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by dana king

@danabydana

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cpa turned pastry pro 🍰
now baking in nyc!
[email protected] 💌

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one bean transformed my chocolate cake 🫘

been curious about tonka for ages and finally tried it in a birthday bake. i’m a fan!

6 layers of chocolate cake with chocolate tonka bean ganache

tonka bean is banned by the FDA as a food ingredient because it contains coumarin, which can be toxic to the liver in high doses. pastry chefs and home bakers still use it in tiny amounts for its notes of vanilla, cherry, and sweet almond. some call it a “super vanilla”

want to try it? you can find tonka beans at any international spice store. i got mine at @kalustyans

recipe
“moist chocolate cake” by @chelsweets (this is my go-to for all chocolate cakes)

chocolate tonka ganache
600g dark chocolate
470g heavy cream
1 whole tonka bean, finely grated

steep grated tonka in heated heavy cream for 10 min. strain and pour over chocolate, then blend until smooth. cool to room temp before frosting

decor
gilded amarena cherries
chocolate paillettes

#chocolatecake #tonkabean #tonkaganache taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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5 days ago

gingham carrot cake for my sister’s baby shower 🩵

carrot design session starts at 0:48

makes one 10-inch, 4-layer cake

recipe on my substack, link in bio 🥕

#carrotcake #cakedesign #cakedecorating taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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11 days ago

gingham carrot cake 🥕🧡🍂

did you know that autumn is peak season for carrots?

this flavor was perfectly requested by my beautiful sister for her baby shower (i’m going to be an AUNT!!) 🩵

gingham pattern was inspired by our matching shower decor (see my notes in slide 4) ✍🏼

components:
carrot cake (no raisins, no nuts)
cream cheese frosting
thinly sliced carrot decor

#carrotcake #babyshowercake #nycbaker taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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13 days ago

a day (and a year) in my life as a pastry cook at @lebernardinny 👩🏻‍🍳

two years ago, i left my corporate accounting job to pursue a lifelong dream of attending pastry school in France. when i returned to New York, i joined the team at @dominiqueansel to continue training and figure out how to turn my passion into a lifelong career. one year later, i took it a step further and stepped into the kitchen at Le Bernardin.

moving from a corporate desk to a steady-paced bakery to a fast-paced fine dining kitchen was both terrifying and exhilarating. i started each day with pre-service jitters and ended it feeling like a victorious athlete. even when i was truly scared out of my mind, i was having the time of my life working with my hands and creating beautiful, edible works of art. it was everything my accounting-self could only dream of doing.

working alongside such incredibly talented Chefs and passionate peers taught me skills i could never have learned from reading recipe books or watching videos, the very things i used to do to convince myself not to leave my stable desk job. i am endlessly grateful for the growth, the discipline, and the opportunity to be part of this elite team.

thank you Chef @orlando_jsoto for putting me on your team, inspiring me daily with your creative genius, and helping me refine my fruit slicing skills 😉

thank you Chef @almontejj for inspiring me with your flawless pastry and plating skills, and for being a constant source of comfort and guidance in the kitchen 😊

thank you to my amazing teammates for showing me the way and making every service rewarding. i truly wouldn’t have survived without you all! 💗

thank you to my family and friends for supporting and encouraging me throughout my journey, and even coming in for dessert and a kitchen tour! 🥰

swipe to see some of my favorite prep tasks, memorable moments during service, and my first time finally experiencing the dining room as a guest last week (ty mama)!

here’s to the next chapter. updates to come! ❤️

#pastryschool #pastrychef #nycbaker

my teammates surprised me with a peach chamomille tres leches cake, decorated in the style of “danabydana” 🥰

i was so touched taken in Le Bernardin by @danabydana

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18 days ago

my dream mooncake 🌝

i made this for the mid-autumn moon festival this past weekend, almost like Chinese Thanksgiving during the full moon in September 🍽️🍂

gateau basque mooncake

components:
pâte sablée crust
pastry cream
jujube paste
salted egg yolks

if you want to try my working recipe, visit my Substack (link in bio) 🫶

#mooncake #midautumnfestival #gateaubasque taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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20 days ago

don’t be scared of chocoflan 🍮

after desperately scrolling the internet for a foolproof recipe, i found this one by @ash_baber and it was an immediate success (my friends&family LOVED it)

summarized steps:
1. make a dry caramel
2. blend the flan batter
3. parbake the flan
4. make the chocolate cake
5. bake the cake on top of the parbaked flan
6. chill overnight
7. flip onto a plate

you can find the full recipe on ash’s website:
https://ashbaber.com/chocoflan/

pro tip: for the flan, i just poured the entire cans of both milks and it turned out perfect 😊

#chocoflan #flan #tutorial taken in New York by @danabydana

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25 days ago

black sesame smith island cake for my lovely new neighbors 🍫🖤

in celebration of National Good Neighbor Day with @bobsredmill (love the new look 🫶)

8 thin layers of yellow cake
black sesame chocolate glaze
candied black and white sesame seeds

recipe linked on my bio!

#Smithislandcake #Ad #Moregetherness #GoodNeighborDay #BobsRedMillPartner taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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a month ago

sweet corn ice dream 🌽🍦💭

in baked alaska form:

sweet corn ice cream
crumbled cornbread
toasted cornflakes
torched italian corn meringue

my entry to the late summer produce party!

#corn #meringue #bakedalaska #icecreamcake taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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a month ago

dim sum party contribution👩🏻‍🍳

no frying needed 😉

giant sesame ball cake:
red bean chantilly
red bean paste
“everyday olive oil cake” @kingarthurbaking
candied sesame seeds

requested by @iloafyoubychristine 🫶

#dimsum #redbean #sesame taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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a month ago

peach sunflower 🍑🌻

seasonal produce, my fave cake decor

happy late summer everyone 💛

#cakedecor #cakeinspo #summerdessert taken in New York, New York by @danabydana

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2 months ago

nutty, sweet, perfectly spiced 🍞🧡

pumpkin date bread with toasted pepita praliné and whipped cream cheese

inspired by my toasted pumpkin candle and diffuser from @brooklyncandlestudio 🕯️

Pumpkin date bread

Wet:
120g neutral oil
1 can pumpkin purée
200g sugar
165g dark brown sugar
2 eggs
60g sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Dry:
285g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Mix-ins:
8 dates, chopped
60g pumpkin seeds, toasted

Fold dry into wet, add mix-ins. Bake at 350°F / 180°C, 60-75 min

Pepita Praliné
150g pumpkin seeds, toasted
50g water
100g sugar
1 tbsp olive oil (+more if needed)

Cook water + sugar to dark caramel, cool on sheet pan. Blend with seeds + oil until smooth

#toastedpumpkin #brooklyncandlestudio #fall #autumn #cozy by @danabydana

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2 months ago

This week’s Tasting Notes is an ode to summer flavors and all the ways they show up in our lives. From glossy ears of corn and melon served straight from its shell to fruit-inspired objects, these are small reminders that summer’s best produce is just as inspiring to look at as it is to eat.

Fruit vine: A mixed fruit and veggie cast created by @cuhnja, inspired by the whimsical character illustrations of Elsa Beskow’s books.

Squash Blossom: A squash blossom transformed into the prettiest snack, by @fremecraiche.

Raspberry ring: A handmade sterling silver ring from @olos.jewellery’s summer fruit collection.

Melon bowl: Cantaloupe served in its own rind, filled with melon bites and dotted with lime zest, by @bernardocostantino.

Fruit in bloom: A honey cake with thinly sliced stone fruit swirled into flowers, created by @danabydana.

Blackberry bouquet: @sean_anthony_pritchard turned a blackberry bramble into an abundant, bouquet-like centerpiece.

Fruit plates: Ceramic fruit bowls, plates, and platters, all handmade by @yasminfalahat.

Edible jewels: @f.manson collected currants and wild strawberries on a summer walk. Read her caption for an accompanying reflection on summer nostalgia and gardening.

Watermelon gallery: A collection of hand-carved wooden watermelon slices, each made by a different artist, styled by @david_stark_design and @ordershewrotenyc.

Peak Corn: Plump, glossy ears of corn with flaked sea salt and floral-shaped pats of butter. From @domsli22. by @danabydana

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2 months ago