Beautiful blooms are divine and, as avid readers of Tory Daily know, a much-loved subject around here. Beautiful blooms plus baked goods? That’s our idea of heaven. Here, we get to know Chef Lori A. Stern, who’s known for incorporating fresh flowers right into her sweet treats for a result that’s as dazzling as it is delicious.

The baking bug bit when…
I’ve always loved to bake ever since I was a little girl. I knew I wanted to make baking a career when I moved to New York to pursue wedding cake design but actually fell in love with baking European-style breads and pastries.

My first recipe was…
I think my go-to first recipe was banana bread — basic.

The inspiration behind my pressed-flower cookies…
Was a friend’s party that I was catering. The party theme was “Georgia O’Keeffe Desert Bloom” and this was when these cookies first bloomed.

Favorite flowers to use…
I love using pomegranate petals, bachelor buttons and violas, mostly because these flowers keep their bright hues after baking.

My top three baking pro tips…
1. Get a kitchen scale.
2. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
3. Always set a timer.

And my personal favorite sweet treat…
Gah, there are so many. I would say my favorite treats are my rose-petal buns — they are majestic!