With a background in science, I’ve always appreciated precision, curiosity, and experimentation. But it wasn’t until the pandemic, when I suddenly found myself baking at home, that I truly realized how much pastry is its own kind of science.
The Shift That Brought Science to the Kitchen
The more I dove into pastry, the more I saw the parallels. Precise measurements. Chemical reactions. The behavior of different ingredients under heat, humidity, or acidity. Playing with the structure of mousses based on water content, texture, and stabilization — whether I’m using gelatin, agar, or pectin.
Even now, my scientific mindset shapes how I work in the kitchen. I don’t just follow recipes — I analyze them. I break them down, test, tweak, and document. Pastry demands rigor and creativity in equal measure, just like science.
Why Precision Matters
That scientific rigor drives everything I create at Gabriella Testa Pâtisserie . Pastry isn’t just about flavors — it’s about textures, reactions, and balance. The best desserts come from understanding the chemistry behind each ingredient and how they work together to create harmony.
