This cookbook makes me hungry. I can’t give a bigger compliment than that. The recipe seem easy and the pictures are very helpful. I would like to see this in a printed version because on my iPad it seems really small. My other observation is all the food looks fantastic and looks ready to eat. It also makes me think of my grandmother is 1960s and 70s cookbook. I don’t know why maybe it’s the shade of green that it is. Maybe it’s something else altogether I think this cookbook is fantastic, but those flipping in a bookstore might give it a pass.

This is a gorgeous, and unique book filled will a wide variety of of Asian desserts and snacks. There were so many tasty things that I've never seen before, the the photos for each one were beautiful. All the recipes were clear, and easy to understand. I already have several on my list to make once the weather gets cooler.

The only reason it wasn't a 5 star book for me, is that many of the ingredients can be hard to source, and also expensive if you live in a rural area like I do. Some of the techniques could be difficult if you are inexperienced with baking too. I would recommend this for a more experienced baker in your life.

It is definitely worth flipping through, and I think it would also make a great gift!

I rarely purchase actual, hard copy, cookbooks anymore. It’s easier and less space consuming to grab and store recipes online. HOWEVER, Breaking Bao will be coming to live on my shelves, coffee table, and kitchen. It is absolutely gorgeous.

Bao have long been a loved food for me, and Clarice Lam has leveled them up with traditional and unique flavor combinations, mixing flavor profiles and techniques from all over Asia, as well as the Middle East and Europe. Char Siu Carnitas Bao, Coconut Croissants, Mango Sticky Rice Cake, and White Rabbit candy rice crispy treats are just a few of the awesome savory and sweet offerings. In addition to the dumplings and breads, there are cakes, pastries, cookies, snacks and more.

There are mouth-watering photos for every recipe (a huge plus to see Lam’s intended result for each item), along with very clear pictures when there are multiple steps, or a special technique is used. She also provides some great tips for mixing and matching recipe ingredients or trying them in alternative ways. The chef has some fun stories included as well.

There are a few items for some recipes that are not available in my small town supermarket but are easily available to be ordered. So far, I have only had the chance to make the Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan). It was easier than I expected and the soft, bouncy, but still sturdy-enough-to-make-a-sandwich bread tastes wonderful.

I can’t wait to try additional recipes. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the digital ARC.

Breaking Bao breaks down some of the intimidation factors of attempting to reproduce many of the delicious sweet and savory baked treats that I have enjoyed in my travels through Asia. It also takes a spin at "baking fusion" blending eastern and western flavor profiles and techniques to elevate classics and create new decadent delights. Recipes are detailed, with clear ingredient lists, introductions, additional tips, and photos of the finished product. Some of the more involved recipes also have step by step photos, for example, the folding to create lamination in the Scallion Roti Canai is broken down to a dozen easy to follow pictures. The book has sections on Bao, Cakes & Desserts, and Snacks. It starts with an introduction, where the author provides a brief on her journey but also an introduction to the ingredients and tools that are used in the book. The Bao section is the longest and goes way beyond steamed buns, to every steamed, baked and even fried bite that I can't wait to try. The Cakes and Desserts are a feast for the eyes and the section has a few items that I'd love at my next celebration. As for Snacks, the holiday cookie canister may be overflowing this year as I try out a number of these recipes. This book is a great gift idea for any bakers of your list and the first one that I will be gifting is to myself. (4.5/5)
I received access to this ebook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Chronicle Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This cookbook is filled with delicious sounding bakes and sweets, most of which are too complex for me to tackle, although I did take note of a few I wanted to try. If nothing else, this book opened my eyes to treats from the Asian world that I had never heard of before and combines them in creative ways with other classic foods from the author's time in the US, France, Italy, and more.

I love Bao, and I was so excited for this book. The pictures are so vibrant and beautiful, everything looks delicious. My favorite part of this is the set by step instruction pictures for tasks you may not be familiar with (one example but not the best one, is showing you how to fold in the butter for puff pastry).

this was easy to follow, covered all ingredients well, and was visually easy to follow which are the most important things in a cookbook in my opinion.

Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Breaking Bao by Clarice Lam. From start to finish, it's a visual and culinary delight.

One of the standout treats for me was the Ferrero Rocher Bombolini—rich, decadent, and perfect for impressing a crowd. I also loved the mochi donut holes, which I rolled in cinnamon sugar instead of the usual black-and-white glaze due to my own time constraints when making the recipe. This personal twist added a warm, comforting flavor that made these bite-sized delights an instant hit.

The crowd-pleasing desserts are sure to win over any palate, whether you're trying the classics or exploring bold flavor combinations. Plus, the gorgeous photos throughout the book provide a helpful visual guide and make you want to try everything!

Overall, Breaking Bao is perfect for anyone looking to expand their culinary horizons or create show-stopping desserts at home. Whether as a gift or for yourself, it’s a cookbook that won't disappoint.

I love when a cookbook gives you some of those important details before diving right into the recipes and this one does that! The introduction gave me a chance to learn more about the author, the ingredients used in the book (some familiar and unfamiliar to me), as well as the tools and equipment used in it.

Now after all those details the recipes! They are nicely written and laid out so that they are easy to scan and use while cooking and most of them have beautiful images to accompany them as well as tips and how to store them! A few of the more detailed recipes have images of each step as well.

I love trying new recipes as well as recipes from other cultures and this book did a great job of that for me! I can't wait to try more of the recipes in the book!

I had the opportunity to participate in an ARC for the book Breaking Bad by Clarice Lam.

I love this book. Clarice Lam is a pastry chef, and this book was excellent bridge between asian flavors and global techniques. I read the entire book and made a few things. I made the Shokupan (Japanese milk bread, Ramen Cheez-itz, Kaya French Toast, and Mango Yakult Tres Leches. All were beyond delicious!

The book starts with a breakdown of ingredients, tools, and equipment. I love the photos of ingredients as it’s helpful to have while going into Asian market if you’re not super familiar with every ingredient.

After the introduction we have sections on Bao, Cakes & Desserts, and Snacks. I made something from each section and couldn’t recommend it more. There are many other recipes I am excited to try including the Kimchi & Corn Cheese Pan-Fried Mochi, Scallion Roti Cani, Kabocha Galette, Shokupan Donuts, Passion Fruit Mille Feuille, Mantou donuts, Thai Tea Gelati, Bolo Bay Cream puffs and more!

Shokupan
- This was perfectly pillowy and had a sweet flavor. It was so so so yummy with butter and jam. It also was perfect for sandwiched!

Kaye French Toast
- This recipe you guys….!!!! It was out of this world yummy. I felt like a professional chef! The shokupan was perfect as a base for the fresh toast. The Kaya jam had great instructions. It was easy to follow and turned out so well. This is definitely restaurant quality recipe and would be perfect for brunch!

Ramen Cheez-Itz
- This was really easy to make. It was a fun twist on a cheesy cracker. I loved the additional spices, it really made the crackers so unique. The spice plus cheese was so yummy as a cracker.


Mango Yakult Tres Leches (not pictured, I ate it too fast)
- This was the first recipe I made. I love tres leches, but have never made it before. I thought this was a fun twist on the original. The Yakult gave the dessert some depth and a slight tang. I thought the recipe was excellent. I will be making it again!

I’d recommend this book if you are interested in Asian cooking with a twist. It’s full of fantastic recipes that deliver a significant amount of flavor, and there’s really something for everyone. The recipes are straightforward and easy to understand. There are many pictures that can be used as guides for various techniques.

This cookbook features plenty of Asian-inspired dishes in a readable format with great photos. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to include more Asian cuisine in their diet. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

YOU NEED THIS BOOK. I have already made four recipes from it, and it has completely changed my bao game. I am absolutely obsessed. It's a gorgeous and relentlessly researched cookbook with heart and humor. A must-have for your kitchen!

'Breaking Bao' has truly stunning visuals for their extensive and well-varied recipes. From the personal touches and welcoming tone, it's clear that Lam has such a deep passion for cultural cooking. There's an adequate information section to get everyone up to speed on ingredients and methodology. The recipes feel accessible yet elevated cultural classics that encourage the reader to give them a try rather than overwhelm them. The step-by-step pictures for more extensively crafted recipes is such a perfect extra detail. Such a visual pleasure to read a truly well structured cookbook with engaging recipes.

An amazing cookbook for anyone who's passionate about baking! The Asian-inspired recipes are so creative, and they look delicious and droolworthy from the photos. This cookbook is truly special and a must-have for any baker in your life.

I enjoyed this cookbook and have been able to improve my cooking, especially in adding new flavors to my baking and perfecting my bao recipes. I loved the variety of recipes that Clarice was able to include and it wasn't just focused on bao, but instead, it also introduced many desserts and dishes that I normally would go to a restaurant for, but instead, now can make at home! I also loved the inclusion of pictures as instruction for certain recipes that were more complex, because they better helped explain how to create something, for example, the dragon's beard candy. On top of this, I also loved the twists on more classic recipes, like a lamington or croissant. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to level up their cooking and try something new and sometimes challenging. I loved it!

Expanding my baking to new cultures is always exciting, its even more exciting when I am able to gain insight from those within the culture. This title was a delightful introduction to Asian flavor and classical techniques that can be achieved in your home kitchen. Classical French techniques elevate your baking to the next level, your friends wont believe that you made these in your home kitchen! Great pictures, and easy to follow recipes with detailed explanations. Perfect for the ambitious home baker whose not afraid to head over to the Asian market with a list of new ingredients. Thank you netgalley and Chronicle Books for access to this digital ARC.

This is the first recipe book I have read on bao. I found the recipes accessible and the choices interesting.
The photos will look much better in the print version. That aspect was not my favourite.

I love that the cookbook is inspired by so many different cultures flavors. She’ll take a flavor profile from one food and put it in a form that is entirely unexpected, Thai tea gelati, ube cake roll yes please! It’s a visually beautiful book with lots of photos of the final product as well as process photos for more complex recipes. The introduction also has a very thoughtful section explaining the various flavors and products that aren’t as common in the Us and where to find them. This was extremely helpful. Some of the recipes were a little more complicated then I feel like I could make but even those recipes I found myself thinking of other ways to use a flavor combination or frosting. Can’t wait to give a few recipes from this book a try!

Thank you to Clarice Lam, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was an immediate request for me since I love baking, especially with Chinese/Asian flavors in mind. So this seemed like the perfect cooking read for me--after all, 88 recipes will keep me occupied for quite a while.I can't wait to tackle more of these recipes with my mother who has most of the necessary ingredients.

Overall this is a lovely cookbook for those more experienced in the baking world, as these recipes are not quite for beginners. That being said, I will be sure to purchase a physical copy when Breaking Bao formally releases, and will recommend this to my fellow bakers!

We begin with bao, move into cakes and desserts, and conclude with snacks. In the introduction, Clarice Lam briefly shares a story from her 7th-grade history class, where students were asked to bring a treat from their culture to share with the class. This experience highlighted how food best represents our cultures and allows us to show ourselves to each other. Her takeaway in life is, “No matter how far we travel or how ‘Americanized’ we become, food can always bring us back to our roots.”

Clarice Lam embraced her culture as she became a pastry chef. Her book, Breaking Bao, is organized with step-by-step instructions to guide you through the recipes, allowing you to enjoy and appreciate her culture. She admits that these recipes are inspired by her travels and blend Asian culture with other influences.

Some featured recipes include Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread), Pork Floss and Scallion Focaccia, Thai Tea Gelati, Ovaltine Ganache, and Fig and Marzipan Mooncakes. The book is filled with beautiful photos showcasing the delectable finished products. It’s a great addition for anyone interested in fusion delights, with easy-to-understand instructions and a thorough breakdown of Asian ingredients and products. As a pastry chef, Clarice Lam focuses on baked goods and desserts, so you won’t find main entrees in this book.

This book will be available starting October 22, 2024, and will make a wonderful gift to either yourself or a friend.

The recipes in this book are outstanding and beautiful. They're also DELICIOUS! Big fan and can't wait to cook my way through this cookbook!