Pastry with Jenn

February 18, 2025 5 Comments

Honey Cake Recipe from 20th Century Cafe

My favorite cake. That’s a pretty big statement to make but it’s true. I love the Russian Honey Cake from the former 20th Century Cafe in San Francisco. I’ve posted about it one, two, three … okay, many times. Tender honey cake is separated by luscious burnt honey and dulce de leche cream, for a total of 20 layers!

Every time I enjoyed a slice at the cafe, I told myself, I need the recipe. My wish came true when it was published in The New York Times. UPDATE: Pastry chef Michelle Polzine published a new version in her cookbook that I’m sharing here. I followed the instructions exactly and was very pleased with the results. The textures and flavors were spot on.

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February 8, 2025 Post a Comment

Pan-Fried Dumplings with Crispy Lace Skirt

Dumplings with crispy lace skirt served with chili crisp oil for Lunar New Year.

Pan-fried dumplings are a must for Chinese New Year and my favorite way to give them a little something extra is a dumpling lace skirt. It’s satisfying to break into and adds even more crispy texture to the dumplings. Coloring the dumpling dough is another fun twist that I’ve tried. Generally, I like eating them without any accompaniments, but a chili crisp oil is nice for a bit of heat.

January 22, 2025 Post a Comment

Scallion Roti Canai

Remember, during the pandemic, when we decided to grow our own scallions from leftover bulbs? Unfortunately, mine didn’t really grow, so I bought a bunch for scallion biscuits and pancake testing. While I got the technique and flavor down, the texture wasn’t quite right. I needed more flakiness. Enter: Clarice Lam’s recipe from her new book Breaking Bao. She, too, sought after flaky layers for scallion pancakes and ended up with a roti canai recipe.

October 30, 2024 Post a Comment

French Chocolate Mousse with Olive Oil

Pastry with Jenn at cooking class with Rosa Jackson in Nice, France.

I had the pleasure of cooking with cookbook author Rosa Jackson at a farm in the hills of Nice, France. We had a full menu of Nicoise dishes. There was a delicious socca I couldn’t stop snacking on while cooking, herb-crusted rack of lamb, squash soup, and the French chocolate mousse with olive oil to finish. Special thanks to Rosa for allowing me to share the recipe.