I've always had a fondness for science, a special affinity for Chemistry in particular; and have enjoyed being in the kitchen as long as I can remember.
I am really just a girl with a love of baking, Erlenmeyer flasks, & engineers (in that order).
The truth is, what sets me apart from the rest of the bakers out there is my total dedication to using the best ingredients and the best scientific process to make my desserts; the end result is perfection – I don’t settle for anything less.
Have fun while being a badass in the kitchen. Seriously, what good is having your own business and making awesome desserts unless you’re being yourself and having a good time?
I will always put out the best product possible because I believe in doing and being the best. When it comes to science and baking, I am Walter White, I am Heisenberg, I am the Sweet Chemist.
2012 Academy Awards – I was fortunate enough to participate and have my desserts featured for E! Entertainment & TV Guide.
Big Daddy’s Fire Grill (Pasadena CA) – Their oak wood fire grilled burgers & my cake pops, you can’t go wrong!
Anonymous **** Hotel – Strict NDA’s mean that I can’t disclose the name or location of this pretty awesome 4 star hotel. Nonetheless, it is awesome and my desserts are appreciated.
“Holy shit, this is awesome” – Aimee B. of Long Beach.
“These are the best cake pops we’ve ever had. Thank you!” – Stephanie at Big Daddy Fire Grill in Pasadena
“Your chocolate mousse was amazing and was the perfect end to our holiday party. Thank you so much.” – Evangeline H. of Monrovia
Recipes - Tips - Tricks - & Bitching
In my FAQ, I state that I do not have a store front, nor do I want one. After my 8th call this week (it is only Wednesday people) in regards to my lack of a store front, I feel like I need to explain why I choose to not have one.
When I started this business, I started it as more of a hobby because I was enthusiastic about the science of baking. I would make desserts for family functions and friend’s birthday parties, etc… but I never thought about doing this professionally until I started getting calls from friends of friends and eventually from people that I didn’t know at all. I decided it was time to make this hobby into a profession and thus, The Sweet Chemist was born.
I love what I do and use a commercial kitchen space for my baking, but I am also a mom and my son takes priority over everything. I work my baking schedule around the times that he is in school and if I had a store front, I would not be able to do this as effectively.
With a storefront, I would had set hours every single day and likely would have product wasted every day. I would have employees that needed to be there, constant headaches about paying for the space and equipment that I use, and at the end of the day it would turn my awesome profession into a horrible nightmare.
I am a firm believer in doing what you love and I really could bake all day, every day, but the reality is that my son is always #1.
Will I get a store front one day? Probably not. I love baking to order and it ensures that my baked goods are custom, fresh, and superior to any other baker in the area. I never take on more than I can handle, I have plenty of business to keep me on my toes, and I have 10000000000000000 times more fun knowing that I don’t have the obligations of a typical brick & mortar store.
So, all of the above being said, the next time you want some awesome desserts, give me a weeks notice and your shit will be amazing…and I can promise you that you’d never get the level of service from a store front shop that you get from me.
Continue being awesome and take some advice from Bill & Ted.
C12H22O11
Sucrose(saccharose) - Commonly known as table sugar, sucrose is a disaccharide. Disaccharides are carbohydrates that are formed when two monosaccharide molecules complete hydrolysis, in this case the monosaccharides glucose & fructose combine and exclude the water molecule.
Cane v. Beet Sugar:
Both Cane Sugar & Beet Sugar are considered sucrose, however there is a slight (.05%) chemical difference that separates the two; the protein and enzyme difference in that .05% is likely due to the fact that beet and cane are different plants. While it is widely said by beet sugar industry officials that you can’t tell there difference between the two and those who proclaim they can are just lobbying for the cane sugar industry, I call bullshit and I will tell you why:
In addition to the .05% difference due to being different plants with different chemical structures all their own, you also need to account for the way both of these plants grow. Beets grow underground, Cane grows above ground. Why is this important? It could potentially account for some of the .05% chemical difference because of the nutrients provided above ground versus below ground from direct sunlight.
It has been noted that cane sugar caramelizes better than beet sugar, which happens to burn quicker. Moreover, side by side baking comparisons have indicated the favor of cane sugar over beet sugar due to the superior flavor and texture it provides. While there is no doubt that the results are subtle in taste, the professionals out there know the difference and stick to cane sugar.
When you look at the difference between brown sugar made of cane and the brown sugar made of beet – there is a very notable difference. Brown cane sugar is basically skipping the last step of refinement, keeping the molasses. With brown beet sugar, the sugar is refined to the fine granular stage because the molasses isn’t fit for human consumption – then the molasses from cane is added to the granulated beet sugar, not always penetrating the granular.
Cane v. Beet Sugar in Baking:
At the end of the day you will have people argue that there is no notable difference between cane and beet sugar but Chemistry often points out that even the smallest of percentages makes a big difference. My choice is always going to be cane sugar because I *know* I can tell a difference in my baked goods and I love the results that cane sugar gives me.
There is nothing worse than getting ready to make something that calls for brown sugar and realizing that you don’t have any.
Pro Tip: Keep molasses on hand in case the above situation arises and make your own brown sugar (like a boss).
Brown sugar basically skips the last step in the refinement process (removal of the molasses) whilst granulated white sugar is that completed process. Molasses comes in handy for all sorts of things in the kitchen and can add a depth of favor that you can’t achieve any other way, so it makes perfect sense to have a jar somewhere in your kitchen.
When you run out of brown sugar, fear not; just pull out your trusty jar of molasses and mix about 1-2 Tbsp of it per cup of granulated white sugar until it is the consistency of brown sugar and able to be packed. Voila – Brown sugar.
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