Katia bakes

10/14/2026

🍂
It seems that autumn will always be a time of summaries and dots for me. A time when nature itself throws off the heavy burden it has carried for a long year and seems to call for peace and balance.

It seems that autumn will always be a point of reference for me, a point of search and a time of key events, when the yellowed leaves fall, and autumn seems to demonstrate: right now is the time - the time for clean pages, the time to let go.

It seems that autumn will always be a time of insights for me, a time of frank thoughts, confessions and realizations, because when the cold penetrates to the bones, and sadness mercilessly eats from the inside, and you understand what’s important... that the words you say in moments of happiness, the decisions you make are really important in moments of despair, memories that you keep deep in your heart, and names that you remember in prayers...

because it’s important whose number you dial first when your heart needs a hug...

09/01/2026

Getting older

I know that everything in my life comes to me and occurs at the perfect time. I do not force anything to hurry up in my life, for it is all unfolding at the perfect time and just as as the spring blossom, beautifully in waiting.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Beautiful 37🤘🏻❤️

08/26/2026

Thought out loud
(as a multiunit Director of Culinary)

The paradox of “success”

Over the past six months, I have had a strange
observation.

A person goes to work in a new project or startup, an unknown company, something that is just being born, and understands that future success will need to build“with his own hands”. To burn, to invest, to do even more than the person has to.

And now imagine that the same person comes to a ready-made brand or company and takes success for granted, as something that already exists and will always be!?

The storefront is full, there are queues, the brand is recognizable - you can relax, just not to spoil what works.

And this, in my opinion, is the biggest illusion that I see in business or when getting a job.

Unfortunately, success is not a building that you built and it became a monument.

Recognition is something that you have to earn
every morning, again and again. A storefront that was full yesterday is no longer relevant today and needs to be redesigned, a guest who came yesterday may leave today, a name that is recognized will be forgotten in six months - if you stop deserving it.

A ready-made brand is a bar that someone has raised, and now it must be maintained, and not just “be next to success.”

This even leads to some misunderstanding between those who have been in the company for a long time and are really part of the legend and newcomers.

For now, this is just my observation ✨

08/26/2026

(From archive)*

Petit fours: lemon basil meringue tart

I love this classic so much that I wanted to reinvent it as bite-sized treats using the square silicon mold (purchased via Amazon). And for a change, I’m also offering a lemon and basil combination—it’s delicious!

A crisp lime shortbread base
A creamy lemon and basil filling
Crunchy French meringues

08/26/2026

02/05/2026

🩶this is how I find my way🤍

My 2025 year notes…
I learned that grief and gratitude can coexist.

That I can feel my heart crack down the middle and be thankful for the pain because it means that I’ve lived fully and loved deeply-that I didn’t hide from life but instead chose to pour my whole self into the act of beautiful, hard, messy living.

I learned that I can love the life I have now while still taking time to grieve the paths I didn’t walk. The lives I didn’t get to live. The people who are no longer traveling this path beside me. The visions of a future I once had that can no longer be.

I learned that so many times in life, we don’t know that the last time we do something is going to be the last.

That it often sneaks up on us unexpectedly. And that while we can’t prevent the lasts, we can love what we have now while it’s still here just a little bit more.

My 2025…I learned that my heart can handle so much more than I ever gave it credit for.

That it’s soft but mighty.
That it’s far stronger than I ever realized-stronger than I even know now.

And while I sometimes wish it didn’t have to be so strong, I’m grateful for this beating heart for always reminding me that I’m still here.

Still breathing.

I’m grateful for its gentle wisdom and soft nudges. And most of all, I’m grateful that in the joy and the pain, the hope and the heartache—it knows love💜

01/25/2026

New addition for the Calgary coffee shop ✔️

✨Chocolate Fudge Cake With Strawberry Salsa And Candied Flowers (served with house-made lavender ice cream)
✨Dark Chocolate, Plum Cake (served with dark chocolate whipped ganache and edible flowers).

New Year - New Collaboration/Cooperation

I’m trying to take less private pastry collaborations, due to my new project (tsssss.. still not ready to announce!) 🙏🏻 takes me more time than I thought 😩

Soooonnnn ✨wish me luck 🥳

01/04/2026

I’m finally back to share this fairly simple but fancy way Raspberry Pavlova Dessert!!!

I recommend assembling it at the last minute to prevent the raspberry jam from making the meringue too soggy. You can, of course, replace the raspberries with other fruits depending on the season.

I hope you enjoy this recipe 🤍

TO MAKE 6 RASPBERRY PAVLOVA YOU WILL NEED:
✨The meringues:
• 2 egg whites (approximately 6g)
• 6g of sugar
• 6g of icing sugar

✨The vanilla mascarpone whipped cream:
• 200g of very cold heavy cream (30% fat)
• 100g of mascarpone cheese
• 20g of sifted icing sugar
• 1 vanilla bean

✨Raspberry confit:
• 150g raspberries
• 20g sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2g pectin + 10g sugar
• 250g fresh raspberries

✨Meringues
Preheat your oven to 90 degrees C (195 degrees F). Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, adding the sugar in three additions. You should obtain a firm meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold in the sifted icing sugar. Place the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a 12mm round nozzle and pipe it onto the outside of a half-sphere mold. (See the photo above). Bake for 25 minutes.

✨Raspberry Confit
In a saucepan, place your raspberries, 20g of sugar, and lemon juice. Heat to 30 degrees Celsius, then add the remaining 10g of sugar mixed with the pectin and bring to a boil for one minute. Transfer the confit to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

✨Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Place the mascarpone in the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk to soften it. Then add the very cold heavy cream and the seeds from a vanilla bean, and whisk everything together at medium speed. When the mixture begins to thicken, add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk again until you obtain a smooth texture. Transfer your whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a 12mm plain tip and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

✨Assembly
Take your meringue shells and fill them with raspberry confit. Pipe small mounds of vanilla mascarpone whipped cream on top. Cut your raspberries in half lengthwise and arrange them attractively to completely cover the cream.

Your Raspberry Pavlova is ready! Enjoy!🤍

01/01/2026

Thank you 2025 ❤️

11/26/2025

🤍
Just in case no one has told you this today...

I’m so proud of you and everything you have endured and achieved. I hope you know how worthy you are and just how much you bring to the world.🤍

❤️