Breaking Bao: 88 Bakes and Snacks from Asia and Beyond

Breaking Bao is a pan-Asian baking cookbook by Clarice Lam featuring 88 recipes that combine classical French technique with Asian flavors and global influences. The book is organized into three chapters: Bao (baked, steamed, fried, and laminated buns and breads), Cakes & Desserts (traditional recipes with contemporary twists), and Snax (savory and sweet treats). Recipes range from simple cookies to complex laminated pastries, with examples including curry-filled donuts, Mango-Yakult Tres Leches Cake, and Gochujang-Furikake Caramel Popcorn. The book includes over 100 photographs by food and travel photographer Evan Sung. Lam draws on her background as a classically trained pastry chef and daughter of Hong Kong-born parents, combining nostalgic childhood flavors with professional culinary training. Her experience includes work at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market, and as opening pastry chef for Kimika. The recipes are designed to be accessible for home bakers of all skill levels while incorporating multicultural flavors and techniques from Asian, American, and European baking traditions.