Best New Pastry Chefs 2014

Sam Kincaid; Fork, Philadelphia

The daughter of a farmer, Kincaid is inspired by what she calls "the cadence of a growing season," creating complex desserts that combine disparate flavors. "I 'write' and 'rewrite' every dessert each time I return to it," she says."

Her Dessert, Deconstructed
Bitter Almond Cream: The base for this sauce: house-made liqueur prepared with apricot pits steeped in brandy.
Roasted Nectarines: Kincaid uses a tiny ring cutter to punch out the fruit.
Amaretti Cookies: "I roll the dough like gnocchi, then toss the cookies in raw sugar before baking."

Fruit Desserts

02 of 05

Sarah Rich; Rich Table, San Francisco

She is a genius at transforming familiar American desserts like s'mores, always adding a savory ingredient—fresh herbs, for instance—to balance out a bit of the sweetness.

Her Dessert, Deconstructed
Chocolate Ganache: The ganache is poured over almond butter crunch on a big tray, then cut out with ring molds.
Marshmallow: "I pipe marshmallow onto the ganache, then brown with a blowtorch. It tastes exactly like Fluff from the jar."
Baby Tarragon: "The chocolate ganache and marshmallow need a fresh herbal aspect to tie them together."

Sweet and Salty Desserts

03 of 05

Greg Mosko; North Pond, Chicago

Mosko has a unique global perspective, combining elements like a Japanese custard with verjus-soaked raisins and coriander cake.

His Dessert, Deconstructed
Japanese Namelaka: "I caramelize white chocolate to make this creamy, eggless custard."
Coriander Cake: Toasted coriander flavors meringue-based cake.
Poached Pears:"We poach Boscs in pomegranate puree for great color."
Soaked Raisins: "These are just regular Sun-Maids, steeped in verjus."

Beautiful Desserts

04 of 05

Jen Yee; Lafayette, New York City

Yee's plated desserts are homey and crowd-pleasing, as are her perfectly executed pastries. "I don't crave foams and gelées," she says.

Her Dessert, Deconstructed
Amped-Up Raspberries: Yee fills them with her own raspberry jam.
White Chocolate Ganache: "I use Valrhona Ivoire, but the real secret is glucose syrup, which keeps the texture ultra smooth."
Pistachio Macaron: She makes the batter by folding Italian meringue with a paste of pistachio flour, sugar and egg whites.

Modern Classic Holiday Desserts

05 of 05

Jared Bacheller; L'Espalier, Boston

"I love being playful, nostalgic, even silly," says Bacheller, creator of "Through the Forest." His whimsy coexists with a serious fascination with science.

His Dessert, Deconstructed
"Mushrooms" : The stems are made with candy-cap-mushroom-infused cream; the top is a marshmallow.
"Moss" Cake : Chestnut flour and green tea flavor this cake, which is blended in a Vita-Prep, then microwaved.
"Maple Leaf" Tuile: The cookie batter gets blended in a Vita-Prep and dehydrated, rather than baked.

Modernist Cuisine: A Photo Tour

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