Chef’s Table: Pastry’ Recap: Christina Tosi:

     I am writing about these cakes because I watched this program and I also had slices of two of her cakes.  The vanilla and the chocolate birthday cakes.  Christina is a New York City based chef/restaurateur and she built a trend-setting bakery inspired by her love of a classic American treat, breakfast cereals.  She opened the first Milk Bar in 2008 in New York City and she now operates several locations throughout North America as well as an online business.  She has written three cookbooks and her latest was published in October 2018.  
     Tosi was a picky eater and she had a crazy sweet tooth,  She studied hard and graduated from college with high marks but she didn’t want a standard 9-5 job.  She moved to New York City and she dreamed of being a pastry chef.  Her biggest break came when she started working for Wylie Dufresen at his restaurant wd-50.  She created crack pie and this is now a Milk Bar staple.  After a couple of years she connected with David Chang at Dufresne’s suggestion.  She started out upgrading the food safety plan at Momofuki Noodle Bar.  Chang then hired her to help run the business side and also make her desserts.  
     Tosi came up with a cereal milk pana cotta and Chang was blown away.  It was served for an opening night and he encouraged her to open an entire concept shop centered on cereal milk in a vacant space his company had acquired.  Milk Bar was born.  There was a line out the door on day one and business steady increased.
     Her desserts can be mail ordered and she offers birthday cake, strawberry shortcake cake, chocolate birthday cake and gluten free birthday cake.  They are available in 6” and 10”.  She also makes pies, cookies, birthday cake truffles, corn cookie, perfect 10 cookie, best freaking cookie, SoulCycle cookie, crack pie, compost cookie, confetti cookie, blueberry & cream cookie, chocolate malt cake truffles, chocolate chocolate cookie, cornflake marshmallow cookie, bagel bomb.
     If you are able to order from one of the Milk Bars in person you can get blueberry pie shake, cereal milk jug, birthday cake shake, birthday milk quake, strawberry & corn milk quake, chocolate pretzel dulce milkquake, chocolate malt cake shake, egg and sausage bomb, crunchy cereal shake, the coffee+donut waffle cone, egg and cheddar bomb, spinach artichoke bomb.
     I liked both the birthday cake and the chocolate birthday cake.  I like the chocolate cake best!!  It’s the lightness of the cake, the chocolate and the not too sweet but fluffiness of the frosting!!  These items are what sets these cakes apart.  Plus, they come in 3 layers with the frosting in between and on top.  Also, pressed into the first layer of the frosting are small sugar cookie balls and they are good too.  Multicolored sprinkles are another addition.  I give these cakes 5*!!