Posts
My Sourdough Starter Winter Rescue Routine (For a Starter That Went Sleepy)
Winter-proof your sourdough starter in 3 steps: warm it, feed it smarter, and stop waiting for dramatic doubles.
Emma ChenMarch 13, 2026
Brown Butter Miso Cookies: The Sweet-Savory Cookie That Broke My Brain (March 2026)
These brown butter miso cookies solved the cookie problem I never had language for: sweetness without depth. After 50+ test batches and three miso types, here's the recipe and flavor framework that actually works at home.
Emma ChenMarch 8, 2026
Brown Butter Miso Cookies: The Sweet-Savory Cookie That Broke My Brain
I spent 50+ batches testing three types of miso in brown butter cookies — and what I learned changed how I think about sweetness entirely. This is the cookie that made me realize Popo wasn't just adding "extra ingredients." She was engineering flavor.
Emma ChenMarch 6, 2026
Popo's Egg Tarts (Dan Tat): The Recipe She Never Wrote Down
Popo never measured a thing. After 6 tested rounds, this Dan Tat recipe gives you flaky egg tart crust, silky custard, and fixes for common home-baking fails.
Emma ChenMarch 5, 2026What "Room Temp" Butter Actually Means (And Why Your Cookies Are Flat)
“Room temp butter” is vague. Aim for 65°F/18°C, use the bend-not-break test, and fix flat cookies by creaming at the right butter temperature every time.
Emma ChenMarch 5, 2026
The Science of Tangzhong: The Secret to Bakery-Soft Bread
Tangzhong isn’t an annoying extra step — it’s the starch science behind soft, fluffy bread that stays fresh for days. Here’s exactly how it works, how to tell when it’s ready, and how to convert your favorite bread recipe using simple math.
Emma ChenMarch 5, 2026
Texture Mashups Are Everywhere in 2026. Here's How to Nail Them at Home.
Crookies, cruffins, waffle-sandwich hybrids — spring 2026 is all about texture mashups. Emma breaks down why they succeed or fail, and exactly how to make them at home without a pastry degree.
Emma ChenMarch 5, 2026
Strawberry Galette: The 'I Can't Make Pie Crust' Pie
Galettes are pie's cooler, lazier sibling — intentionally imperfect, genuinely delicious, and the real cure for pie crust anxiety. Here's how to nail one with fresh spring strawberries.
Emma ChenMarch 5, 2026
The Women Who Taught Me to Bake: Celebrating Female Bakers This International Women's Day
From my Popo's kitchen in Vancouver to the women reshaping the baking world, here are the female bakers who changed everything for me — plus a recipe that carries one of their legacies forward.
Emma ChenMarch 4, 2026
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Review: Is It Worth $600?
Six months of daily use with the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer — honest thoughts on whether the $600 price tag is justified for home bakers.
Emma ChenMarch 4, 2026The Lemon Olive Oil Cake That Will Convert You Forever
A foolproof spring lemon olive oil cake with the science behind why it stays impossibly moist for days — plus the two technique mistakes that ruin most citrus cakes.
Emma ChenMarch 4, 2026How to Decorate Cupcakes Like a Pro (Using Just 2 Piping Tips)
You don't need a culinary degree or a drawer full of tips — just two piping tips and five techniques that look way harder than they are.
Emma ChenMarch 3, 2026