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DAYTON — It's early afternoon in the brightly lit kitchens of the University of Dayton's Kennedy Union, and Emily Johnson of Brookville is tapping the bottom of a metal cake pan. No wait, now she's smacking the pan.

The first two cakes had popped out of their pans smoothly and cleanly, without leaving behind a crumb. This third cake wasn't budging, despite several open-palmed blows from the UD graduate who bakes cookies and prepares specialty desserts in the UD kitchens. Finally, the last cake plopped out, looking a bit scarred and leaving behind a few small chunks stuck to the metal.

Johnson shrugged. "Oh well, it's nice when they're perfect, but they rarely are."

The scars gradually faded moments later as Johnson carefully frosted and assembled the three layers into a statuesque Toasted Butter Pecan Cake, destined to be served the following day to faculty members in UD's Barrett Dining Room.

Those faculty members may not have realized it when they spent their $1.99 for a slice of that cake, but they were enjoying the work of a culinary scholarship winner, whose days in UD's kitchen are numbered. Johnson has decided to turn her dessert-making passion into a career.

Johnson, who grew up in Oakwood, earned a bachelor's degree in geography from Wright State University and a master's degree in management science from UD. After graduation, her job search went nowhere, and she ended up back at UD's Kennedy Union kitchens, where she had worked when she was a graduate student. This time, in addition to baking cookies of all stripes, colors and flavors, she was asked to come up with the "specialty dessert of the day" for the faculty dining room, and embraced her new assignment with enthusiasm.

After a few more rejection letters, Johnson turned to her mom for advice. "She told me, 'Why don't you pursue a job doing what you really like?' "

At the urging of her chef-bosses, she wrote an essay applying for a scholarship to attend culinary school in Chicago. The odds were long: 125 people applied, and only 10 would be invited to the institute for a competition to determine the scholarship winners. Johnson made the cut.

So on March 1, she headed west to compete against nine other aspiring pastry chefs in the Panier De Marché Pâtisserie Scholarship Competition at the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago. At stake was a $1,500 scholarship to attend the institute.

Johnson — who developed her "competition recipe" in consultation with one of her mentors, UD Chef Herbert Schotz — prepared two identical versions of linzer torte. The dessert consisted of a chiffon yellow cake anointed with raspberry preserves, adorned with diagonal swaths of almond paste, then encased in apricot preserves and, finally, studded with sliced almonds.

One torte was used for presentation, the other taste-tested by judges.

The judges liked Johnson's work: They awarded her first prize — and the scholarship that came with it.

"I did not expect it," Johnson said. "And I know I owe it in part to the support of a lot of people at UD," including both Chef Schotz and Chef Lisa Davis.

So in August, she'll leave UD's kitchens for an intensive, 12-month residential program followed by a three-month internship, all of which will lead to an associate's degree and some new career opportunities.

Her UD colleagues will miss her.

"I'm extremely impressed with Emily, especially since she doesn't really have a culinary background," said Meagan Dunn, working chef/manager for UD's Barrett Dining Room. "She's indispensable to us. We're lucky to have her here, and we're sorry to lose her."

For her part, Johnson had a brief bout of cold feet over the career move, wondering whether she would be a bit intimidated by the big city after spending her life in the Dayton area. Schotz assured her that the thriving culinary scene in Chicago would erase any doubts. And now, Johnson sounds as if she's ready for the challenge.

"I want to get out and work in the restaurants there, and perhaps someday run my own bakery," she said.

Dessert tips

When cutting fresh fruit (such as apples) that are to be used later, use Sprite instead of lemon juice to keep the fruit from browning. This leaves less of an aftertaste.

When making frostings, such as a buttercream, if the instructions say to mix butter and a dry ingredient, it is best to fully cream the softened butter first before slowly adding the dry ingredient (usually confectioners sugar).

If you are making decorated sugar cookies and are out of colored sugar, you can make your own substitute. Take regular granulated sugar, add desired food coloring and mix in food processor. After a few seconds, the sugar is done.

Try variations — don't be afraid to vary from what the recipe says. This can lead to the best version.

SOURCE: Emily Johnson

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2258 or mfisher@DaytonDaily

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