Taiwan bakeries - palm based margarine?

What is the main fat used for baked bread in Taiwan? I’m talking about those Japanese style bakeries you see on every high street. Assuming it is hydrogenated palm oil… ?

It’s that or axel grease.

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They probably just buy the spent frying oil from McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King.

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Nah, too expensive.

Many breads list 奶油 as ingredient but that could be anything, such as margarine, etc, as far as I know. Generally I would avoid eating these kind of breads, you are getting basically white flour, sugar, refined oils, dozens of additives and other “goodies”. Many bakeries buy factory- made, frozen dough which they just shape and add some stuffing to.

There’s normally at least one decent bakery in every neighborhood that doesn’t make oily sugar bread. You just have to find it.

I found a good one near me that sells scones. I love scones! And they have mini banana muffins too! Delightful.

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I’m with Hannah. Don’t eat that rubbish! There are legitimate bakeries out there, some doing incredible work, better than what I can find back home. Support them!

Guy

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Not sure what fat they use, but keep in mind that bakers will coat their pans with fat, too.

So in the US a commercial baker will spray a thin coat of food-grade mineral oil into the pan before the dough lump is turned out in it. This helps the finished loaf to pop out easier. Most home bakers will hand spread softened butter before they put the dough lump in.

I’m pretty sure that most off flavors in commercially baked bread in Taiwan come from the pan lubricant. It may be Taiwan’s weather that oxidizes the mineral oil more quickly, or maybe they use something else. But ime the most whack flavors come from the crust. Interior of the bread is usually fine.

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I assumed it was lard, but axle grease is basically the same thing :laughing:

If by sickly sweet, hives inducing, diabetes boosting, nauseating mouth feel etc. etc. then yeah, the interior is A-OK.

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Mr.Mark Bakeries are supposed to use better quality ingredients
https://www.mrmark.com.tw/
" The grain seeds, which cultivate life, are planted in the fertile soil. The nutrients of the soil cause these seeds to root, sprout, and bring forth fruit. In this way, the abundant fruits harvested have been enriched by the favors of the earth. The stone mill grinds the wheat and our sincere kind-hearted promises. The inherited ancient wisdom is blended along with the warmth of the master hands that shape our authentic country multigrain bread and European pastries. We have been sharing the original charming taste of happiness, to provide you with safe, nutritious healthy deliciousness based on our original intention and belief, which has remained unchanged for over a decade."

Told you guys that when my pal went to take the test for her baker license, the friggin thing read more like a chemistry textbook. Even teh instructors told them: this is just to pass the test, not how you bake bread. It is one more wack thing to add to Taiwan education…

In teh old country, they still use margarine for cooking and every tiem I have mentioned it is bad for your health, they reply with the “but butter and pork and fats are bad for you, margarine is healthy food” mantra. They probably teach the same here. I remember there is a large factory of margarine in the old country … that you an smell miles away. It is the same sickly smell you can perceive two blocks away from most fancy bakeries here.

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Exactly, look at this ingredient list of Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Own-Honey-Wheat-Bread/dp/B000LR4XJ6
Ingredients:
Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Honey, Sugar, Wheat Gluten, Whole Wheat Flour, Rye Flour, Wheat Bran, Contains 2% or less of each of the following: Yeast, Soy Flour, Salt, Soybean Oil, Dough Conditioners (contains one or more of the following Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Monoglycerides, Mono- and Diglycerides, Distilled Monoglycerides, Calcium Peroxide, Calcium Iodate, Datem, Ethoxylated Mono-and Diglycerides, Azodicarbonamide, Enzymes, Ascorbic Acid), Cultured Wheat Flour, Vinegar, Calcium Sulfate, Yeast Food (Ammonium Sulfate), Monocalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Calcium Carbonate.

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Never do, but they do serve up these buns at the school, so I was just curious what the kids were eating. I had my fair share of supermarket bought muffins and donuts as a child, which I’m sure were all made with margarine. The stuff is definitely toxic, I am really put off by the weird smell of the bakeries as @Icon mentioned…

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Ok, but that is a factory, one can understand. But to teach artisan bakers, individual neighborhood bakeries workers/owners, to make bread that way, shoudl be illegal. It´s at least immoral.

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It’s an absolute scandal that butter was black listed for so many years and we were told to use marge. Butter is so good for you that if you can stomach it you can eat it straight. Or put it in your coffee.

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LOL - typical BS marketing here that people lap up. No real information or facts, flowery rambling nonsense wording. Is SGS written somewhere? That’s the new badge emblazoned on everything - who verifies the actual compliance.

They gotta justify those price tags somehow.

Don’t they start them out with the classic four ingredients, flour, salt, water and yeast? That’s all you need.

It’s the sugar that kills me. Why would you need sugar in bread?