In the Kitchen with Sarah Craichy

In the Kitchen with Sarah Craichy

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's pastry chef, who was once “thrown into the fire and came out knowing what to do,” now dreams of teaching her craft to the next generation.

Words courtesy of Jené Drennan, Dishing JH | photos by Lindley Rust (@lindleyrustphoto)

WHEN HER CAREER AS A PASTRY CHEF IN FLORIDA was cut short due to injuries, Sarah Craichy decided to make a big life change. She enrolled in school for business management and took an internship at a chocolate manufacturing facility that made bonbons and macarons for Disney Cruise Lines and Marriott. "I remember the first day I walked in and saw a chocolate tempering machine the size of a bathtub and thought, ‘This is life for me, this is fantastic.’"

From there, the Florida native’s career as a pastry chef and chocolatier progressed quickly. She went from working at the bottom of a kitchen to attending an exclusive pastry academy, helping behind the scenes on a Netflix chocolate show, and ultimately becoming the pastry chef at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. We talked to the pastry aficionado to learn more about her career path and passion for all things confectionary.

SARAH CRAICHY'S S'MORES BARS

For the marshmallow layer:

• 32 grams gelatin gold sheets
• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup glucose
• 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon egg whites
• Powdered sugar, for topping

1. Grease and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Set aside. Bloom the gelatin by soaking it in an ice bath and set aside. Combine sugar, water, and glucose in a saucepan. Make sure to wipe the side of the pan with a wet towel to get rid of any sugar grains that could crystallize. Set saucepan on stove and, without stirring, bring the mixture to 115 F over medium-high heat. While the syrup is heating, whisk the egg whites in a standing mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Once syrup reaches 115 F, slowly pour it onto egg whites while mixing at high speed. Melt gelatin in a microwave for about 50 seconds to warm to a liquid state. Just before the meringue forms stiff peaks, add the gelatin. Quickly transfer and spread marshmallow evenly on greased sheet tray before it sets up. Top with powdered sugar. Let set overnight.

For the Biscoff cookie crumb:

• 3 cups Biscoff cookie crumb
• 3 1/3 cups graham cracker crumb
• 2/3 cup cookie butter
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Add all ingredients to a standing mixer and mix well. Grease and line an 8-by-13-by-2 1/2-inch pan with parchment paper. Press crumb down evenly and firmly in the pan. Bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. Let cool.

For the dark chocolate ganache:

• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon corn syrup
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 13 1/4 cup dark chocolate (70%)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, corn syrup, sugar, and salt to a light simmer. Once it is hot, pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Let melt, then blend or whisk the mixture. While still warm, pour over the Biscoff crust. Let set in refrigerator.

For the dark chocolate mousse:

• 1/2 cup beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups dark chocolate (70%)
• 2 1/2 cups whipped cream

1. In a standing mixer, whisk the eggs and yolks until mixture is pale. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Turn the mixer to high speed, and slowly add the hot syrup to eggs and whisk on high until cool. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments until fully melted but not too hot. Let stand at room temperature for a bit. When the chocolate has cooled, fold it into the egg mixture. Once combined, fold whipped cream into the mixture until fully combined. Immediately pour the mousse on top of the ganache. Before the mousse sets, top with your marshmallow slab and freeze overnight.

2. While still frozen, cut 3-by-4-inch pieces to ensure clean-cut rectangles. Torch off the top of the marshmallow, let thaw and enjoy!

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN THE PASTRY WORLD?

I applied for a job at The Ritz-Carlton, and when I interviewed with the chef and he said, "My kitchen is filled with world-class pastry chefs and people who have been in the industry for 10-plus years, why should I hire you?" I told him I wanted to learn and would start at the bottom, and I ended up getting promoted three times while there. I credit The Ritz as my pastry foundation. I was thrown into the fire and came out knowing what to do.

HOW DID YOU START WORKING WITH RENOWNED PASTRY CHEF AMAURY GUICHON?

I felt like I was missing the technical side of things, so I wanted to go to school for it. At the time, Amaury had a show (Netflix’s School of Chocolate) and was just opening his academy in Las Vegas. He only accepted 12 people per semester from around the world. About four weeks in, Amaury pulled me aside and asked me to stay on as his assistant pastry chef, so I moved to Vegas and started working for him.

AND YOU HELPED HIM ON SCHOOL OF CHOCOLATE?

That was at the start of COVID, and we had to close the academy. He had asked us to seven big showpieces on the show, so we were doing the research and development. He asked me to go to L.A. for the filming of the show to be behind the scenes. It was super intense but a really cool experience.

THEN WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO JACKSON HOLE?

I was working in Park City at Stein Eriksen Lodge. I’m very into nature and national parks so whenever I have a day or two off, I’ll go hit one of the parks. It is so beautiful out here, I get excited just driving through town.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB?

The culture here is awesome. I am really happy to be a part of JHMR. Everyone is very inclusive and there is a ton of creative freedom. I am getting to put my signature desserts out there and track how they sell. There is so much potential here, and that’s really exciting! Last winter, I got to take really fun ski breaks during work, hitting the mountain for a couple runs during the day. I even snowboarded to an interview at the bottom of the mountain, and that was definitely a cool experience.

WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, YOU BAKE ...

I do a lot of master classes on the side, and a big request for those is learning how to make French macarons. I make cakes for birthdays, and cake pops are easy to make. When I have a friend in the culinary industry who wants to make something at home, I always suggest we make bonbons. It’s fun to teach someone how to do it, and that’s definitely a passion project of mine.

HOW STRONG IS YOUR SWEET TOOTH?

I don’t have one. I don’t like sweets! It’s funny, when I go out to eat with friends and they order a dessert, I order a cheese plate. They’re like, "What’s wrong with you?" I say, "I’m off the clock right now." If I eat dessert, I’ll overanalyze it. It’s kind of a blessing and a curse.

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO FOR DINING OUT?

My go-to is Sapp. It is really good. I get the udon noodles with a fried egg and tofu. I haven’t been here that long and my goal is to find a really good sushi spot.

IN YOUR FUTURE, YOU SEE YOURSELF ...

My dream job would be to have my own academy. I really love teaching, and working at an academy ignited that inside of me. It’s a passion of mine to build this next generation of pastry chefs and really pass on the knowledge that I’ve worked hard to learn.

AND FINALLY, WE LIKE TO FIND OUT: WHAT’S ONE THING THAT’S HARD FOR YOU TO ADMIT YOU LOVE TO EAT?

Shake Shack is a guilty pleasure. Every time I fly through Salt Lake City, I have to stop there and grab a cheesy fry and an Oreo milkshake.