Visiting Korean chef shows ways to bake with California Raisins
MANILA, Philippines — California raisins make a big difference in baking because these dried grapes enhance the taste of breads and pastries with their natural sweetness, add texture to the freshly baked staples, and load them up with nutrients.
Their naturally high sugar content reduces the need for added sugar in the baking formulation. They also have this exceptional water-binding capacity that helps retain moisture in baked goods, thus extending shelf life and improving texture.
What’s more: raisins, which are free from fat and cholesterol, are a natural source of energy and essential nutrients, including dietary fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. They are good for the heart, digestion and overall well-being.
But the goodness of California Raisins was not the only star of the show when California Raisins ASEAN (the regional marketing body representing California Raisin growers and packers across Southeast Asia) and Dane International Commodities put together a special baking demonstration held in Mandaluyong.
Korean baking excellence was on spotlight, too, and headlining the event was visiting Korean chef Han Sang-Baek.
A certified Korean Baking Master, Chef Han backed by a distinguished career that spans world-class institutions, including the Tokyo Baking School, Valrhona Chocolate School, and Schapfenmühl Bakery Institute. He serves as Chief Baker of the Hans Dream Bakery in Korea and is a decorated winner of the French Bread World Cup. He likewise won Gold at the HIBAC Baking Competition and 1st Prize at the Asian Bakery World Cup. He is admired for his signature techniques and creative vision when it comes to breads and pastries.
“Korean baking culture has been driving some of the most exciting innovation in Asia’s pastry scene. This demonstration is a rare opportunity for Filipino baking professionals to experience that creativity first-hand and discover how California Raisins can be seamlessly integrated into modern formulae,” said event organizer Dane International.
Baking professionals and food enthusiasts in Manila thus enjoyed front-row seats to Korean baking excellence as Chef Han showcased five original recipes in the special baking demo.
These are California Raisin Bagel (chewy, golden bagel enriched with syrup-treated California Raisins folded into a sponge dough base, and finished with a luscious cream cheese filling and streusel topping); California Raisin Coconut Brioche (buttery, enriched brioche filled with raisin-studded custard cream, topped with a bloud of grated coconut meringue, and baked to a golden finish); California Raisin Cinnamon Roll (pillowy cinnamon roll swirled with Mascarpone filling and syrup-treated raisins, crowned with a rich cream cheese frosting and a final sprinkle of cinnamon); California Raisin Pretzel (savory pretzel topped with butter-fried California Raisins, pizza cheese, sliced ham, a whole cracked egg, and sesame seeds, baked in a deck oven for a deeply satisfying bite); and Whole Wheat California Raisin Bread (rustic, artisanal loaf built on a California Raisin liquid starter, packed with roasted raisins and whole wheat tangzhong, yielding a deeply complex flavor and exceptional crust).
Seoul met Manila, and the result was an explosion of delightful flavors captured in freshly baked batches of Korean-styled breads and pastries produced by talented Korean baking master.
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