French Bread (Rapid Dough)

Ingredients 
Group A
300g bread flour
53g plain flour
8g sugar
4g crusty bread improver
6g yeast

Group B
223g cold water (about 10°C)

Group C
8g salt
8g unsalted butter

Directions

• check out bulk fermentation first for more tips and steps
• mix Group A at low speed for 1min
• add Group B at low speed for 2mins
• add in Group C at low speed for 1min and medium speed at 8mins
• check for smooth, elastic and thin membrane (final temperature should be about 28-30 degree celcius)
• rounding rest for 10mins
• scale and divide approx 200g x 3pcs
• second rest for 10min
• shape and mould
• third rest 45mins or more
• 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
• bake for 20-25mins 210-220°C
• cool the crusty bread before cutting with bread knife

Foodnote

The text highlighted in blue is the difference between this bread and the previous one which goes through bulk fermentation. This bread takes 2hours total time to bake whereas the other one 4hours. However bread baked through bulk fermentation is better in taste and last longer.

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.

Hae Bee Hiam (Dried Shrimp Sambal)

Ingredients
200g dried shrimp wash
4 big red onion or 2 big sween onion
10 of garlic

2cm ginger

2 lemongrass

2 candlenuts
120-150g cili boh
150ml oil for frying
1 cube chicken stock
100-120g sugar
1 tbsp maggie seasoning

Directions

• wash and soak dried shrimp for about 10mins or so
• put in a pan and stir fry without oil till dry
• once cooled blend dried shrimp and put aside
• blend onion, garlic, ginger, candlenut and lemongrass
• heat oil in wok and stir fry paste till fragrant
• add chicken stock and cili boh and cooked till fragrant 
• finally add in the dried shrimp, sugar and maggie seasoning and cook till a bit dry (but still moist)
• taste... if good then done!

Foodnote
This yummy spicy sambal can be used in sweet bun or can be eaten with porridge or rice. It taste awesome in sandwich with egg and mayo... nom nom nom. A baking classmate shared the recipe but I changed it by adding the lemongrass, candlenut and ginger. Saw online that nyonya sambal have more ingredients like lime leaves. I am sure it taste better but I make do with whatever I have in my kitchen.

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.

Sweet Bread (2014)

Ingredients
Group A
310g bread flour (prima unbleached)
62g caster sugar
2g bread improver
6g dry yeast (high sugar)

Group B
133g water (1 part ice cube, 3 part water)
31g whip cream
31g egg (break, beat and weigh)

Group C
4g salt
31g unsalted butter

Directions

• mix Group A on low speed for 1min
• add in Group B, medium speed for 4min
• add in Group C, medium speed for 6min
• check for elasticity, shine and thin membrane
• rounding rest 10min floor time
• scale and rounding
• rest for intermediate proofing for another 10min (can put in clingwrap and keep in freezer for up to 5 days)
• shape and rest for 45mins depend on surrounding temp and bake for 10-12min @ 210-220°C

Foodnote

Finally tried this recipe in 2017 hehe. Seems that I am more successful with this recipe than the new one. My dough is more manageable and my red bean bun is soft... just what sweet bun is supposed to be. Will try the new recipe one more time and decide which one I will stick to.

Hamburger / Hotdog Bun

Ingredients
Group A
300g bread flour
39g sugar
5g milk powder
5g bread improver
5g yeast

Group B
180g cold water

Group C
4g salt
21g butter

egg wash: whip 1 egg + 3 tsp of milk
sesame seed for topping (optional)

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 12min at medium speed until elastic, shiny and thin membrane is formed
• rounding rest for 10min floor time (first rest)
• scale and rounding (eg. 80g each to get 5 hamburger buns + 2 hotdog buns)
• rest another 10min for intermediate proofing (second rest)
• shape (do not round anymore) and rest for 45mins depend on surrounding temp
• *take note to flatten slightly the hamburger and hotdog bun.. it will rise vertically during baking
• touch up before baking: milk or egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seed
• bake for 12-15mins @ 160-170°C
• brush with melted butter immediately once removed from oven

Beef Burger Patty

Ingredients

500g minced meat (at least 20% fat)
1 egg

salt

black pepper

Directions

• mix meat with egg
• using the palm of both hands, shape the meat but not too tightly (make sure size is slightly bigger than bun as it will shrink once cooked)
• a round egg mould can also be used to shape the patty
• once the shape is formed, create indentation using thumb to centre of the patty
• right before cooking on a non-stick pan or skillet, seasoned it generously with salt and black pepper
• cook for about 4-5mins on each side over slow fire (be patient and do not turn the patty before it is done... also don't squeeze the patty or it will lose the juices)
• once it is well done, you may put cheese over it and let it melt
• let the patty cool for a minute or so... do not put immediately on bun as it will make the bun soggy

Foodnote

Recipe given by the chef at my baking school... so I just tried it. I still have a lot to practice to make it perfect. The smell of bread baking in the oven... ooohhh. Anyway, the buns is super soft. A bit too big though but 80g is good for hotdog bun. Next time I will make it around 60-70g for my hamburger bun. The bun is supersoft but bcos I use egg wash and brush it with butter after bake it looks very shiny but a tad oily. Next time, I will try flouring the working surface instead of using olive oil.

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!

Air Kunyit Asam

Ingredients
1.5 cups fresh tumeric (kunyit)
2 tbsp or more tamarind juice (I use Adabi Xtra)
a pinch of salt
1 litre or so? water
honey

Directions

• peel tumeric and slice thinly
• put everything (except honey) in a pot and bring to a boil
• once cooled, use a sieve to remove the tumeric and keep the drink in bottles
• store in fridge
• to drink, pour half in a glass of water and top up with hot water
• add honey or syrup to taste

Foodnote

I first had my first "jamu kunyir asem" while on holiday in Semarang Indonesia. It was quite refreshing to drink in the morning and I read lots of good health benefits for women. I made a bottle when I was back from my trip and that's it. Recently a friend gave me lots of fresh tumeric that he planted himself. So as not to let it go to waste, I made the jamu again. Now I have enough stock for 2 weeks. Now... what shall I do with the remaining tumeric?