Pastry Journal

How cocoa processing, acidity and leavening affect the natural colour, flavour and texture of Red Velvet cake.

A practical pastry comparison of vanilla beans, extracts, vanillin and flavour complexity.

How milk powder affects dairy flavour, browning, hydration and texture in baking.

What I check when tempered chocolate starts to thicken, how I decide whether it is too cold or over-crystallised, and when I stop and temper it again.

A source-backed reference method for thin dark-chocolate decorations, with product-specific temperature limits, temper checks, shaping, storage and entremet placement.

A source-backed practical guide to how acetate, couverture fluidity, thickness and crystallisation timing control thin flat and curved chocolate decorations.

A peer-reviewed, pastry-focused explanation of cocoa-butter crystal forms, nucleation, crystal growth, gloss, contraction, snap and bloom.

A documented guide to how cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, emulsifiers and product-specific fluidity determine dark couverture performance.

A peer-reviewed guide to cocoa butter as chocolate’s continuous fat phase: triacylglycerols, melting, crystallisation, snap and substitution consequences.

My professional guide to freezing and thawing crème pâtissière: why pastry cream releases water, how freeze-stable starch systems work, and how I validate a formula before production.

My professional guide to water activity in pastry: how aw differs from moisture, Brix and pH, how to measure it and why shelf life needs finished-product validation.

My professional method for freezing, thawing and testing fruit inserts for entremets, with practical control of syneresis, pectin, gelatin, Brix and pH.

My professional method for measuring °Brix, controlling soluble solids and using mass balance in fruit gels, confits, pâte de fruit, glazes and fillings.

My professional method for measuring and adjusting pH in fruit gels, preparing acid solutions and controlling flavour, pectin setting and batch consistency.

My professional method for dispersing, hydrating and activating Pectin NH, Pectin Jaune and Pectin X58 without lumps, weak set or premature gelation.

How I use glucose syrup in pastry: DE, dry solids, water, sweetness, crystallisation, freezing, substitutions, accurate weighing and troubleshooting.

How I use milk in pastry: composition, fat level, proteins, lactose, browning, custards, dough hydration, substitutions, heat treatment and troubleshooting.

How I build a smooth chocolate crémeux emulsion: custard control, compatible temperatures, progressive mixing, immersion blending, cooling and troubleshooting.

How I specify and use professional fruit purées in pastry: °Brix, pH, titratable acidity, fibre, consistency, freezing, gelation and recipe substitutions.

How I choose and use dairy cream in pastry: fat percentage, temperature, whipping, emulsions, chocolate mousse, crémeux, substitutions and troubleshooting.

My professional guide to feuilletine: an oven-made crêpes dentelles formula, thin spreading, caramelised baking, storage and crisp entremet layers.

How to make, weigh and convert gelatin mass: dry gelatin, hydration water, 1:5 and 1/6 notation, sheet gelatin, Bloom strength and pastry troubleshooting.

A gelatin-stabilised Guanaja 70% mousse for frozen entremets, with controlled emulsion, folding temperature, metal-ring assembly and safe tonka dosing.

A professionally sourced mango and passion fruit gel for frozen entremet inserts, with Pectin NH, gelatin, precise temperatures and ring assembly.

A professionally sourced milk chocolate crémeux formula for frozen entremet inserts, with precise temperatures, emulsion method, assembly guidance and troubleshooting.

I explain how sucrose controls egg foams, tenderness, moisture, browning, caramel, freezing and texture—and why reducing sugar changes the whole formula.

I compare génoise, separated-egg sponge, biscuit, Joconde, dacquoise, chiffon and entremet sponge by aeration, fat, texture and best pastry use.

My professional method for adding melted butter, chocolate or another fat phase to egg foam without streaks, separation or unnecessary loss of aeration.

My professional folding method for combining egg foam, liquids, dry ingredients and fat while preserving aeration in sponge, mousse and other pastry.

How I choose and use butter in pastry: fat and water, temperature, plasticity, emulsions, browning, clarification, lamination and substitutions.

How I use egg whites, yolks and whole eggs for aeration, structure, emulsification, moisture and texture, with weighing and substitution guidance.

How I choose and use almond flour in pastry: grind, fat, moisture, storage, substitutions and its structural role in sponge, financiers and almond cream.

How I choose cocoa powder for cakes and pastry: natural vs alkalised cocoa, fat content, colour, flavour, hydration, leavening and substitutions.

My flourless chocolate sponge formula for layered entremets, with French meringue, almond flour, cocoa and dark chocolate, plus mixing, baking, cooling and troubleshooting.

My guide to fresh, active dry and instant yeast: practical conversion ratios, mixing, storage, proofing and choosing yeast for enriched and laminated doughs.

My practical guide to gum arabic (acacia gum, E414) in pastry: emulsions, coatings, confectionery, hydration, substitutions and common formulation mistakes.

I explain how Pectin Jaune sets high-solids fruit preparations, how to disperse and activate it, and why it cannot replace NH or X58 pectin gram for gram.

I explain what Sosa Gelespessa is, how to disperse and dose it, when to use it for coulis or sauces, and why it is not the same as pure xanthan gum.

How I use Pectin NH for fruit gels and frozen inserts: product selection, sugar dispersion, hot hydration, acidity, thermoreversibility and troubleshooting.

I explain how Pectin X58 works in calcium-rich glazes and creams, how it differs from NH and yellow pectin, and how to prevent lumps or an incorrect set.

I explain the main types of pastry, how each dough creates its texture, familiar examples, and how I choose the right pastry family for a finished dessert.

My practical guide to baking with xylitol: how it differs from sugar, what changes in cakes and desserts, substitution, browning, texture and common problems.

My practical guide to konjac gum and glucomannan in baking: what it does, how it differs from xanthan and psyllium, how to avoid gummy texture, and when I use it.

My practical guide to kappa carrageenan in pastry: how it forms thermoreversible gels, how potassium changes texture, where it works well, and how it differs from iota carrageenan, agar and gelatin.

A pastry chef’s guide to guar gum in baking: what it does, how it differs from xanthan gum, where it helps gluten-free formulas, and how to avoid gummy texture.

A pastry chef’s guide to bronze, silver and gold gelatin sheets, Bloom strength, powder conversion, hydration, temperature and the mistakes that cause weak or rubbery gels.

A pastry chef’s guide to maltose: how sweet it tastes, how it affects browning and texture, where it is useful, and why maltose syrup is not the same as malt extract.

A pastry chef explains crémeux: what it is, how its texture differs from mousse, ganache and pastry cream, how it is made, and why it sometimes turns runny or grainy.

A pastry chef’s guide to Sosa Potatowhip Cold: what potato protein does, how I use it in vegan foams and meringues, and how to troubleshoot weak volume.

A pastry chef’s practical guide to agar agar: how it sets, how it differs from gelatin, how to dissolve it and how to avoid brittle or rubbery gels.

My pastry guide to cream of tartar: what it does in cakes and meringue, how it stabilizes egg whites, how it works with baking soda, and when substitutes are appropriate.

A pastry chef’s guide to baking powder in cakes: how it creates lift, how to calculate a sensible amount, why more is not better and when baking soda is different.

I compare Valrhona and Callebaut couverture by flavour, fluidity, format and application, then explain when either chocolate needs tempering.

A pastry chef’s guide to fruit gels: how pectin, gelatin and agar differ, how acidity and fruit composition affect texture, and how to choose the right system.

Learn how citric acid is used in pastry to adjust acidity, sharpen fruit flavor and support certain gels, and why pH control matters in professional formulations.

Learn how potato starch behaves in cakes and pastry, how it differs from cereal starches, and when it can improve tenderness, structure or gluten-free formulations.

Learn what xanthan gum does in cakes and gluten-free baking, how it affects water holding and structure, and why more is not always better.

Learn how inulin affects baking formulas, including water interaction, texture, sweetness and structure—and why dosage and process matter.

My raspberry fruit confit recipe with Pectin NH, plus how I control fruit, sugar, acidity, texture and freeze-thaw stability for cakes, tarts and entremets.

My almond cream recipe and true frangipane variation, with the classical 2:1 relationship, mixing technique, troubleshooting, uses, storage and baking guidance.

My Italian meringue recipe with 121°C / 250°F syrup, precise whipping and pouring technique, troubleshooting, uses, storage guidance and the difference from French and Swiss meringue.

My Swiss meringue recipe with a 2:1 sugar-to-whites ratio, 55°C / 131°F bain-marie method, low-temperature drying, troubleshooting, uses and safety guidance.

My French meringue recipe with a 245 g egg-white house formula, a classical 2:1 sugar structure, gentle icing-sugar incorporation, low-temperature drying and practical troubleshooting.

My classic tiramisu recipe follows the Treviso structure of mascarpone cream, pasteurized egg yolks and coffee-soaked savoiardi, with precise handling, food-safety guidance and troubleshooting.

My Basque cheesecake recipe uses the classic San Sebastián structure: a deeply caramelised crustless top, soft custardy centre, precise doneness cues and practical troubleshooting.

My carrot cake recipe uses finely grated carrots, neutral oil, brown sugar and warm spices for a moist, tender crumb, finished with a balanced cream cheese frosting.

My Pavlova recipe uses a classic 2:1 sugar-to-egg-white ratio, a little cornstarch and acid, and a controlled low bake for a crisp shell with a soft marshmallow centre.

My crème brûlée recipe uses cream, egg yolks, vanilla and gentle bain-marie baking for a silky custard finished with a very thin, brittle caramelized sugar crust.

My classic pain aux raisins recipe with laminated croissant dough, vanilla pastry cream, raisins, proofing, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My brioche feuilletée recipe uses rich whole-egg brioche dough with separate tourage butter, three simple turns, cold proofing control, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My classic baked cheesecake recipe uses full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, a graham-style crust, gentle water-bath baking and precise doneness cues for a smooth creamy slice.

Diagnose common croissant problems by symptom: flat shape, cracked surface, butter leakage, poor honeycomb, dense crumb and weak lift.

My classic French croissant recipe in grams, with lamination, butter plasticity, turns, proofing, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My pain au chocolat recipe using laminated croissant dough, with chocolate batons, sheeting, shaping, proofing, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My professional Danish pastry dough recipe in grams, with enriched yeast dough, butter lamination, turns, proofing, baking, fillings and troubleshooting explained.

My classic kouign-amann recipe in grams, with yeasted dough, butter lamination, sugar turns, proofing, caramelization and troubleshooting explained.

My inverse puff pastry recipe in grams, with beurre manié outside the dough, double turns, resting, sheeting, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My professional ciabatta recipe with biga, 76% hydration, folds, gentle shaping, proofing, steam baking and open-crumb troubleshooting explained.

My country sourdough bread recipe at 75% hydration, with active levain, dough temperature, bulk fermentation, folds, overnight proofing, Dutch-oven baking and troubleshooting.

My French baguette recipe in grams, with poolish, 70% hydration, shaping, scoring, steam, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My olive focaccia recipe with liquid wheat sourdough starter, fresh yeast, olive oil, folds, proofing, high-heat baking and troubleshooting explained.

My white sandwich bread recipe with milk, cream, egg, butter, overnight cold fermentation, fine crumb, open-top baking and a Pullman pain de mie variation.

My professional challah recipe with eggs, oil, controlled fermentation, even braiding, proofing cues, egg wash and a soft, fine crumb.

My rye-dominant sourdough bread recipe with 66% rye flour, an overnight rye sour, controlled fermentation, steam baking and a moist, clean-slicing crumb.

My 100% whole-wheat sandwich bread recipe with a short hydration rest, honey and olive oil for a soft, wheat-forward loaf that slices cleanly.

A professional guide to pâte à foncer: what the term means, why French pastry terminology varies, and how hydration, fat, resting and lining determine a clean, stable tart shell.

I compare crème anglaise and pastry cream by ingredients, thickening, texture, cooking and uses, and explain why these two custards are not interchangeable.

My classic crème anglaise recipe: a silky vanilla custard sauce made with milk, yolks and sugar, cooked gently to 82–84°C / 180–183°F and judged by the nappe test.

My professional crème diplomate recipe with pastry cream, softly whipped cream and gelatin, with ratios, folding method, troubleshooting and pastry uses.

My professional crème mousseline recipe with pastry cream and butter, including the correct emulsion method, working temperature, troubleshooting, ratios and pastry uses.

My classic Chantilly cream recipe with 35% cream, light sugar and vanilla, plus the whipping technique, peak stages, troubleshooting and stabilization choices that matter.

My professional vanilla caramel filling recipe with dry-caramel technique, a 108°C / 226°F finish, troubleshooting, and clear differences between sauce, filling and candy.

How psyllium husk affects water binding, viscosity, structure and handling in gluten-free baking, and why dosage must be tested within the full formula.

A pastry chef’s guide to choosing Valrhona chocolate by cocoa profile, sweetness, fluidity and application—from mousse and ganache to glazing and decoration.

A practical guide to panettone mixing problems: dough development, butter and sugar addition, mixer load, fermentation and temperature control.

Fondant cakes and modern pastry solve different design problems. Compare texture, sweetness, decoration, flavour structure and Tanya Novak’s no-fondant approach.

A practical guide to panna cotta texture: cream and milk balance, gelatin strength, temperature, setting and common mistakes.

My professional puff pastry recipe in grams, with détrempe, butter lock-in, turns, resting, baking, freezing and troubleshooting explained.

My professional brioche recipe in grams, with whole eggs, cold butter incorporation, dough temperature, overnight fermentation, proofing and troubleshooting explained.

Tanya Novak explains rough puff pastry as a deliberately irregular lamination system: how butter pieces, hydration, folds, resting and baking create crisp layers without classic puff pastry's enclosed butter block.

Tanya Novak explains flaky pastry as a hybrid dough: how rubbed-in fat, layered fat, hydration, folds and baking create a tender pastry with irregular, distinct flakes rather than classic puff pastry's regular lift.

A professional guide to mirror glaze: viscosity, cake temperature, bubble control, pouring technique and the most common causes of dull, thick or uneven finishes.

A professional guide to crème Chiboust: pastry cream structure, meringue integration, stabilisation, temperature compatibility and common causes of collapse or rubbery texture.

A professional guide to chocolate mousse: how chocolate, water, fat, temperature, crystallisation and aeration determine texture, stability and lightness.

My professional dark chocolate ganache recipe, with a reliable 1:1 formula by weight, progressive emulsification, texture control and troubleshooting.

A professional guide to pâte sablée: how butter, sugar, flour, eggs, mixing method, resting and baking determine friability, crispness and clean tart-shell structure.

My professional pâte sucrée recipe for crisp, tender French tart shells, with mixing, resting, rolling, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My professional pâte à choux recipe for éclairs, profiteroles and Paris-Brest, with panade drying, egg consistency, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My French chocolate éclair recipe with pâte à choux, chocolate pastry cream, a thin glaze, precise baking guidance and practical troubleshooting.

My classic French profiteroles recipe with crisp pâte à choux, vanilla ice cream and warm dark-chocolate sauce, including piping, baking, make-ahead and troubleshooting guidance.

My professional Paris-Brest recipe with almond-topped choux pastry, praline mousseline and pastry cream, with precise piping, baking and troubleshooting guidance.

My professional French mille-feuille recipe with caramelized inverse puff pastry and vanilla crème pâtissière, including lamination, weighted baking, assembly and troubleshooting.

My classic French fruit tart with crisp pâte sucrée, vanilla crème pâtissière, fresh fruit, optional glaze, make-ahead guidance and troubleshooting.

My French lemon tart with crisp pâte sucrée and smooth lemon cream, with exact temperatures, make-ahead guidance and troubleshooting.

My classic Tarte Tatin with firm apples, deep caramel and crisp all-butter puff pastry, with apple choice, inversion and troubleshooting explained.

My Galette des Rois with inverse puff pastry and true frangipane, with almond cream vs frangipane, sealing, scoring, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My French macaron recipe using Italian meringue, with macaronage, syrup temperature, drying, baking, troubleshooting, maturation and storage explained.

My classic lemon madeleine recipe with a 12-hour cold rest, tender buttery crumb, defined shell and proper hump, with mould, baking and troubleshooting explained.

My French financier recipe with almond, hazelnut, apricot fruit purée and clarified butter, with mixing, moulds, baking, troubleshooting, storage and beurre noisette explained.

My classic canelé recipe with vanilla and rum, an overnight-rested batter, mould guidance and the method for a deeply caramelized crust with a soft custardy centre.

My professional crème pâtissière recipe in grams, with the cooking method, starch science, troubleshooting, storage, and adaptations for tarts, choux and mille-feuille.

A professional guide to pâte brisée: how flour, butter, water, mixing, resting and baking create a tender shortcrust pastry for sweet and savoury tarts.

How mixing, aeration, heat and cooling determine cheesecake texture — and why a crack is usually a process symptom rather than the problem itself.

I explain what dextrose is, how it differs from sucrose and glucose syrup, and how I use its lower sweetness, reducing-sugar behaviour and freezing-point effect in pastry.

I explain what soy lecithin does in cakes, chocolate, creams and doughs, how powder and liquid forms differ, and when lecithin genuinely improves a pastry formula.

I explain what trehalose is, how it differs from sucrose, why pastry chefs use it, and how I think about sweetness, texture, browning and substitution in professional formulas.

I explain how sorbitol works in cakes, fillings and confectionery, why it helps control moisture, how syrup and powder differ, and why I do not treat it as a simple sugar replacement.

I explain how fructose behaves in baking, how it differs from sucrose and dextrose, and what changes when I use crystalline fructose in cakes, breads and pastry formulas.

I explain what glucono delta-lactone (GDL) is, how it slowly acidifies food, how it behaves in baking, and where it is useful in pastry, bread and other food systems.

A professional approach to smooth crème brûlée: custard temperature, gentle baking and the final caramel crust.

The essential relationship between dough strength, butter layers, proofing and baking in croissant production.

What gellan gum does in gels and fluid gels, and why its behaviour differs from gelatin and pectin.

How pastry chefs use tonka bean's vanilla, almond and spice-like aroma without overwhelming a dessert.

Why gentle heat matters in baked custards and how to prevent curdling, bubbles and syneresis.

How fruit acidity, purée solids, gelatin and whipped components interact in a stable fruit mousse.

How panade drying, egg quantity and baking create hollow choux shells.