Up Close & Personal

I Made Agus Pramana

Yamuna Pastry Bali is without a doubt one of Bali’s most famous pastry shops, with its divine sweet creations often gracing people’s social media feeds. We sat down with the man behind the brand and dug more into the mind of this skilled baker.

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by Rizky Adityo

E: Starting at the beginning, what made you decide on making desserts as a career?

A: Being a professional baker has long been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I learned how to bake from my mother. After school or on the weekends, you could find me helping her in the kitchen creating something new for the family to enjoy. Over time, I decided that being in the culinary industry was what I would strive for. I am forever grateful for being able to do what I love.

E: Your dessert shop, Yamuna Pastry Bali, has been a major attraction since it opened. What is the idea behind it?

A: Being the chef-owner of this place, I am thoroughly surprised at how this business has been able to grow into something so big. Before opening the brick-and-mortar store, Yamuna Pastry started as a small home business. People usually sent me their orders through social media or WhatsApp, and I would have them ready in 24 hours or so. In 2017, I decided to open a little pastry shop in the Umalas area, available at weekends only, from Friday to Sunday. Serving only the best products in a comfortable garden setting, it started getting more recognisable thanks to the organic growth we found on social media. Suddenly, this little weekend pastry shop was getting raves from food enthusiasts and travellers in Bali.

E: Do you have a favourite dessert on the menu?

A: I love anything with chocolate and alcohol in the same dessert. The two ingredients have different tastes, but somehow, they work wonders together and tantalise the palate more. Another type of dessert that I love is something light and fruity, for example, our cheesecake is perfectly paired with a cup of tea or strong coffee.

E: Being an Indonesian pastry chef, what is your favourite ingredient to work with?

A: My favourite ingredient has always been coconut. I love the versatility of this fruit, and it pairs well with anything, such as citrus or tangy berries.

E: What is the most important principle when it comes to baking?

A: That practice makes perfect. Not everything can be perfected in one try. People also need to understand that cooking is an art, while baking is an art that involves science. Moreover, baking is more than putting your ingredients in an oven. Baking is respecting the techniques and following the recipes that have been tested over and over again by professionals.

E: If you could have only one dessert or cake for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: Again, I would choose something with chocolate and alcohol in it. So, my Black Forest Cake is the one that I would have over and over again. The intensity of the dark chocolate mixed with the alcohol makes it just the cake to die for!

E: Do you have any advice for young people today thinking about what career to pursue?

A: Always believe in what you want to achieve. It may change over time but listen to your heart to fully understand what your passion is. As long as you do it with a full heart, nothing can stop you from achieving what you want.

E: And finally, what should we expect from Yamuna Pastry Bali in the future?

A: Our main goal is to bring local flavours to an international level with our creations. Everything that you see in the store is created using the best ingredients that we source locally. Other than the pastries and cakes, Yamuna is launching a second non-food product line. Yamuna Home is about bringing the taste of Yamuna to your home, from scented candles to tableware that is created by local artisans and inspired by my travel experiences.

Cobana Cake by Yamuna Pastry Bali

INGREDIENTS

Banana Cake

115g unsalted butter
115g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
0.2g salt
2 whole eggs
180g cake flour
4g baking soda
4g baking powder
28g coconut cream
150g ripe bananas, mashed

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 160C.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, vanilla, salt and butter. Beat the mixture gently.
Add the eggs, mix well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, mashed bananas and coconut cream, mix for one minute.
Pour batter into three round 20cm baking pans placed on a sheet pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Caramelised Banana

4 bananas, sliced lengthwise
20g unsalted butter
50g granulated sugar

METHOD

In a cooking pan, make dry caramel with the granulated sugar, add the butter once the sugar turns amber. Arrange the sliced bananas and cook until tender, fragrant and seared on both sides.
Leave to cool on a baking mat.

Chocolate Chantilly Mousse

225g milk chocolate
150g whipping cream
375g whipping cream, chilled

METHOD

Chop the chocolate and melt it slowly in a bain-marie or in the microwave.
Using a whisk or an electric hand beater, lightly whip 375g chilled cream. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Gently heat 150g whipping cream in a saucepan at a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Slowly pour one-third of the hot mixture over the melted chocolate. Using a flexible spatula, briskly mix it in with a small circular movement to create an elastic, shiny mixture.
Then incorporate another third of the hot liquid, using the same circular movement, and finally, the last third. The chocolate temperature at this stage should be 45C-50C so that it does not harden into little chips when incorporating the cream.
Carefully fold in the lightly whipped cream with a flexible spatula. Set aside.

To assemble the cake

300g Nutella

Place a steel pastry ring on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, slip a strip of acetate around the inside.
Place the first layer of banana cake, pipe out one-third chocolate mousse, then swirl Nutella over it. Repeat with the second and third layers.
Arrange the caramelised bananas on top covering the chocolate mousse.
Chill for about 12 hours.

To finish