Making American food to share with students/co-teachers

[jrhee]

Preface:   I am not trying to avoid Korean food.  I LOVE Korean food. 
--I am simply an American who really want to share some American desserts with my students.  Can you guess my issue?  NO OVEN :(  Does anyone know good cookie or American dessert recipes I can make in Korea?  I was thinking experimenting with making cookies in a fry pan instead of baking them...or a kind of double boiler type method.  Thoughts?

[lotte world]

Suggestion 1) Buy an oven.  A cheap toaster-oven style appliance is around $100.  A decent full-sized oven is about $350.
Suggestion 2) See if your school has a cooking classroom.  They may have proper ovens in there (mine does).

[cassie]

http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/09/13/two-minute-mug-brownie/

Two-Minute Mug Brownie

Adapted from Instructables.com

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp canola or other mild vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk, coffee or water

In a heatproof mug or ramekin, stir together the dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Stir in the oil and milk until you have a thick paste.

Microwave on high for a minute, checking it after 30 seconds (microwaves vary) – it will be done when it’s springy on top but still a bit gooey – like the very best brownie. Eat warm.

[eveliens]

Make some easy fudge (chocolate, vanilla, condensed milk). All you need is a stove. Or look up 'no-bake cookies' on the web.

Buying a toaster oven is actually a good idea. Or, ask if your school has an allowance for you. My school bought me an oven out of the budget!

[jrhee]

Thanks everyone!  I didn't know a regular oven was so inexpensive! And no bake cookies--great idea!  Do you know where I can get baking ingredients (chocolate chips, condensed milk etc.)?  I've seen flour and sugar in the grocery stores, but not cocoa powder or condensed milk...

[cmster]

Thanks everyone!  I didn't know a regular oven was so inexpensive! And no bake cookies--great idea!  Do you know where I can get baking ingredients (chocolate chips, condensed milk etc.)?  I've seen flour and sugar in the grocery stores, but not cocoa powder or condensed milk...

It's there. I bought both cocoa powder and condensed milk in Korea before. Your best bet is a Home Plus, but even Emart and Lotte might have them. Condensed milk is called 연유 (yeon yu) I think.

[yeti08]

Not to be a downer....but I'm gonna be one in.....

My female co-teacher last year used to bring in Western style food mainly desserts and the response was never good.  It'd be a fake thank-you with gushing, then the stuff would go virtually untouched.  One time I ate a ton of no-bakes and lied that I had only one to make her feel better.
This year I made some awesome Nutella fudge with sea salt (some without).  The reception was overwhelmingly negative.  So, make sure you think is it worth all the hassle, or should you just buy some fruit or ddeok?
Koreans will say they don't like sweet stuff.....I call shenanigans.  How else could there be a Dunkin or Baskin on EVERY corner?

[cmster]

Not to be a downer....but I'm gonna be one in.....

My female co-teacher last year used to bring in Western style food mainly desserts and the response was never good.  It'd be a fake thank-you with gushing, then the stuff would go virtually untouched.  One time I ate a ton of no-bakes and lied that I had only one to make her feel better.
This year I made some awesome Nutella fudge with sea salt (some without).  The reception was overwhelmingly negative.  So, make sure you think is it worth all the hassle, or should you just buy some fruit or ddeok?
Koreans will say they don't like sweet stuff.....I call shenanigans.  How else could there be a Dunkin or Baskin on EVERY corner?

This may be true... not everything will suit the korean taste just as I'm not suited to certain korean foods (ie. the spicy tentacly kind). I'd look for what they've already had a taste of (some examples are: pastries, cookies, cakes) but just do it in your style. They're crazy about homemade stuff but just think of it from their perspective and stay on the safe side. Then again, you might be able to start a food revolution in Korea. Up to you and how adventurous your school is.

[sejongthefabulous]

You can just save yourself finding all the baking ingredients and buy the microwave brownie mix at Emart.  Just add water and zap! You'll find the Korean's will love it even more when you say it's actually Korean. If you find it bland spruce it up a little, but that may ruin it for the others.