Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ThingsComeAround]

Just finished a delicious chocolate glazed donut (in the States)
as I thought of this...
As a lover of baked goods I was saddened when coming to Korea

Cakes, cookies, and bread (even Dunkin Donuts!!) all seem to be drier, or turn stale more quickly than pastries and other baked goods at home. Do they cook without milk?

I have also tried baked goods from Koreans in America, it seems to be the same style of preparation (I didn't ask how it was made, it was made for church)

Any thoughts / observations similar to this?

[nate2008]

I voted for worse. Don't get me wrong, they make some DELICIOUS baked goods, but they also make some very sub-par ones. They enjoy stuffing bread with huge globs of red bean, or making very strange concoctions involving vegetables on what is supposed to be a dessert pastry. Some things they do very well, others not so well.

[CentralCali]

And far too many items at bakeries in Korea have coffee tossed into the recipe just for the fun of it. It's aggravating that I have to ask the baker if the item that looks good has coffee in it. I swear they think coffee grounds are just another kind of flour!

[sojourner1]

I think they use little or no eggs in many things. Many things seem to be basic and bland surrounding plain ol white flour, sugar, and shortening with no butter involved though there's more of a European influence in Korean bakeries though not as gourmet. Often, things aren't what they appear to be so forget it unless you're just foraging around. Don't expect savory french bread, because it's sweet instead. You might find a loaf of french bread, but it turns out to be too hard and too airy. Those loaves of French bread make good yut game pieces.

Often, breads are more glutenous or tough, because they're over worked or over kneaded dough.

Warning: Hydrogenated shortening may be used just as it is in America. Same goes for anything fried. You'll pay attention when you're parents both died of heart disease and your 37 year old brother is suffering heart disease after eating a diet in high transfats. I'm not sure what in Korea has it, because they can't tell you. It's just like trying to ask a pharmacy what chemical substance is in these pills. You only get the product name; not the ingredients. I do know one thing, those beautiful high work of art cakes must be sculpted hydrogenated oil.

My experience of bakery goods keeps me away from them and then I seek to reduce carbs, sugar, and oils.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

K-folk mainly get baked on soju.

[Ultimo Hombre]

I got some decent wheat bread in Hyundai Department store. As for the treats...I agree with nate2008 completely on the stuff jammed into the breaded snacks. I mean, come on.

[wylies99]

There are some good things, but NOTHING like we have in the US.

[RACETRAITOR]

On the other hand, Koreans really suck at fried goods. Oh wait.

[D-Man]

Asians in general suck at baked dessert /sweet things.

They are more suited for grilled and fried things.

[oldtactics]

The bread is fine but I'm not a fan of the obsession with filling everything with cream or bean paste or jelly or whatever else. Sometimes pastry should just be pastry!

[suki]

i think it's the flour they use - it's more refined, less proteins, less glutinous. more like pastry flour. american all purpose or bread flour is much more rustic and substantial.

every time i've tried asian baked deserts, it's like biting into wedding cake. yuck.

[cruisemonkey]

Donughts in K-land are not much better than a bagle.

[ajuma]