Hali | Pastry & Baking Tips

Happy Mother’s Day to my superstar mom. Sometimes I worry that I started “too late” in pastry, but my mom is the living example of “it’s never too late to follow your dreams” In her late 30s she went back to school to become a dentist. And in her 40s she started her own business that she grew with passion and intention over the next 2 decades. All while being a mom to me and my sister. Today she is my number 1 cheerleader and gives me excellent business advice such as: 🥐 “Why are you worrying your pastries are the best” 🐖 “You think too much. Just make a pigheaded decision” 💀 “Don’t see your ex. He only causes you pain and suffering” She is a queen👸🏻and the inspiration we all need #happymothersday

What my week looks like to make >$4K in revenue out of my apartment microbakery, as a solo baker and business owner. Not listed - all the mise en place for fillings & toppings, baking + packaging + delivering the pastries, time spent cleaning & washing dishes + answering order inquiries + managing ingredient inventory + photography & social media As always, remember this is REVENUE and does not include expenses! This week I moved into a larger kitchen. I’m excited to grow the business in a way that feels sustainable for me! #microbakery #smallbusiness #pastrylover #bakestagram #sfbakery

How I make my favorite filling - red bean paste! The key part is to remove most of the moisture, otherwise it’ll expand in the oven during your final bake Ratios (scale up or down as needed) 1035g red beans 540g canola oil 460g granulated sugar 460g maltose + water to boil your beans until soft I get my red beans and maltose from @sayweee_official #redbeanpaste #microbakery #bakingreels

2 easy ingredient changes that have helped me with proofing croissants at room temperature 1 - osmotolerant yeast 2 - diastatic malt powder I learned both of these things from reading Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michel Suas. Definitely recommend! #croissants #homemadecroissants #bakingtips #frenchpastry

I’ve been going on a lot of first dates recently (lol) and I’m always asked “what do you love about baking?” How to put it into words? I feel like I could spend a lifetime doing this, and it would still not be enough. As long as my lower back doesn’t give out 😂 #pastrylife #microbakery #bakestagram

How do I deal with not selling out at a pop-up? I’ve been lucky to have a lot of excitement at my pop-ups, but this past weekend was much slower. It’s always a bummer, but all you can do is try and learn, keep going, and make the best product you can #microbakery #sfbakery #bakestagram #pastrylife

My 5 tips for achieving perfect lamination. These tips apply whether you’re hand laminating or using a sheeter, but my @brodandtaylor Countertop Dough Sheeter definitely helps me achieve more consistent and faster results every time! 1️⃣ Ensure the butter and dough are the correct temperatures during lock-in. I aim for 11 - 14C for the butter, and 0 - 7C for the dough. 2️⃣ Roll outwards rather than downwards to reduce unnecessary force and friction 3️⃣ If the dough is warming up or starting to resist rolling, rest it in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes before continuing. This will cool down the dough and let the gluten relax. 4️⃣Roll the dough out thinly enough before folding. This ensures that it will cool down more evenly, and the middle won’t start proofing. 5️⃣ Chill and rest the dough thoroughly before the final roll-out. You will need to roll the dough out quite thinly, making it more difficult to keep cool. The number of folds at this point means you may also run into gluten resistance. 🥐 the Brod & Taylor Countertop Dough Sheeter is linked in my profile! #croissants #microbakery #bakingtips #homemadecroissants

5 learnings from my first month of rebuilding my microbakery in San Francisco I am so, so thankful for all the support I’ve received since moving to SF. It’s really felt like the universe has aligned, and I’m where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to do. If you live in the Bay Area, I hope to catch you at a pop-up! #microbakery #sfbakery #pastrylife #homebakery

The most common advice that is given to beginner croissant makers is to “keep everything cold” which imo is an over simplification. These are the temperature ranges that I aim for, though it’s important to always adjust depending on the dough texture, butter plasticity, and your working environment. 🥐 my complete croissant troubleshooting guide is in my profile link! #croissants #homemadecroissants #bakingtips #frenchpastry

Some of my favorite bakes from February: 🍃Totoro cake - chocolate and vanilla marble sponge, Chantilly and strawberry filling, Swiss meringue buttercream. A birthday cake for my niece who always has creative requests 🥐Croissantembouche - mini croissants filled with hazelnut praline cream, dipped in crackly caramel, and assembled into a tower. A creative indulgence for my birthday. 🧧LNY pastry box - my first SF drop for Hali Home Bakes! Featuring my tangyuan kouign amann, chili crisp scallion roll, mandarin almond pain suisse, and yuzu earl grey Madeleine 🤎Tiramisu Charlotte - ladyfinger sponge, coffee syrup, mascarpone mousse. A birthday cake for my mom Here’s to lots of more baking in March!! #bakestagram #bakinginspo #microbakery

Let’s take a tour of my apartment microbakery! Equipment featured: Regency Stainless Steel Open Base Work Table Steelton Speed Rack (it’s kind of flimsy, I would get something sturdier if I were wheeling it around a lot) @lgusa Standing Freezer Regency Stainless Steel Equipment Stand Cadco Lisa Oven @famagimpastatrici Grilleta 8s @kitchenaidusa Professional 5 Plus @brodandtaylor Countertop Dough sheeter #microbakery #homebaker #pastrylife

Introducing one of my favorite microbakery tools - my Countertop Dough Sheeter from @brodandtaylor . The sheeter is a game changer for my workflow, helping me make hundreds of pastries a week out of my tiny apartment bakery. I originally purchased a sheeter from Brod & Taylor in 2024 and loved it so much that I reached out to partner with them. A few months ago, they sent me their newest sheeter model and it’s been a cornerstone of my kitchen ever since. 🥐 the sheeter is linked in my profile if you would like to check it out! #sponsored #microbakery #croissants #frenchpastry #homebakery