Sugar Mama Judiaann Woo

By Rachel Syme

Pastry Chef Judiaann Woo whips up a decadent chocolate pudding that's the perfect end to a light summer dinner.

Photo: Steven Freeman

Judiaann Woo is well on her way to becoming the Nigella Lawson of sweet treats.

By Rachel Syme

Pastry Chef Judiaann Woo whips up a decadent chocolate pudding that's the perfect end to a light summer dinner.

Desserts don’t make people fat,” says Judiaann Woo, pastry chef and executive director of ­PastryScoop.com. “People make people fat. Puddings should be about taste and texture, about the experience—not gluttony.”

Judiaann, 36, has been preaching the wonders of eating regular dessert since founding PastryScoop.com in 2002, the first Web site and online community exclusively dedicated to the art of baking, frosting and whipping cream into frothy white peaks. The South Korean–born pastry chef who moved to Portland, Ore., at age 3wasn’t always obsessed with sweets: “I began my career in advertising and fashion marketing, but I always had this fervent interest in cooking. I just didn’t think I could make a living off of it until I moved to New York 12 years ago and saw that you could have a viable career in high-end food.” Judiaann dove in immediately. An accomplished chef in all areas, she picked pastry as her primary focus at the French Culinary Institute (“I knew I would rise faster in the dessert ranks as a woman—unfortunately that’s how the industry is”). After graduating, she went on to create confections at some of the city’s best eateries, including Bouley Bakery, Mercer Kitchen and Tao.

Then, in 2002, she joined up again with the French Culinary Institute to found the NY-based PastryScoop.com, which now boasts more than 40,000 members. “We celebrate desserts through sharing tips and recipes,” Judiaann explains. “What’s not to love about that?”

Photo: Steven Freeman
For high-quality chocolate, Judiaann recommends the counter at Whole Foods.

And Judiaann is expanding her slice of the pie too, as a contributing editor for Food Arts magazine and host of her own TV show, currently in development. When asked about her favorite indulgences, she’s quick to respond. “Pie à la mode with real ice cream. People have lost the art of the rustic dessert. I like sweets to be retro, homey and filling.” And, like any card-­carrying pastry chef, she also loves chocolate: “It’s a real crowd pleaser. But I stick to only fine brands, like Valrhona and Calibo or anything you can buy at the front counter of Whole Foods.

Outside her own kitchen, Judiaann loves the four-part chocolate tasting at Jean-Georges and the reimagined carrot cake at WD-50. Her best tip? “Choose an indulgence made with the best ingredients, and ignore the calories,” she says.

SOURCE: nypost.com

Click here for her Chocolate pudding recipe. :)