Beloved pastry chef Paola Velez, who boasts significant culinary accomplishments, shares tantalizing dessert recipes that won over both Esquire and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Well-regarded for her innovative work at Kith & Kin in Washington, D.C., and her nomination for the 2020 James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year Award, Velez has contributed several recipes to the culinary world since she was named a 2021 F&W Best New Chef. Her forthcoming cookbook, "Bodega Bakes," is set to be released in October 2024.

A collection of Velez’s most cherished dessert recipes, including a Citrus Pie and Platanos Foster, has been compiled, each one coming with a ‘Pastries with Paola’ video tutorial for aspiring pastry chefs. Velez desirably incorporates layers of dark rum and fresh fruit into homemade brioche, creating an adult-take on this cake. She also revolutionizes a staple after-school snack by transforming it into an icebox cake complete with a sweetly spiced cream filling, topped with dulce de leche, and garnished with edible flowers and fresh strawberries.

Another delightful tropical dessert features a choux pastry filled with banana whipped cream, coconut, and pineapple, topped with buttery cookies. Seasonal treats by Velez are always a hit, one such is a no-bake pie with a sweet and sour lemon curd filling for hot days. Her desserts are known for incorporating robust flavors and their stylish presentation with an array of tropical fruits.

A fun and engaging way to engage with your desserts is Velez's homemade sprinkle recipe. The chef also pioneers a festive frozen take on the classic banana pudding. A Greek dessert, Ekmek Kataifi, is transformed with a vibrant strawberry pudding instead of traditional custard.

Velez's tres leches recipe is made extra sweet by replacing evaporated and sweetened condensed milk with heavy cream, half-and-half, and whole milk. She also provides a feasible method for tempering chocolate in the microwave, keeping her desserts accessible to home cooks. Velez’s flair for show-stopping presentation is evident in her olive oil cake with earthy buckwheat flour and candied oranges and her croquembouche centerpiece featuring homemade cinnamon doughnuts.

Her refreshing pâte de fruit and rich, creamy frosting recipes are another example of her inventive culinary range. Velez has also put her signature twist on the classic Bananas Foster dessert with Caribbean ingredients and filled macarons with homemade dark chocolate ganache or a variety of festive spreads. Lastly, her take on New York's black and white cookies and crisp buttery cookies filled with fluffy milk chocolate ganache are among the crowd’s favorite.

All recipes shared by Velez are not only filled with flavors but also represent an ideal balance between traditional techniques and contemporary preferences.