KOCHI: Chef Shermin Aji, a certified pastry chef and owner of home-based venture ‘Sucre Cake Atelier’ says, “My objective is to make my confections look good and taste good without using artificial flavours and colours.” From making a mintgreen ombre cakes to cakes with drip icing topped with fresh fruits, this artisan baker offers some of the best treats to tickle your palate.
Started six months ago during the lockdown, ‘Sucre Cake Atelier’ has already garnered much love not only among the city residents but also people from other districts. “It has been only two years since I migrated from Saudi Arabia to Thiruvananthapuram. Although I was passionate about becoming a pastry chef from the beginning, I wasn’t able to do the course since it was very expensive. However, I experimented a lot and started baking for my family and friends. Finally when I moved back to Kerala, I enrolled in a six-month course under pastry chef Rumana Jaseel of ‘Incredible Art- Artisan Cake Boutique’ in Kochi.
Since there were already many home-bakers in the city doing fondant cakes, I thought of focusing on non-fondant cakes and other desserts such as macarons which are not very popular in the city,” says Shermin
From whipped cream cakes done in multiple tiers with floral designs to customised creation that are nothing short of art, the patisserie offers exquisite baked confections.
“The first cake I made was an eggless plain cake made for one of the neighbours. It became an instant hit and I got a couple of orders. This inspired me to start a baking venture,” says Shermin, who takes orders through her Instagram page ‘Sucre Cake Atelier’.
Besides making artisanal cakes, the chef also makes Italian macarons which are available in different hues and flavours. Italian macarons are much denser than their french meringue counterparts and are made by whisking a hot sugar syrup into egg whites until glossy peaks form. Cookies and madelines are also available at the bake shop. The price of the artisanal cakes range from `1,800 to `3,000. “I am planning to introduce french pastries and Eclairs which is a combination of crisp choux pastry, chocolate and vanilla flavoured pastry cream.”