Franzbrötchen are delightful German pastry that are a sort of cross between croissant and cinnamon roll, a mix of flaky, chewy, crisp, and rich at the same time. I’d never heard of them until recently and now I’m making up for lost time by trying to make them myself! French laminated dough used for croissants, […]...
Yuzu Chiffon Layer Cake
This yuzu chiffon layer cake is a perfect sunshiny ode to spring. I created it as a spin on the classic whipped cream cakes seen in Chinese bakeries, with made of yellow sponge cake, filled with fruit and whipped cream, and covered in more whipped cream frosting and fruit. My version has vanilla and yuzu […]...
Sumikko Gurashi Rainbow Cake
This Sumikko Gurashi birthday cake was requested by my daughter Isabelle for her 11th birthday. I didn’t plan on making this a post, so there aren’t a variety of in-progress shots or even final photos, alas. But hopefully the photos here show the final result clearly enough: a five-tier cake in a rainbow of pastel […]...
Fancy Mini Tourtières (French-Canadian Meat Pies)
These fancy mini tourtières are perfect for the wintry, rainy, blustery weather we’re still having. Don’t be misled by their name or elaborate appearance, they’re essentially meat pies with a savory filling encased in buttery, flaky pie dough. The tourtière is a French-Canadian dish, and gets its name from the French tourte (incidentally, here’s a […]...
Holiday Pinwheel Cookies
These holiday pinwheel cookies have become my daughter Isabelle’s favorite new way to celebrate the season. We made these cookies over the weekend, and now I have a plate of them next to me as I’m wrapping presents and writing Christmas cards. What more festive way to welcome the holidays? I made these cookies as […]...
Honey Cheesecake with Fall Fruit
Hello dear readers and happy fall! This honey cheesecake piled high with some of my favorite fruits of the season is my way of saying farewell fo summer. Apologies for my absence but has life suddenly gotten really, really busy again? Although the winter months are nearing, it feels like things are springing back to […]...
Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and dog Max. 
