If you’ve ever struggled over which spread to grace your daily bagel with, you’re not alone. Sisters Jennifer and Jackie, both huge bagel fans, faced similar dilemmas during the start of the pandemic. When they finally got tired of coming up with a new bagel-and-spread combo every morning, they had a lightbulb moment: “Why not a flavoured, filled bagel so all we have to do in the morning is toast and serve?” With that, jm bakery was born.
Inspired by their Hong Kong roots, jm bakery’s bagels and baked goods reflect the foods that the sisters and their family grew up eating at home. Flavours such as Ovaltine, Char Siu (BBQ pork), and Black Sesame are some of the items that make their bagels taste new and nostalgic.
“Coming from a family that immigrated from Hong Kong after 1997, our bagel flavours are inspired by Char Siu and Bo Lo Bao from dim sum places; corn and cheese buns from Chinese bakeries; yams from food stalls; Ovaltine drinks from cha chaan tengs—Hong Kong-style cafes; and black sesame rice balls from Chinese New Year dinners,” says Jennifer.
At jm bakery, every bagel is made entirely from scratch and hand-rolled with fillings, creating a softer bite than your usual bagels. Some recommended flavours from the team include Oreo, Ovaltine, Corn & Cheese, Black Sesame Mochi, Taro, and Matcha Red Bean Mochi.
One of their more special creations from the archives include the Char Siu Bo Lo Bao bagel, which takes after a dim sum favourite with a golden-brown, sugary crust.
The duo also works on flavoured bagels without fillings, such as Black Sesame (Jackie’s favourite), Earl Grey (Jennifer’s favourite), Thai Iced Tea and Beet Root.
With baking passions dating back to their high school days, Jennifer and Jackie follow an “anything we feel like” approach to their recipe development. While their bagels are the real showstoppers, at jm bakery, you’ll also find a range of specialty baked goods.
“The COVID lockdown made us realize how much we miss and love baking,” says Jennifer. “It was also a soothing activity during a very stressful situation. I’m a very creative person in my professional life so it was an easy transition for us and a fun hobby!”
Their puff pastries, for instance, are currently made with homemade, MSG-free Char Siu or Curry Beef made with Canadian AAA Angus beef, Japanese curry, onions, and other spices.
“Japanese curry isn’t an ingredient any Chinese bakery or dim sum place would use for their curry pastries, but that’s my personal favourite - it’s more on the sweeter side than spicy,” says Jennifer.
As a big fan of Earl Grey flavours, Jennifer also makes a mean Earl Grey Chiffon Cake, which is made extra fluffy with a lighter texture than how she usually finds them at local bakeries.
The latest thing to come out of jm bakery is British Scones—tall, round, and decadent, with lower fat content and a more subtle flavour profile so you can pair it with your favourite spreads (they especially recommend clotted cream).
Last but not least, the sisters take their bagels one step further with their own Bagel Rusks, which are twice-baked bagel slices made with butter, sugar, cream, and/or frosting. These rusks are inspired by a snack found in Japanese bakeries and is one of Jennifer’s personal favourites.
They typically introduce a new flavour every week, but to accommodate customers who might miss a few flavours due to the short order windows, they’ve now extended it so you can still order the fillings you want for 2 to 3 weeks after launch.
As a two-person operation, jm bakery takes up to 40 orders per week—an impressive number considering both sisters still work their 9 to 5 jobs and set aside time for family. They dedicate Saturdays to prepping and baking for jm bakery customers so that orders are as fresh as can be when they’re picked up on Sundays.
While they remain a sister team for now, jm bakery is working on partnering with a few local cafes to make their bagels and baked goods more accessible to the city. They also plan to bring their creations to local markets and, eventually, a jm bakery storefront somewhere in the city.
Keep an eye on this up-and-coming baking duo by following them on their Instagram. That’s where you’ll find their latest flavours, plus the bakery’s weekly order form in their bio. Items are available for pickup at Markham’s Liberty Square on Sunday afternoons, with special orders and deliveries available upon request.
