Soohyun Lee

A silky matcha custard tart with a crisp brown butter pressed base, finished with a delicate matcha ganache and fine matcha pâte sucrée crumb. Earthy, creamy, and beautifully balanced, with a luxurious melt-in-the-mouth texture. Matcha has always been one of my favorite ingredients to work with. When used thoughtfully, it brings a delicate bitterness and fresh grassy aroma that balances richness without overwhelming the palate. And of course, its vibrant green color is always a feast for the eyes.

These raspberry lychee tart petit fours feature creamy lychee rose namelaka on a crisp pâte sucrée base, filled with tangy raspberry-lychee gel and topped with fresh raspberries and a delicate raspberry jelly veil. I wanted to create a petit four that feels light, floral, and refreshing, while still having enough structure and texture to feel complete in one or two bites. The lychee rose namelaka is smooth and fragrant, with just a little rose water to enhance the floral notes.

Mini violet-colored macarons filled with a silky blueberry blackcurrant ganache that strikes a balance between sweet and tart, with a bright berry flavor that keeps them from feeling overly rich. I pipe these a little smaller than traditional macarons, as I serve them as petit fours at the restaurant, but they work beautifully as standard-sized macarons too. The shells are lightly crisp at first bite, giving way to a soft, chewy interior and a smooth, fruity filling.

Crisp around the edges and soft and chewy in the center, these brown butter chocolate chunk cookies are made with sourdough discard and studded with pools of melted chocolate throughout. At my restaurant, we keep a sourdough starter for our bread service, which means there is always some discard left over after refreshing the starter. Rather than throwing it away, I started experimenting with ways to use it in pastries and bakes. Chocolate chip cookies felt like a natural place to start.

Soft individual babas soaked in a fragrant citrus syrup, glazed with a glossy nectarine-orange glaze and topped with nectarine compote hidden under a cloud of lavender vanilla chantilly. Finished with thin nectarine slices, chervil and micro mint leaves, these are bright, floral and incredibly refreshing for summer. Rather than using a traditional heavy sugar syrup, I wanted something lighter and more vibrant, so I used freshly pressed mandarin orange juice as the main base for soaking the babas.

A rich chocolate layer cake with an ultra moist, soft crumb and a silky fudge frosting that sits somewhere between a ganache and classic chocolate icing. Luscious, creamy, and decadent, this is the kind of chocolate cake you’ll want to make again and again. Last week, I asked my followers on Instagram Stories what cake they would like to see me make, and so many of you said a rich and fudgy chocolate cake inspired by the Matilda cake. So here it is — my version of it.

Smooth elderflower mousse encasing a vibrant blueberry compote, silky vanilla namelaka, and soft almond dacquoise, sitting on top of a crisp pâte sucrée base. Finished with fresh glazed blueberries, these petit four-sized entremets are delicate, fruity and floral, balancing bright blueberry acidity with subtle elderflower and creamy vanilla notes. The thin dacquoise brings a slight chew between the softer layers, while the crisp base adds a clean contrast in texture.

A soft, balanced entremet built around caramel in different forms and textures. An airy caramel mousse encases a soft brown butter sponge, a thin layer of popcorn praline, and a silky caramel crémeux. Finished with a smooth caramel center and a ring of caramel whipped ganache. I wanted this one to feel soft and not too sweet, with everything blending together into one bite.

A creamy black sesame burnt cheesecake with a chocolate biscuit base. The nuttiness from the sesame and the slight tang from the cream cheese work really well together, balanced by a thin, crisp chocolate base underneath. The top is deeply caramelized, the centre stays soft and creamy, and the base adds just enough contrast and crunch. I love using black sesame in desserts — it brings a warm, roasted flavor with a subtle earthiness. I also love the natural, dramatic color it gives.

A soft, moist Earl Grey loaf cake gently scented with lemon and orange. The crumb is fine and tender, with a pleasant floral aroma from the tea and a light citrus freshness from the zest. Finished with a light neutral glaze for a subtle shine. I rested the batter overnight in the fridge, which helps create a smoother texture and a more even rise. A thin line of butter piped along the center guides the cake as it bakes, giving it a clean split and a nicely domed top.