It’s my pleasure to invite Nicole Bermensolo as a guest for this week’s edition of In the Studio! Nicole Bermensolo founded Kyotofu Bakery in 2006, one of the most popular bakeries in New York City. As business grew, Nicole closed the bakery in order to focus exclusively on wholesale operation. She currently runs Kyotofu and Hana Kitchens, selling her products nationwide. Nicole splits her time between New York and Los Angeles. She has also authored a beautiful book Kyotofu, which shares her recipes for Japanese desserts.
What inspired you to write your book?
I wanted to introduce Americans to Japanese ingredients and desserts that they may not know about. That has always been my goal with the Kyotofu Business. I see that you use a lot of soy in your recipes.
Do you feel that soy is a misunderstood and underappreciated food in the US? Why?
Yes, soy is very misunderstood. I think the GMO situation has hurt soy’s reputation in the United States. Soy has been a major component of the Japanese diet for thousands of years. And the Japanese are one of the longest living, healthiest populations in the world.
What are the health benefits of soy?
Soybeans have long been recognized as a plant food that, when compared with other plants, is relatively high in protein. Protein is the reason that soybeans have historically been called “meat of the field” or “meat without bones.” But only recently have researchers taken a very close look at the protein content of soybeans and arrived at some fascinating conclusions. Even though soy protein is a plant protein and typically lower in certain amino acids (protein building blocks) than animal proteins like those found in chicken eggs or cow’s milk, once adjustments have been made for digestibility and other metabolic factors, soybeans turn out to receive a protein quality rating that is equal to the ratings for egg or cow’s milk. Along with this increasing interest in soy protein has come the discovery of very small and unique proteins in soy, typically referred to as “peptides.” Examples of unique peptides in soybeans include defensins, glycinins, conglycinins and lunasin, and all are now known to provide us with health benefits, including benefits in the areas of improved blood pressure regulation, better control of blood sugar levels, and improved immune function.
What properties does soy bring to desserts?
Soy is a great ingredient to give body and fullness to a dessert without adding fat. Our sweet tofu is hands down healthier, than say, a traditional crème brulee, and tastes just as good!
What is your favorite way to use soy?
Actually, I just love simple, fresh warm tofu. There’s nothing else like it!
Since soy milk consists of only two things—soybeans and water—it’s important that each of those ingredients is of the highest quality possible. Be sure to start with Japanese soybeans (ideally, organicones), which you can buy at any Asian grocery store. Try to use only filtered water, as any off flavor in the water will really come across in the finished soy milk. The recipe below makes about a quart of soymilk, which can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Since soy milk consists of only two things—soybeans and water—it’s important that each of those ingredients is of the highest quality possible. Be sure to start with Japanese soybeans (ideally, organicones), which you can buy at any Asian grocery store. Try to use only filtered water, as any off flavor in the water will really come across in the finished soy milk. The recipe below makes about a quart of soymilk, which can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Scale
1/2 cup or 88g dried soybeans
3 1/2 cups or 830 ml filtered water
Instructions
Soak 1/2 cup / 88 g dried soybeans in filtered water for 8 hours; the beans will double or triple in size. Drain and rinse the beans.
Transfer the beans to a blender, adding 3 1/2 cups / 830 ml filtered water for every cup of soaked beans. Puree the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, or until very smooth. Place a mesh sieve and several thicknesses of cheesecloth over a medium-sized pot, gathering up the cheesecloth and squeezing gently to force the liquid through.
Bring the strained soy milk to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off the skin that accumulates on the surface from time to time.
Pass the finished soy milk through a mesh sieve one last time, let cool, and refrigerate.
Notes
*The soymilk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
