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What’s on the Menu:
Steamed Bao with Char Siu Carnitas Filling
Steamed Bao with Black Sesame Filling
Chinese Steamed Brown Sugar Sponge Cake (Ma Lai Goh)
Description:
If you have a bad impression of steaming because of traumatic experiences with steamed broccoli or bland shrimp, you’re not alone. But steaming is a strategic and efficient cooking technique that produces exceptionally flavorful foods in the hands of a talented chef. Guest teacher Clarice Lam, whose recent cookbook “Breaking Bao” was just nominated for a James Beard Award, is one such chef. She returns to the Milk Street Cooking School to smash your preconceptions about steaming via three bao—or Cantonese-style buns—that are both savory and sweet.
We’ll start by preparing a batch of mantou, a dough whose ratios are specifically designed for steaming. As it proofs, Clarice will share two of her favorite fillings with you. The first is profoundly savory Cantonese-style pulled pork, or char siu, sauced with hoisin, oyster sauce, Chinese five spice and sesame. The second is rich homemade black sesame paste, which balances the savoriness of sesame seeds with milk, sugar and butter. You’ll learn to shape bao like a pro, then steam them for just 10 minutes before they’re ready to enjoy. To expand your understanding of steaming even further, we’ll make a brown sugar sponge cake that needs no oven: it cooks right in a bamboo steamer (don’t have one of those? Don’t worry: a cake pan set into any steamer set up will work fine.) You’ll learn why evaporated milk and custard powder are essential staples of any good Cantonese baker’s pantry, come to understand how the texture of a steamed cake will be different than a baked one, and get Clarice’s guidance on judging doneness. You’ll come away from this workshop having added steaming back into your repertoire of culinary skills.
About Clarice: Clarice Lam is an acclaimed pastry chef, TV personality, and cookbook author. Born in Toronto, Canada and raised in Los Angeles, California by her parents who immigrated from Hong Kong, she moved to San Francisco after high school to pursue a career in modeling which gave her the opportunity to travel internationally for over a decade while living in the UK, France, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Mexico, Spain, South Africa and Italy. After retiring from modeling, she returned to the U.S. where she would earn her Grand Diplôme in classic pastry arts from The French Culinary Institute in New York city. She built her foundation in critically acclaimed establishments including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market, and as the executive chef at The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn. In 2012, Clarice opened Brooklyn-based The Baking Bean, a direct-to-consumer bakery specializing in all-natural, seasonal desserts and confections that The New York Times deemed “high quality and handsome”. In 2020, Clarice signed on as the opening pastry chef at Kimika, an Italian-Japanese restaurant in Nolita that Condé Nast Traveler named one of 2021’s best new restaurants in the world; and in 2022, scored a James Beard semifinalist nomination for Best New Restaurant. Clarice has appeared in many shows including Sweet Genius, Beat Bobby Flay, Food.Curated., and Best Baker in America where she finished as a semifinalist. Most recently she was on The Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge in her first role as a series judge on Prime Video. In the fall of 2024, she released her debut cookbook, Breaking Bao, published by Chronicle Books, which was named a Best Cookbook of 2024 from both Food & Wine and The New York Times.
Thank you to the 2025 Annual Sponsors of the Cooking School, who make our livestream events possible:
- Coccinella, whose Oleavia Extra-Virgin Olive Oils are made with olives that are harvested early, hand-picked and cold-pressed to ensure impeccable flavor. Use code MILK STREET to get 20% off your first order: https://www.coccinellastore.com/oleavia-evoo
- Copper, which makes battery-equipped induction ranges that power premium cooking experiences and store renewable energy — without the need for complex, expensive electrical upgrades. Learn more: t.ly/cU1pO
- Vermicular. With 80+ years of Japanese craftsmanship and heating innovation, they craft thoughtfully designed cast iron cookware that inspires chefs of all levels. Use code COOKLIGHT for 10% off their products at the Milk Street Store: t.ly/mu01T
- Work Sharp, which makes sharpening products that are fast, easy to use and work every time. Find their products on the Milk Street Store and use code SHARPSMART for 10% off: t.ly/SSsSz
- Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s and Savenor’s provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET for 20% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).
Our small-group Workshops are capped at just 25 attendees and are distinct from our livestream Classes. As such, they are NOT included with Insider membership.
Want to give this class as a gift? You can purchase gift cards here.
Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along with us.
After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as well as a packet with recipes and resources that we discuss during the event. If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.
This event has limited spots, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. One sign-up covers one device. Closed Captioning is available for this event.
Payments for Milk Street livestream workshops are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.
Proceeds from live stream cooking classes and workshops support Milk Street's non-profit work with The Big Sisters Association of Great Boston, The Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, and other partners.
Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the Milk Street Store after class.
