Happy New Year! We want to welcome you back for another year of baking and culinary fun. Today I’ve got a story for you about my recent dabbling in making Michelin Star pastries - what a whirlwind!

I want to share this story with you all, because for me this experience reminded me that my (baking) world evolves every single day. If you’ve found yourself leaning away from the kitchen or the oven recently, remember that baking is not just about flour & dough, it is about endurance, community, joy, and skill building. For me many years ago, it started as a meditaive practice to clear my mind. Today, baking is still my safe & happy place.

This year, we’ve got alot planned for the YASSSletter, so we are fired up you are here and baking along. Today I’ve got a Sumsumit recipe for you, that I developed for the Michelin star resturant Shmone in NYC.

👨🏻‍🍳 My First Time Baking in a Michelin Star kitchen…

Wow Gingis, what a better way to open 2024 than to have my first Michelin Star restaurant appearance as their pastry chef. The head chef of Shmonè - Nadav Greenberg, called me last week asking me if I can help him out by designing and executing a dessert menu for their New Year Eve tasting menu.

Shmone is an Israeli Michelin star restaurant serving Jewish Moroccan food Nadav grew up on from his grandma.

Without hesitating and with lots of excitement I jumped on this opportunity right away.

I put together a selection of Moroccan cookies and worked for a couple of days to perfect the recipes I envisioned. On the last day of 2023, I joined the kitchen team as their pastry chef. After years that I haven’t worked in a professional kitchen, it felt so natural. Being in a small tight room with passionate chefs and running out of time as we get closer to the service was SO fun!

I came with the intention making 6 cookies: (see my plan below)

1. Sumsumit: honey sesame crunch

2. Shebakia: fried pastry in orange and saffron syrup

3. Pitzuhim: nuts, date, spices

4. Pink Coconut Candy: coconut pomegranate ball (childhood favorite)

5. Pistachio Marzipan: with a cardamom sugar kiss

6. And Maamuls: soft cookie stuffed with dates and coated with powdered sugar.

The chef asked me if it’s not too much for me to make first time for that quantity, and I replied instantly - “NO”. Not because I think it’s not a challenge, sure it is. But because I made such a plan I just needed to follow it to the T. I didn’t leave myself a room to think. Literally just follow the plan. This is my hot take for you today Gingis. ☝🏼 When it comes to baking (or I’d argue for life in general) with a good plan you can make anything happen. In this case, you can make many different cookies in one day because so much of the process just requires waiting. So if you could squeeze another step for another recipe in this waiting period you already getting two at the same time.

Long story short, the plan as expected by the chef was a little too much and I managed to make only 5 out of the 6 cookies. I can tell you that I was ready on time but they were using the oven for the service already and couldn’t let me use it so that’s why I didn’t bake the last cookie, but…. I just didn’t make it. And you know what? It’s ok. 5 is still a generous selection of cookies for each guest.

Then the service started. All the cookies were waiting like soldiers to be plated and to be served to the clients. I’m off the shift. Sitting at the bar with my buddy Brandon, and watching their magic comes to life, like a show, in a very open kitchen. I saw all the dishes of the restaurant being plated and sent to the clients, but more excitingly - my cookies.

Having the cookies and tea myself as the end of the meal was just simply the best way to wrap up dinner. Pick the flavor you want, small bites, not too sweet, interesting and light. Some clients asked about the dessert and the waiters sent them to talk to me. They enjoyed them so much they wanted to share it with me. It was so exciting and surreal. I was so grateful for the opportunity. Still am. What an honor.

The chef called me the day after, said it was a huge success and that he wants to do it more regularly. Unbelievable. Will keep you posted.

Until then, here is a recipe for one of the cookies I made that got the most amount of compliments- Sumsumit.

Sumsumit

Sumsumit is a moroccan cookie made from 3 ingredients only: sugar, honey and sesame seeds. Like any other recipe that calls for a minimal number of ingredients, the success rely on the quality of ingredients.

🥸 BAKER’s TIP: Don’t get toasted sesame seeds. Get raw white sesame seeds and toast them on a pan or in the oven. It will result in such deep aroma and richer flavor.

This cookie is not complicated to make, but make sure you read carefully all the steps before starting working on it. Once you start it goes very fast. I’m excited for you to try it. It’s such a good cookie.

Ingredients:

• 200 gr sugar

• 150 gr sesame seeds

• 50 gr honey

Method:

• Brush two parchment papers in oil, make sure you brush the entire sheet.

• In a dry pan, toast the sesame seeds on medium heat, stirring constantly. At first it will look like nothing happens but then it goes very quickly. Set aside.

• In a pot, melt together the sugar and honey thick, golden liquid. Work on low heat and stir constantly.

• Turn off the heat, and add the sesame seeds, mix well. Then immediately spread it onto a parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and flatten it as fast as possible while it's still warm using a rolling pin (be careful it’s hot !!! )

• Roll until you see it doesn’t spread much more anymore. Immediately remove the top parchment paper and cut quickly with a pizza cutter to the desire size.

• Let it cool to room temperature and separate the cookies one from another.

• Keep in an airthigh box.

• YASSS!