I am methodical in my planning. I research and
think my steps through. I am a psychotherapist
during the week, and a baker during the
weekend, so I spend my whole week thinking
of what I can bake next. I get inspired by books,
Instagram, ingredients, and I love a challenge.

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Places

17
Berkshire
Memphis, TN
www.17berkshire.com

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186 Pastry Arts
Nuha
Abuduhair
Pastry Chef
and Owner
Company Mission
17 Berkshire aims to provide a little bit of
luxury for your everyday life. We combine a
medley of global flavors and present them in
beautiful pastries for guests to enjoy for all of
life’s celebrations.

Signature Products
17 Berkshire is known for its daily assortment
of macarons. We bake everything in house
daily and offer a rotating menu of flavors. We
are also known for epic theme days! Think of
your favorite category, but celebrated in pastry Secret of Success
form. Figure out what your signature pastry will be
and double down on that. What do you want to
be known for? This is what will bring customers
Production Tip
in the door. Once they’re in, you can lure them
We bake macarons in batches daily. Macarons with other delicious temptations. The goal is to
must have a “skin” form prior to baking, which get them into the shop first!
can be tricky once they’re lined up on a baking
rack. To help speed up this process, we turn on a
medium-sized floor fan aimed at the macarons. Future Goals
The fan is tucked in neatly next to the trays and Implementing systems into our daily routines is
will help us achieve those necessary skins! something I have been wanting to do for years.
It would decrease my daily decision making and
help keep everyone on the same page. I’ve also
Equipment ‘Must-Haves’
decided to cross-train all front-of-house and
A kitchen scale is a must-have piece of back-of-house employees. They may not work
equipment for us. It keeps product consistent, in both arenas, but as a small business with less
is pretty straight forward when employees are than 10 employees, if one employee calls in
reading recipes, and also reduces the number sick, we feel it. Having more teammates to tag
of tools you have to clean at the end of a recipe. is always helpful!

Pastry Arts 187

Places

Bobby Boy
Bakeshop
Winston-Salem, N.C.
www.bobbyboybakeshop.com

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Lucia and John Bobby
Pastry Chef/Baker and Owners
Company Mission Equipment ‘Must-Haves’
Inspire each other. Create passion. Cultivate We love our nut grinder to make our nut pastes.
community. Nut pastes aren’t always cost-effective. We
can control the amount produced and the
final product by grinding our own. Also, our
Signature Products
immersion blender – this is a must-have for our
We serve a variety of croissants and Danish mirror glazes.
daily, naturally leavened sourdough bread,
and desserts, including entremets and eclairs.
Our guests come for our signature spelt wheat Secret of Success
sourdough, twice-baked croissants, seasonal We are never closed the minute we close. We
Danish, and ever-changing entremets. We also are truly here to serve our guests, so if guests
make one hot sandwich a day utilizing local trickle in after closing, we serve them. Perhaps
beef and pork. Our most popular by far is our they are on the way home from work and need
meatball sub and brisket sandwich. bread or dessert for dinner. We make sure their
needs are met. We love to have our guests
impressed with the food in our shop, but we
Production Tip
believe that always has to be matched by warm,
Our staff is skillful at using the whole product— welcoming service.
for example, the apples we use in our Apple
Danish. The skins are saved to make apple cider
or soda syrup, and any trimmed bits are used Future Goals
for apple butter or made into a croissant filling. We are excited to be working on expanding our
It keeps costs down, keeps us sharp on using production space and opening a second Bobby
the whole product, and gives us the beginning Boy Bakeshop. We look forward to growing
prep on another product. and allowing our staff to grow with us.

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Places

KNEAD Bakehouse
+ Provisions
St. Louis, MO
www.kneadbakehouse.com
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 Production Tip
Our proofers allow us to speed up or slow
down production of our sourdough. If we don’t
proof the dough for the right amount of time
or at the right temperature, the yeast is unable
to release CO2, and the gluten can’t stretch
to hold the air bubbles to create a beautiful
crumb. The proofers also allow us to slow down
fermentation, so we don’t have to bake bread
while we’d rather still be sleeping!

Equipment ‘Must-Haves’
AJ and We just got new deck ovens! They allow us to
bake our bread the way we have always wanted
Kirsten Brown to. They stack on top of each other, which
allows us to have more ovens in our small space!
Owners Our current space is at the brink of maximum
capacity, so these new ovens really allow us to
improve our already great product and expand
the product offering of sourdough breads. We
are now able to produce sourdough baguettes
Company Mission
and bâtards.
KNEAD’s mission is to use our sourdough and
the excellence of our team to curate meaningful,
memorable moments for the people within our Secret of Success
community. Our 10-year-old sourdough starter! AJ started
our sourdough starter after getting home
from culinary school in France. We use local
Signature Products
Midwestern and organic flours that make up
Loaves of sourdough bread are our staple! Our the unique flavor and nutritional value in our
sourdough is throughout our entire menu, loaves and pastries.
which is the heart and soul of KNEAD. The
Bacon Breakfast Sandwich on Sourdough
Brioche bun with house-made aioli, lettuce, Future Goals
tomato and a fried egg is our number one seller. We are looking for an additional space to have
Our regulars usually stop in for a loaf of more production space, indoor and outdoor
sourdough, a sourdough pastry, such as our dining, and a quick service bakery counter and
kolaches or brioche donuts, and a coffee. If retail space. It has been challenging to find the
they pop in for lunch, they enjoy our Chicken right space, but we are hopeful something will
Salad sandwich or Turkey Bacon Ranch on our allow us to grow within the Saint Louis
rustic sourdough. community.

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Places

Starter
Bakery
Berkeley and Oakland, CA
www.starterbakery.com

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 Production Tip
Our overall operational efficiency for the
bakery business is critical to the success of the
retail store. The wholesale division is nearby
and able to support the retail store with custom
products ready to proof and bake, or portion
and bake. The efficiency of the wholesale team
is critical to the volume the retail store can
do and is achieved by appropriate equipment,
space and staffing. The retail team focuses on
baking and finishing onsite.

Equipment ‘Must-Haves’
One of our most important tools is our proofer-
retarder. This equipment allows us to maintain
a sane production schedule and control
fermentation on our viennoiserie and breads.
Brian Wood We can set a schedule that includes cooling,
tempering to proof, proofing and holding.
Owner
Secret to Success
Company Mission I think building a loyal customer base at farmers’
markets and selling to top coffee shops in our
From the very beginning, our mission has been
region for 12 years before we opened a store
to produce the best quality baked goods using
has been key. Two years ago we opened a
the freshest ingredients – seasonal and local
direct-to-consumer online shop, which was
when possible – and in doing so, to develop
the next step to opening our own store, and
staff and their skill level. We are now able to do
allowed us to be more creative outside of the
this in a community space where people come
wholesale model.
to us for their fresh daily pastries and bread.

Future Goals
Signature Products
It has been exciting to create a space to
Our bakery is situated in a bustling
welcome people to. We’re focusing on core,
neighborhood, full of food enthusiasts who
specialty items and branching out to add on a
have provided endless inspiration to our
small line of savory items, desserts, including
team. Developing new products has involved
items for our grab-and-go case. Seasonally
rigorous testing, such as 37 trials to perfect
panettone is a big one for us; we plan to feature
our new croissant recipe. Our range of baked
it prominently as a local gift for holidays. There
goods leads with our signature Kouign Amann
is potential for one or two more retail locations,
and the new Pistachio Cardamom Twist, as well
but the goal is not to get much larger than that.
as fresh croissant varieties baked throughout
the day. We produce small batches of Hearth
Breads (Olive Levain, Miche, Baguette), sliced
breads, quiches, and serve locally roasted
coffee and tea. Photos by Kristen Loken for Starter Bakery

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