I am the Entertainment Tycoon Chapter 1010: Baking Sweet and Savory Pies

With the intricate leaf patterns beautifully carved into the top crust, Theo moved into the final stage of preparation. He grabbed a small ceramic bowl containing a beaten egg yolk mixed with a splash of cream. Dip-coating a pastry brush, he applied a light, even glaze across the entire surface of the pie, ensuring every crease and fold of his design was thoroughly coated. This wash was the secret to achieving that deep, lacquer-like golden shine during the bake.

"Wow," Aurora murmured, leaning so close her nose was practically inches from the marble counter. She took a deep, exaggerated breath, her purple eyes tracking the glossy brushstrokes. "It looks incredible already, big brother. Seriously, my stomach is throwing a tantrum right now."

Theo chuckled, picking up a pinch of coarse sea salt and flaky black pepper, scattering them lightly over the wet glaze to add a savory crunch to the final crust. "Patience, Aurora. Good things take time."

"But it smells like it’s already done!" she groaned playfully, resting her chin back onto her crossed arms on the kitchen island. Her mouth watered at the lingering scent of the creamy filling cooling slightly beneath the pastry. She could already visualize breaking through the crisp, buttery layers to reach the rich chicken, mushrooms, and herbs hiding inside. It was pure torture waiting for it.

Theo smiled at her eagerness, slipped on a pair of thick oven mitts, and carefully lifted the heavy ceramic pie dish. He walked over to the built-in wall unit, which was already radiating a steady, comforting heat. Opening the door, a wave of warmth washed over his face as he smoothly slid the pie onto the center rack.

"Sylph, set the baking timer for forty minutes," Theo instructed, closing the heavy glass door.

"Timer set for forty minutes, Master," the AI butler responded instantly, a soft amber countdown flickering to life on the smart hub.

Aurora watched the oven light illuminate the glazed pastry inside, letting out a dramatic but happy sigh. "Forty minutes? I guess that gives us just enough time to start working on the Daifuku plum pie."

"Exactly," Theo said, pulling off his oven mitts with a satisfied grin. "Let’s clear the space. We have a dessert to build."

After cleaning the counter, Theo and Aurora gathered the dessert ingredients from the pantry.

"It’s a good thing I made extra pastry earlier," Theo noted as he arranged the supplies on the clean surface. "Otherwise, preparing this dessert from scratch would have taken much longer."

"Great foresight, big brother!" Aurora chimed in enthusiastically. "So, we just need to focus on the filling? What about the mochi layer? Can I make that part?" she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.

While Aurora lacked Theo’s professional culinary expertise, he had been gradually teaching her the basics over time. She was capable enough to handle straightforward prep work safely and confidently under his supervision.

Theo considered it for a moment before nodding with a warm smile. "Sure. The mochi dough is quick and easy to prepare. You just need to follow the steps precisely."

"Yay!" Aurora cheered happily, pumping her fist in the air.

With their roles assigned, the siblings began working side by side, filling the kitchen with lighthearted chatter as they brought the unique dessert to life.

Although translating the textures of a Daifuku into a baked pie seemed complicated on paper, the process was incredibly straightforward for Theo. It required far less active cooking and prep work than the savory chicken and mushroom pie currently baking in the oven.

His own tasks were quick and precise. He just had to season the smooth anko with a delicate blend of ground cinnamon, finely shredded tangerine leaves, and a touch of pandan leaf extract to give the sweet red bean paste a bright, aromatic undertone. Next, he had to slice the fresh plums into uniform wedges and prepare a bowl of chunky strawberry jam to layer into the base.

The mochi layer was just as simple to execute. Under Theo’s guidance, Aurora only needed to whisk the glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water together in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it, and heat it in short intervals. Within fifteen minutes of stirring and heating, the mixture would transform into a perfectly soft, sticky, and pliable dough, ready to be stretched over the filling.

As they worked side by side, the kitchen filled with the comfortable warmth of shared memories and easy banter. The gentle hum of the oven provided a steady background to their laughter as they traded stories from their respective days.

"So," Theo teased, glancing over as Aurora vigorously whisked the glutinous rice flour mixture, "did the Student Council actually manage to clear the aftermath of the Spring Dance, or are you still dealing with the decoration fallout? Last week you sounded like you were one vendor mistake away from accidentally turning the gymnasium into a haunted house instead of a floral wonderland."

Aurora gasped dramatically, nearly splashing a bit of water over the rim of the bowl. "Hey! That was the supplier’s fault for sending black roses instead of pastel pink ones, and Vivian caught the shipping error just in time! Besides, the dance a few days ago turned out beautifully. You should be more worried about your own empire. Ayia told me that a customer at the restaurant tried to order a ’Moonlight Special’ yesterday, expecting the elusive singer to magically appear in the dining room."

Theo rolled his eyes slightly, a wave of mild annoyance washing over him as the memory resurfaced. He kept slicing the plums, his movements tight but steady. "Please don’t remind me," he muttered, shaking his head. "It was completely ridiculous."

Aurora giggled, leaning over the counter as she carefully slid her bowl into the microwave to set the first short heating interval. She couldn’t help but chuckle as she recounted Ayia’s tales of the entire episode. "Ayia said you looked absolutely exasperated when the order ticket came back. The customer didn’t even know who Moonlight was; they literally just wanted a custom dish with a poetic name."

"Exactly," Theo grumbled, though his irritation was entirely lighthearted now. "The real issue wasn’t even the order itself. We were already dealing with a sudden scarcity of our signature mushrooms and fresh herbs that evening because the supplier missed the afternoon delivery slot. Managing a packed house with a thinning inventory was stressful enough without the universe playing jokes on my hidden identity."

Aurora laughed softly, watching him deftly arrange the fruit wedges. "Well, Ayia said June handled the front of the house perfectly, calming down the crowded dining room while the rest of the kitchen scrambled to portion out the remaining ingredients."

"Yeah, thank goodness June was there to handle things," Theo said with a heavy, resigned sigh, setting his paring knife down for a brief moment. "Well, I can’t complain too much. Accidents happen, after all."

Although he had been deeply frustrated when the shortage first hit the kitchen lines, he knew the supplier had dealt with a genuine, unavoidable accident on the road yesterday. There was no point in holding a grudge over a simple twist of fate, so he had just accepted it and moved on.

Fifteen minutes flew by in a blur of casual chatter. Theo finished preparing the aromatic, seasoned anko, the thick plum slices, and the chunky strawberry jam, while Aurora successfully managed the microwave intervals for her dough.

"Look at this, big brother!" Aurora declared proudly, holding up the warm ceramic bowl. "It’s perfectly sticky and stretchy!"

Theo peered into the bowl and smiled warmly. "Spot on, Aurora. You did an excellent job. Now comes the fun part."

With all the components ready, Theo began the meticulous process of layering the fillings inside the extra pastry shell. They continued their lighthearted, hearty conversation as his hands moved with practiced culinary grace. First, he spread a dense, velvety layer of the spiced anko along the bottom of the crust. Over that, he swirled the rich, chunky strawberry jam to infuse that classic berry contrast. Next, he gently tore and stretched the soft bits of warm mochi that Aurora had made, scattering them evenly across the sweet base. Finally, he arranged the fresh plum slices in a dense, overlapping spiral on top, completing the interior structure of his newly invented Daifuku pie.

"Wow," Aurora murmured, leaning over his shoulder to admire the colorful, layered creation. "It looks like a work of art even before it goes into the oven. I still can’t believe we managed to put actual mochi inside a pie."

"The magic happens during the bake," Theo replied with a wink.

After just a few minutes of settling the filling, Theo opened a fresh, chilled pastry disc and carefully draped it over the top of the dish. Instead of replicating the leaf motifs from the savory dinner, he picked up his small paring blade and used quick, delicate strokes to cut the top crust into a series of beautiful, intricate flower patterns. The geometric vents would allow the steam from the bubbling plums to escape perfectly.

Soon enough, the dessert pie was fully assembled and ready.

Theo and Aurora stood side-by-side, looking down at the flower-patterned creation with a shared mix of pride, enthusiastic anticipation, and immense curiosity to finally taste their unique culinary experiment.