Tommy Le Baker is a hidden gem
specialising in baking authentic French breads. As a purist with an emphasis on
the fermentation process of bread-making, Tommy ensures that the loaves he
sells in his tiny bakery are top-notch. They're kneaded, shaped and baked onsite using quality ingredients. Specialties include their traditional French
baguette and sourdough, which are truly some of the best you'll find in KL. Apart
from bread, they sell quiches, tarts and sandwiches. Seating space is limited,
but you can always grab loaves/pastries to go!
Delaila, mahira, Dixon
For Near-Perfect Egg Tarts
Known as the confectionery with one of the best egg tarts in town, each bite of
Tong Kee's silky smooth custard encased in flaky pastry brings back childhood
memories for many KLites. Established in the 60s, their consistent standard can
only mean that they're clearly doing something right. There are 2 versions to
choose from: flaky or butter pastry. The flaky egg tart features a super flaky
crust that most are used to, while the butter pastry crust is crisper, with a
distinct butter flavor that would make butter-lovers swoon. Other must-try items
are the chicken pie, Swiss roll (Mango is a crowd-favourite!) and lotus mini baos.
1. Croissant
The croissant is largely considered to be just about the Frenchiest thing out
there. Truthfully, though, the concept was born in Austria, under the name
"kipferl." The recipe was adapted and adopted by the French, where the
recipe arguably came into its own.
Made by incorporating an almost sinful amount of butter into a dough and
then folding and re-folding it numerous times, the croissants have a
heavenly, airy texture but buttery, rich flavor. The exterior crackles when
bit into, giving way to a soft interior. It just so happens that making perfect
croissants at home that are just as flavorful as in the boulangeries of Paris is
far from an impossible feat. In fact, you can learn the art of this buttery
delicacy in Classic Croissants at Home, which will teach you how to make
impressive, bakery-quality variations.
Opera cake
This elegant gteau is composed of thin layers of cake that are soaked in a
coffee syrup and then layered with coffee buttercream and chocolate
ganache. It's assembled as a large square or rectangle, and then sliced into
large bar-shaped slices to serve.
It was popularized by famed Parisian ptisserie Dalloyau, which is said to
have adapted a recipe for Clichy cake (another name by which the cake is
sometimes found), which was debuted at the 1903 Exposition Culinaire in
Paris.
Religieuse
Think of the religieuse as a sort of tricked-out, pinkies-out sort of cream
puff. It's generally comprised of two tiers of choux pastry, graduated in size
and filled with pastry cream. Each pastry is prettily iced, and adhered with
icing. If the pastry is presented with chocolate icing and piped vanilla
cream, the finished effect is said to resemble a nun's habit, which explains
the unique name.
Pan de Sal or Pandesal
The most humble of Filipino breads is also the most
popular: pandesal, which is made simply with eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
Created in the Philippines in the 16th century, pandesal has become a part of the traditional Filipino
breakfast. Filipinos usually eat it in the mornings while it is oven-fresh and warm.
While pandesal can be eaten on its own, many Filipinos fill it with cheese, coconut jam, peanut
butter, butter, fried eggs, sardines, or cooked meat. A cup of hot coffee or chocolate drink goes well
with it.
Originally, pandesal was hard and crusty outside and bland inside. Over the years, it has changed
into a softer and sweeter bread.
Ensaymada
A kind of
brioche, ensaymada is a rounded Filipino bread flavored with grated cheese and sprinkled with
sugar on top, making it popular among sweet-toothed kids and kids-at-heart alike.
Ensaymada is suited to people from all walks of like. Our local bake shop sells it for a dime.
But we can also get upscale ensaymada in five-star hotels, where it is topped with butter cream and
filled with purple yam, ham, salted eggs, or macapuno (a jelly-like coconut variety).
Ensaymada originally came from Majorca, Spain where it is called ensaimada.
It has become hugely popular in South America where Spain held several territories.
Empanada
Empanada is a
world-recognized pastry that got its name from the Spanish verbempanar, which means to wrap in
bread.
It is made by wrapping dough around fillings of meat, cheese, fruits, and vegetables.
The Filipino-style empanada is usually filled with beef, chicken, potatoes, onions, and raisins.
In the Ilocos region of the northern Philippines, famous for its local empanada, the pastry is made
with egg yolks, local sausages, green papayas, and mung beans.
Pinoy empanada is either baked or deep-fried, giving it either a chewy or a crunchy texture.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/17/coffee-drinks-espressoexplained_n_3935566.html
