Puff Pastry

Puff Pastry Base
Ingredients
Group A
400g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
75g unsalted butter (cold)

Group B
175g cold water

Group C
250g pastry margarine (put in plastic bag and flattened evenly before putting in the fridge)

Directions

• in a big bowl, mix flour and salt and add butter... use fingertips and gently create crumbs
• transfer crumb mixture into mixing bowl with the hook attachment and turn speed 2 adding water and slowly add water slowly around the bowl
• after water is absorbed by flour, turn to speed 3 till dough reach "clean up stage" (dough leaves the side of the bowl and form a ball. Note that it won't have smooth texture)
• transfer dough into cutting mat and roll and squeeze with hands until you get a smooth and even texture
• roll out dough slightly bigger than the pastry margarine sheet (1cm excess)
• eg. if the size of margarine is 15x10cm... size of pastry should be 31x11cm so that pastry can be folded to cover the margarine
• fold in margarine and repeat 4 times. The process must be same eg. gatefold from the top down, bottom up and opening side on the right << considered one time (size is not important)
• rest the dough for 15min in the fridge before cutting and shaping
• roll rested dough into 20cm length and from there approximately divide out into 8 pieces
• shape accordingly with fillings and glaze exposed pastry with egg yolk
•  and bake at 180°C for 20mins using fan mode
• reduce to 170°C and bake for another 10min

Chicken Pie Filling
Ingredients
150g potato cubes
35g carrot cubes
1 chicken cube
(boil the above ingredients till potatoes and carrot are fully cooked)
20g butter or corn oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 chopped onion
300g chicken cube
50g button mushrooms cut small pieces
120g full cream milk
30g plain flour
1/4 tsp paprika (for color and taste)
1/4 tsp parsley flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
pinch of black/white pepper

Directions

• fry onion and garlic till fragrant
• add chicken and cook till chicken turn white
• add milk till bubbly and thick then add flour 
• add the rest of the ingredients and cook till creamy

Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
225g cream cheese
75g caster sugar
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Directions

• just mix all ingredients till fully combined... that's all

Foodnote: Another class that I attended. I am more so interested in making fruit tarts. The pastry turns out yummy. My niece ate almost all of it. I am so happy and love the class. Hope to attend more classes. Must find a time to practice all my bakes on weekend first.

1. Chicken Pie
2. Open Top Chicken Pie
3. Tuna Puff
4. Nutella Chocolate Chip
5. Apricot Custard Puff
6. Peach and Cream Cheese Diamond Puff
7. Strawberry Custard Pinwheel Puff

Sweet and Savoury Soft Bread

Ingredients
Group A
300g bread flour (13% or more protein content)
7g instant brown yeast (Bruggeman)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp full cream milk powder
1pc egg (yolk+white=60g)
140g water

Group B
1/2 tsp salt
35g unsalted butter

Egg Wash
2 egg yolks
1 egg white
30g fresh milk

Directions

• put all ingredients from Group A in a mixing bowl, use the dough attachment & mix for about 2mins on medium speed
• combine Group B into Group A, mix on high speed till dough comes together off the hook & does not stick to hands (around 5mins)
• divide the dough into about 50g balls each and place them on a tray (leave spaces in between for expansion) and cover with cling wrap
• rest for 30 to 45mins
• shape dough according to the fillings of each bread roll and cover with cling wrap again and let proof for 1 hour or till double in size (can put on a tray and leave in the oven. Put a bowl of hot water on the bottom tray without switching on the oven. Take it out once ready to preheat oven)
• once ready, brush a thin layer of egg wash before baking
• bake at 180°C for 12mins
• once the bread is out of the oven, quickly brush a thin layer of melted butter on each rolls
• leave bread to cool down completely before decorating
• keep in covered containers to prevent dryness and the bread should be able to retain the softness for the next 3 days if well kept

Foodnote: Learn from another instructor. The dough is simple and really easy to manage. Not bad... and classmates are fun! Looking forward to their artisan bread class.

1. Pandan Twist: pandan paste + kaya spread
2. Blueberry Flower: blueberry pie fillings
3. Chocolate Pull-Apart Bread: coverture cream & Nutella
4. Cream Bun: non-dairy whipping cream (bettercreme) + Nutella
5. Tuna Cone Bread: tuna + mayo + tomatoes + lettuce
6. Fish Burger Wrap: fish fillet + parmesan cheese + paprika + black&white sesame seeds + parsley flakes + chilli sauce + mayo
7. Sausage Roll: 1 sausage
8. Sausage Twist: 1 sausage + chilli sauce + mayo + parmesan cheese
9. Cranberries & Raisins Twist: Dried Cranberries + Dried Raisins
10. Pizza Bread: mozzarella cheese + parmesan cheese + chicken ham + tomato/pasta sauce + capsicums, mushrooms, chilli sauce + mayo + parsley flakes + oregano

French Bread (Bulk Fermentation)

Ingredients
Group A
300g bread flour
53g plain flour
8g caster sugar or any sugar will do
6g yeast

Group B
223g cold water (can add crushed ice)

Group C
8g salt
8g butter






Directions

• mix Group A at low speed for 1min
• add in Group B at low speed 2mins
• add in Group C, low speed at 1min and medium speed at 8min
• check for smooth, elastic and thin membrane (temperature should be about 26-28°C)
• rounding rest 60min floor time
• scale and rounding
• approximately will yield 3pcs 200g loaf or more for 90g batards or equally divide to 4 portions for baguette
• rest 10min intermediate proofing
• shape (place on tray lined with parchment paper) and rest for 45mins depending on surrounding temperature
• touch up before baking: sift flour (dusting) on dough, score and pipe a thin line of soft butter along scored area
• spray mist on baking tray before putting in the oven
• leave a stainless steel of bowl filled with ice together with the tray in the oven to create a steam effect that will improve on the color as well as crust on the bread
• bake for 25-30mins at 210-220°C (rotate tray at around 20mins)
• to have crispier crust, leave bread in the oven with the door ajar for few minutes before removing it
• cool the bread on a rack before you nom nom nom

Foodnote

This is the session that I am looking for. French bread or low sugar bread. This method takes longer but yields yummy bread. I have tried keeping it for 3 days and it is still awesome. I slice the bread, dip in egg and fried it nom nom nom. It can keep longer if clingwrap and stored in the freezer. Just need to heat it up in the oven again next time.

Tried making this bread on 22nd Jan. Yeay... worth the wait. Looks for lovely. I foresee myself making this lots of time. I love that it is small enough to make sandwiches. Woohoo... happy happy happy. I only keep the small cobb though... the rest is for my good friends that I am having dinner with tonite.

NOTE: Before baking, dough can be kept in the freezer for 5 days. After bake, bread can be shrinkwrapped and kept in the freezer for 3 weeks.

Sweet Bread (2016)

Ingredients
Group A
210g bread flour
46g plain sugar
2g bread improver (Bakerine)
4g dry yeast
13g milk powder

Group B
42g water
53g small ice cubes
42g whip cream
13g egg yolk (1 yolk)

Group C
4g salt
26g butter

Directions

• mix Group A at low speed for 1min
• add Group B at low speed for 2min
• add Group C at low speed for 1min and 15min (up to 20min) at medium speed until elastic, shiny and thin membrane is formed
• rounding rest for 10min floor time (first rest)
• scale and rounding
• rest another 10min for intermediate proofing (second rest)
• shape (do not round anymore) and rest for 45mins depend on surrounding temp
• bake for 12-15min (do not exceed 18min) @ 160-170°C

Foodnote

I practiced at home and I learnt that I can put the dough closer together to bake. It will rise upwards not spread out. Will definitely take note of this... I can put more bread in one tray woot woot. The bun with hae bee hiam is easy and very nice. Look how plump it is.

I think I prefer egg wash better as it gives more shine.

Milk Loaf

g

Ingredients (yield 2 loaves of bread)
Group A
500g bread flour
40g sugar
30g baker's milk powder
7g Redman instant dry yeast (brown)
2g Bakerin bread improver (4g for other brand)

Group B
15g or 1pc egg yolk
50g whipping cream
121g ice water
171g crushed ice cubes

Group C
8g salt
50g unsalted butter

Directions

• mix all Group A together using low speed for 1min
• add Group B using low speed for 2mins
• add Group C using low speed for 1min and medium speed (setting 3 for KitchenAid mixer or centre level) for 10mins
• check for thin membrane (dough should be shiny and elastic)
• round and rest dough for 10min
• take note to oil surfaces first before working with dough
• weigh dough and divide equally into 2 parts
• take each dough... round and cover in cling wrap and rest for 10mins
• oil working table and roll out dough (punch the air out) into rectangular shape
• roll tightly and pinch dough forward on 'ugly' side
• cut the roll into four and arrange into oiled baking tin (including the lid if using it)
• proof for about 1 hour (put in oven that is not turn on together with a tray of steaming hot water) until the dough is about 90% proofed
• preheat oven at 170 degree celcius for 10-15mins (top bottom heat with fan)
• place loaf tin on tray to hold any oil that may drip out from the loaf tin
• use lower rack and if baking 2 loaves, leave a space between them
• bake open top for 30mins or sandwich loaf for 35mins
• remove from baking tin (inside temperature of bread should be about 97°C) and cool on a rack for about 30mins
• slice using bread knife or just break it apart lah

for colored bread

• after mixing dough for 10min, weigh dough and remove 1/3 of dough
• roll and rest the white dough and add coloring to the 1/3 dough on slow speed for about 2 min until even
• rest for 10min
• roll white dough as base in triangular shape with tip away from you (wider base nearer to you)
• roll the colored dough in similar shape and put it on top of the white dough
• roll down the dough making sure the length is not longer than length of baking tin
• tuck in the whites and put into oiled loaf tin to proof for 1hour (as above)
• follow baking directions as above

milk wash for open top loaf

• (before baking once dough proofed completely) mix equal parts of milk and whipping cream. Gently brush the top of dough. This will give a shiny top after baking.

to freeze dough to bake later

• this can be done right after mixing ingredients for 10mins and dividing the dough into 2 equal parts
• round and keep dough in oiled clingwrap
• should be able to keep around a week
• to bake bread... once defrost, shape dough and let it proof as per instruction above for 1 hour or so before baking

Foodnote

I am always fascinated about bread making though I am not really a big fan of bread hehe. I utilize my $500 Skillsfuture credit to take Basic Breadmaking Module from Sisterscookies Baking Academy. The class I signed up for runs for 5 weekdays every Tuesday from 11am to 4pm. I took advantage of my 5days balance leave from 2016 to take off once a week to play with dough hehe. The session is fun and very informative especially tips on getting and using halal ingredients. However, we have to really practice after class to make the bread and jot our own notes to be good at it. Taking notes is important because the notes from the instructor is really very very basic.

My first weekend practice I didn't use a cake mixer and attempted to knead the dough... yes by hand. What a loooong tedious workout and I was perspiring all over. Not recommended huhu. I put too much water (careless) and didn't divide the dough correctly. I still got bread but just not the right consistency *sob sob*. I hope to improve on my breadmaking skills as much as possible... next time with the help of a cake mixer of course!