The Licker Laws

Use Common Sense.

Recipes are not the same as instruction manuals because the former is an inexact science with far more variables at play than the latter. This book is a tool to help you develop your own baking vision and skill set, and the results rely on YOU because pastry prowess can differ greatly from person to person. Everyone has different ovens, many of which are not calibrated correctly. Everyone has different molds and everyone bakes under different kitchen conditions. These variables (and a thousand more) are what you need to account for when you execute any recipe. I’m using a convection oven, so you’d probably need to increase the temperature by 10-15C (25F) degrees if using a smaller, conventional home oven. Use common sense and learn from your mistakes.

Buy a Gram Scale.

Be precise or do it twice. Time is of the essence in a kitchen, do yourself a favor and get a gram scale. Grams are the most exact way to measure recipes. With cups and ounces, there is always a chance that your measurements will not be exactly the same every time. For example, if you measure a cup of flour five times it would likely be different each time. Volume can vary, but when you measure things down to the gram you know it’s consistent. This eliminates any measurement error, so now you can focus on technique.

You Have a Palate. Use It.

I do enjoy a hot fudge sundae, but it’s not very subtle and I don’t really like slipping into a sugar coma. Years of travel and industry experience have taught me balance, particularly with harmonious Asian elements. Salty, sour and bitter taste receptors are on your palate for a reason, so let’s use them to offset straight-arrow sweetness and elevate your work to another level. I often use citrus (yuzu, sudachi, calamansi) to cut through sugar. Tannic ingredients (such as tea and coffee) and the right kinds of booze can also enhance dynamic flavors. So, taste as many dishes as you can to create your own palate-surprising combinations.

Use the Best Ingredients.

There’s no way around this. Your dish is only as good as what you put into it. Some ingredients are difficult to source, others are seasonal by nature. That’s why alternatives exist. However, there is no alternative to quality. And really, we now live in a world where you can order any hydrochloride, puree, chocolate or equipment online if it’s not in your city. I use Valrhona Chocolate and Boiron Fruit Purees because I think they’re the best. I use ripe fruit as much as I can, but seasonal limitations mean I also rely on kickass fruit purees that are consistent every time. Spend a little more for quality ingredients because it really does make a difference.

Be Patient.

You can’t hurry love, so why hurry pastry? It’s tempting to think you can nail a recipe on the first try. It’s tempting to try and complete a dish in record time so you can start eating this delightful shit as fast as possible. However, this mindset usually results in mistakes along the way. Don’t skip any steps, especially in preparation. Organize your mise en place and all the equipment you need before you do anything else. Have a battle plan for all your ingredients, including when to take each one out from the fridge. Visualize every step of assembly before you attempt it. Patient strategy is the only path to perfect execution.

Beat It - Don’t Overwork Your Doughs.

I get it: rolling dough and making a mess is fun. But sometimes we have too much fun and we ruin our dough by over working it until there’s a tense, tough ball on the counter. It is very easy to overwork the gluten in tart dough, for example, until it becomes leathery and shrinks in the oven. Every dough is different too. Brioche, for example, needs a gluten-y touch. But overall, most dough requires you to work it as little as possible and it is important to go slow. You have to know the tendencies of each type of dough before you can give it the treatment it needs. When things are meant to rest, the more rest the better.

Temperature - Hot and Cold.

Warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream is the classic example of how temperature contrast can make a dessert unbelievable. Of course, the definition of ideal temperature will vary from dish to dish. “Cold” elements, for example, can involve anything from cool to frozen, so experiment systematically to identify the best conditions for every part your dish. Consider the chocolate fondant, one of the world’s most beloved desserts purely because of that warm, gooey, molten chocolate center. Served with vanilla ice cream, you just can’t go wrong, provided the center is perfectly cooked. So, build a variety of recipes that play on temperature in your dessert arsenal.

Textures - Never a Dull Moment.

Crispy, crunchy, silky and smooth. Mastering texture makes every bite a novel experience. It’s like a barbershop quartet: you begin with four distinct voices, each acceptable in its own way. But it’s only when they combine that they become something more, transcending the sum of their individual parts. That’s texture in a nutshell, and it’s crucial in amplifying certain flavors and ingredients. For example, I discovered praline crunch is particularly awesome with exotic spices. And crispy, brittle textures elevate the creamy to the creamier and vice versa (my favorite crispy textures are feuilletines and crumbles. I love crumble!). Always create an elegant play on texture in any dessert you make.

Be a Student - Teacher.

Don’t be that person who “guards” their recipes by teaching everything except the most important step. That’s pretty lame because one of the greatest things about cooking is constantly learning and teaching others. So embrace both sides of the coin! It’s important to share the knowledge that you worked so hard to learn. I am constantly testing new ingredients and learning new techniques from great people. This is the magic of cooking. I feel it’s my responsibility to pass on what I have learned as well to help others develop their craft. Be real and lead by example.

Love.

Though he’s not a smart man, even Forest Gump knows what love is. That’s because love is a universal force of nature and its power touches everything, even pastry. Love is a major ingredient in anything you do. When you care deeply about your work, the result is always sweeter than you imagined. There is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing someone truly enjoy something you made for them, and love is the key component in that equation. For me, that look of delight is the ultimate reward. #LickerLove