KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — The herbal scent of rosemary brings to mind the soft, easy Tuscan summers. The candied lemon peel recalls the heady citrus orchards of Naples, in southern Italy.

But we aren’t in the fruit section of a supermarket but rather a 100 per cent sourdough bakery in Bandar Sri Damansara, KL. Twenty-Two Bakery is run by baristas turned bakers Ang Bo Ling and Yap Yee Teng.

After opening a café in 2016, Ang decided to pivot and launched a home-based, online bakery with Yap in June 2018. (For those who are curious, the bakery’s quirky name comes from their house number.)

With a steady customer base, what made the duo decide to open a brick-and-mortar space after running their business entirely from an online platform for several years?

Ang explains that it was always their dream to have a physical shop: "The small retail space we’ve recently opened isn’t a café per se, but rather a platform for bread communication between us and our customers.”

Twenty-Two Bakery offers a variety of sourdough options, from crusty European loaves to soft bread and even pastries. Some of my favourite items include buckwheat sesame sourdough loaves, anchovy kedondong rolls as well as what I personally consider to be the best sourdough Hainanese bread in town.

Don’t expect an extensive menu with big breakfast options or pasta dishes, however; this isn’t a full-fledged brunch café. Instead, drop by to enjoy simple sandwiches paired with quality specialty coffee.

Ang shares, "This new space fosters more direct interaction with our customers, moving beyond virtual interactions on social media to create meaningful connections in person.”

This is a worthy — or, as some might argue, lofty — ambition. But it does come with its own risks.

As they transitioned from purely online presence to a physical one, footfall becomes crucial. Ang admits it hasn’t been easy to attract customers, "particularly in an era where bakery or café-style shops with lavish renovations and extensive selections are the norm.”

He adds, "There’s also the issue of differing perceptions regarding what constitutes ‘good’ bread and what is visually appealing. With many individuals gravitating towards pastries adorned with colourful, glossy toppings, it can be difficult to capture their attention with the more rustic allure of artisanal bread.”

Basically, it’s early days yet for Twenty-Two Bakery as they are still in the process of trial and error, continuously adjusting their product selection to strike a balance between what they would like to offer versus what the market is familiar with.

Ang says, "Marketing has become increasingly challenging, especially with the constant changes in social media algorithms compared to a few years ago. However, we remain hopeful that we can steer the business towards a healthy state while staying true to our initial intention: serving tasty, delicious, and healthy sourdough bread.”

Part of what helps Twenty-Two Bakery stand out from the pack (nearly every neighbourhood in the Klang Valley now has a bakery specialising in sourdough bread, or so it seems) is how they have always enjoyed delving into various bread cultures from around the world.

Take their array of baked treats for Easter this year: from the ubiquitous hot cross buns to less common breads such as rosemary raisin buns and the impressive-looking Easter Colomba.

Ang explains, "Just a few years ago, hot cross buns were the only bread associated with Easter in Malaysia. That’s why we introduced the Colomba as a second Easter bread option in 2021. This year, we’ve decided to further explore Easter traditions, and both Pan di Ramerino and Pastiera from Italy have piqued our interest.”

While traditional hot cross buns are made with yeast, Ang has crafted a sourdough version. He says, "Despite omitting commercial yeast, our hot cross buns remain soft, fluffy and bursting with the flavours of spices, devoid of any acidity.”

It takes five days for the buns to fully develop their flavour after baking. Twenty-Two Bakery offers two varieties: the original, which has candied orange, lemon peel and black currants; and a more decadent chocolate version, which features Chocolate Concierge’s Semai 70 per cent dark chocolate and organic dried cherries.

Long-time fans of Twenty-Two Bakery will be delighted with the new items available for Easter.

The Pan di Ramerino is considered the traditional Easter bread of Florence, Tuscany, with raisins mixed into the dough and the distinct flavour of rosemary.

Ang shares, "With the first bite, you’ll be greeted by the pronounced taste of fresh rosemary intertwined with the sweetness of organic raisins. The use of extra virgin olive oil, instead of butter, infuses the bread with an herbal flavour that complements the rosemary perfectly.”

After baking, the bun is delicately glazed with wild honey, imparting sweetness and lending the bread its glossy finish. Scrumptious.

From Toscana, we travel south to Napoli, where the Pastiera Napoletana has been a beloved Neapolitan tart enjoyed during Easter for generations. Twenty-Two Bakery’s version has a local touch, as it uses ricotta cheese from D’Artisan Handmade Cheese.

Ang adds, "Its uniqueness lies in the rare combination of ingredients: cooked wheat berries, ricotta cheese and candied lemon peel, then seasoned with orange zest and cinnamon powder. Traditionally, this tart is made in large portions for sharing, but we’ve transformed it into mini tarts for single servings.”

Those familiar with Twenty-Two Bakery’s panettone during Christmastime will recognise the Easter Colomba as essentially an extension of that, sharing the same base but with different fillings.

In addition to the classic Colomba with orange peel, the bakery has also introduced the Colomba Limone e Miltillo, which features a delightful combination of candied lemon peel, blueberries, cinnamon and poppy seeds.

You can indeed enjoy sourdough bread everywhere nowadays, but certain shops such as Twenty-Two Bakery offers more than baked goods; they bring you on a journey, full of new flavours and precious memories.

Twenty-Two Bakery 二十二號烘培坊

4-G, Jalan Ara SD 7/3b, Bandar Sri Damansara, KL

Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun-Mon closed

Phone: +60 17-996 0305

IG: instagram.com/twenty2bakery_/

FB: facebook.com/twenty2bakery/

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