Coffee Bun 咖啡味墨西哥包

It is often said that we eat with our eyes. I totally agree with that. Presentation, plating and color coordination enhance the appeal of a dish tremendously. Yet another important factor that attracts our attention is aroma.

This coffee bun is an good example. I am drawn to this bun not only by its aesthetic but by its strong coffee aroma. I seldom drink coffee but its aroma is so attractive that it makes me want to take a bite. This bun is similar to the bo lo bao/pineapple bun, except the crust is not as crunchy.

Sliver Thread Roll 銀絲卷

"Fun to eat and easy to make" is the best description of this dim sum bao. A variation of mantau, the sliver thread roll is made by cutting the dough into many thin strips and wrapping them together in a bundle. The most common way to enjoy it after breaking open the outer layer is to pull out and eat the threads one by one. Some people like to dip it in condensed milk. I like the deep fried version: the outer layer is crispy while the threads inside are still soft.

I have been searching for a good English translation for the name of this bread: sliced roll, bread roll, etc, but I've given up and am now using my own translation.

For a successful roll, please read the whole recipe and pay attention to the notes below.

Lava Custard Bao 流沙包

Dim Sum Series, part 5:

This is another classic steamed bao in dim sum restaurants. I think it is a rather recent addition because I do not recall having it before I immigrated to the US. I still remember my embarrassing moment when I first encountered it. It was quite messy because the custard just burst out like lava from an volcano. The salted duck yolk in the custard adds a different dimension of flavor. It is an amazing and wonderful experience.

Steamed Char Siu Bao 蠔皇叉燒包

Happy New Year to all my blog readers!

As this blog approaches its fourth year, I would like to start a new series. This is the first post on the dim sum series, with more to follow. Stay tuned.

Every time I go to a dim sum restaurant, char siu bao (BBQ pork bun) is one of my must-have dishes. Inside the white, fluffy, and sweet bao is char siu with oyster sauce. It is so easy to gobble one down in less than a minute. Believe it or not, I have been trying to make a decent char siu bao on and off for more than three years.

Cocktail Bao 雞尾包

I remember the name of this bao scared my kids when they were young. "Mom, how can you eat a bun that has cocktail in it?" Many adults may be misled by its name as well. But I think if you are from Hong Kong, you know exactly what it is. Just like bo law bao/pineapple bun which has no pineapple, cocktail bao has no cock's tail in it.

Chocolate Bo Lo Bao 朱古力菠蘿包

There is a saying that do not judge a book by its cover, but let me rephrase it: "Do not judge bread by its crust." Although this chocolate bo lo bao has a darker crust than regular bo lo bao , the crust is still as crunchy and tasty as the regular one. The difference is the addition of cocoa powder. It adds a taste of chocolate flavor to an otherwise just plainly sweet crust. It passed the taste test of my chocoholics at home!

Red Bean Bao 紅豆包

When I go to chinese bakery, there are three types of bread that I always get: bo law bao, red bean bao and coconut bao. But I have not been to one for quite a while....

I always wonder how the bakery chef shapes the red bean and coconut baos. Then I came across a chinese cook book that has pictures to show the technique.

Baked Char Siu Bao 焗叉燒包

Baked Char Siu Bao

Every time I make char siu, usually I make more so that there will be leftover for char siu bao. My hubby likes savory bao more than sweet bun. It is very good to have it for breakfast or afternoon snack. I made whole wheat tang zhong with flax seed as the dough to add more nutritional values.

Bo Lo Bao (Pineapple Bun) 菠蘿包

Photo courtesy of Francis Ko and Eric Tsoi

Bo Lo Bao (Pineapple Bun)

It is an invention by Hong Kong bakers and very popular in this ex-English colony. The bun is soft and topped by a crunchy crust. It is often enjoy for breakfast and afternoon tea time. Do not be misled by the name. It does not have any pineapple in the ingredients. It gets the name because it looks like the outer skin of a pineapple.

There are many recipes around but they fail to make the crust crunchy. The traditional crust or top of Bo Lo Bao is made of sugar, eggs, ammonia bicarbonate, flour and lard. But the following recipe substitutes lard with butter for a slightly healthier version. Ammonia bicarbonate is not a common item on most grocery shelves so it is replaced by baking soda and baking powder as well. They produce the same delicious and crunchy texture.

Grand Opening

I'm not a procrastinator. But I've been postponing this for a long time. Why ? Don't know exactly. Maybe just a bit paranoid about the blog's world. In the past 3 years, I've been reading other people's blogs almost daily--mainly cooking and baking sites. I learn a lot. There are good blogs out there and also not so good blogs.