My background as an amateur Pastry Chef!

After spending a good chunk of 2020 in confinement, I took this time to really dive into the passions that I had set aside due to, you know, being an adult with responsibilities. The past few months I've gotten back to creating loads of yummy foods and pastries that I normally would have never been able to do with my normally busy schedule.

Baking has always been a huge part of my life! So much so that I've spent years binge watching cooking shows and flipping through more recipe books than I could ever count. Perhaps it was at age 5 that I was already working the oven and hobs on my own to create birthday cakes and cookies for family and friends.

​I remember being really young and walking past Peggy Porschen's or Ladurée, and stare in awe, to then challenge myself to learn how to make and recreate what I saw on display. Baking had become such a huge part of me, that I eventually started a small local baking company where I would sell everything from cupcakes, to cookies, to cheesecakes, macarons and even wedding cakes! All whilst being a full time student. This is probably why I'm such a good multitasker, lol.

​I eventually finished school and unfortunately could no longer carry on with my business as I headed to university. I always knew that being a pastry chef was really not what I wanted to do professionally for the rest of my life, as I have so many passions I would like to pursue and develop such as travel, fashion and brand consulting. However, Patisserie is still a big part of my life that I could never possibly let go. Growing up, desserts were my way of expressing myself creatively by creating the most amazing things with my own hands which really attributed to my future development as a person.

​One of the best experiences of my life would definetly be having studied French Pastry and Viennoiserie in Paris with World-renowned Chef Alain Ducasse, who now runs an empire of more than 20 restaurants (with a collective of 19 Michelin stars). Before this experience, I would have never imagined all that goes into creating the most luscious treats, from selecting the right cocoa beans, hazelnuts and pistachios properly whilst pairing them and balancing them with the right flavours.

​One day in class I remembered having to whip up my macaron batch three times, because I had overmixed it by just a bit each time, resulting in a hollow shell. The next day, when making choux pastry, everyone in the class's end result was either too soft or soggy, had cracks on top, or was very dry and crumbly. This is when we got some homework to do! You would never think something made with just a combination of flour, egg and butter could be difficult to get right. This is when I remember the instructor consistently going on about how precise French Patisserie had to be. There is very little room for error. No wonder it is truly the best in the world. ​

As a fashion lover, I often compare Patisserie to the fashion industry. The process of making these treats is like designing high fashion, haute couture pieces. Each one unique in its own way. Something that is produced in just small batches which could not be just picked up at Primark.  In the world of pastries, we must strive for perfection in every possible way. Just think about it, we live in a society in which so much value is placed in desserts and cake, down to simple things like a box of chocolates, a cake at any celebration and the joy of ordering dessert at the end of a fabulous meal. It just makes life sweeter.

Each creation has its own unique story to tell, but when the chef is replaced, the way the story is told may change. With that being said, when studying with Alain Ducasse the purpose was never to replicate his work, but to learn the techniques to create our very own. Just think how boring it would be if every clothing shop sold the same pieces. Yes, I know, I keep making connections to the fashion industry!! A lot of the time, I like creating the type of pastry that we've all seen and tasted before, but make it my own. Such as making an Apple Pie with a filling made entirely of dates, making caramel sauce with rosewater, Pistachio Tiramisu, Ice Creams and Mousse from scratch to create my own flavours. What I mean is that there is a world of possibilities in baking and all it requires is my kitchen, a quick trip to the market and just a tad of creativity. 

Pictured below is perhaps one of my favourite desserts I have ever made! An Ispahan Macaron Rose Cake, made famous by Ladurée and Pierre Hermes. It consist of a soft macaron shell, filled with lychee cream made from white chocolate, topped with raspberries. A recipe that is as French as can be. 

Through my platforms, I have aimed to share this huge passion of mine not only through what I make, but also by visiting and sharing with you some of the best bakeries and chocolatiers in the world. Something that is probably the first thing I look for as soon as I land somewhere new, even before thinking of the main sights. 

​I do hope you enjoyed reading about my journey in the culinary world ! Do keep up with my social media (@tatianabellator) to know ​​more about it all and check out the recipes I create!