Taiwanese Loaf Bread

Ingredients (original from chef)
1000g Japanese bread flour
80g sugar
60g milk powder
12g SAF brand yeast (20g yeast of other brands)
4g Bakerin bread improver
30g egg yolk
100g butter
100g cream
16g salt
200g ice cube
300g ice water

Ingredients (halfed because I use KitchenAid mixer)
500g Japanese bread flour
40g sugar
30g milk powder
6g SAF brand yeast (10g yeast of other brands)
4g Bakerin bread improver
15g egg yolk
50g butter
50g cream
8g salt
100g ice cube
150g ice water

Directions

• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, milk powder, yeast, and improver... mix well
• Pour in egg yolk, cream, ice cubes, and ice water and knead at low speed
• Add in butter gradually and lastly salt then continue between 1 and 2 speed till thin membrane stage
• Round and rest for 10min covered
• Divide to: 120g x 4pcs for a cover top loaf tin or 480g for the open top loaf
• Roll and shape (just like french bread) to fit into the loaf tins and proof for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
• For close tin loaf, make sure it proof to leave about 1cm from the top and for open top, the dough should proof to about 1inch above the tin level
• Glaze top lightly with milk before baking at 180°C on a lower rack to prevent the top from burning
• Open top for 30min and closed top for 35min
• For the open top, once the top is deeper brown, put oven tray above the bread to prevent further browning
• Properly cooked bread will not shrink after baking
• Once baked, immediately remove the bread from the tin and cool it down bottoms up

Foodnote: I halfed the recipe when making it at home. I did wrong... I split to 8 portions (120g each) to do a close top but it didn''t rise fully to fill the loaf pan. Next time, I will just split into 2 portions to make open top for this recipe. It is so soft and yummy and the dough is so manageable. I love using Japan flour.

Continental French Bread

Ingredients
Sour dough (prepare in advance)
424g Japanese bread flour
3g Saf yeast
500g water
5g sugar
In a bowl, mix all ingredients and let it ferment for at least 10hrs at room temperature.
The longer the fermentation, the sourish it gets.

637g Japanese bread flour
5g sugar
5tsp shortening
8g Saf yeast
140g cold ice water
22g salt

Directions

• Prepare sourdough in advance or the night before
• Combine flour, sugar & yeast in mixer bowl and mix well
• Add in sourdough and water, knead for about 15min on low speed
• Add salt and continue mixing for approximately another 10-15min between speed 1 and 2 till 80% thin membrane is formed
• Rest for 40min covered (can just cover with mixer bowl) at room temperature
• Weigh and cut to 250g each (or divide equally to no of bread required), round it and let rest for another 10min
• Roll and shape to french bread shape, place on non-greased tray or tray lined with parchment paper and let proof for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
• Before baking, score the bread and pipe in shortening on the cut surface. This is to prevent the slit from closing back
• Heat oven to 220°C with FAN and put bread in oven for 30sec
• Take out the bread and spray generously with water (to make skin crispy) and bake for another 15min at 190°C
• Lower temperature to 180°C and bake for another 10min or till bread is of desired color and sounds hollow when tapped

(4g of Bakerin Plus improver can be added to recipe and first resting time can be reduced to 15mins)

Ondeh-ondeh Trifle Dessert

Fillings
Ingredients
Group A
180g Gula Melaka (6P brand if buying from Sheng Siong)
130g water
3-4pcs pandan leaves
Group B
375g fresh grated coconut (Heng Guan brand from Sheng Siong also can)
110g white sugar (can use all gula Melaka or dark brown sugar)
3/4tsp brown coloring (optional)
1/4tsp salt
25g salted butter
25g plain flour

Directions

• In a pot, heat gula Melaka, water and pandan leaves till sugar is dissolved and fragrant
• Strain the syrup to remove any particles
• Pour syrup back into the pot and add other ingredients except plain flour and butter
• Cook till quite thick
• Remove from stove and stir in flour and butter (this is to avoid clumps)
• Add mixture back on stove and cook till well incorporated (should be a bit wet) and let it to cool

Pandan Cake Layer

Ingredients

Group A

180g oil (anything but canola or olive)

1/8tsp salt

1tbsp pandan coconut paste

3/4tsp leaf green coloring

Group B

110g caster sugar

200g eggs

210g Japanese cake flour

1tsp double action baking powder

30g coconut milk (Kara santan)

50g tap water

30g ovallette

Directions

• Mix Group A using hand whisk and leave aside
• In a mixer bowl, whisk Group B ingredients till fluffy about 5min
• Combine A & B fold in a consistent direction till well incorporated (stop once color are consistent)
• Pour mixture into 3 10x10inch tin (or 2 14x14inch tin) lined with parchment paper bake at 180°C for about 12min (do not use oven fan's function or cake will be dry)
• Leave to cool before assembly into a cup

Other Layers

• Dessicated Coconut: mix together coconut + lemon yellow coloring + leaf green coloring
• White Fresh cream: whisk bettercreme till thick and fluffy
• Yellow Fresh cream: add lemon yellow to white fresh cream
• Choco Fresh cream: get chocolate bettercreme or add nutella to white fresh cream
• Pebbles Fruity Cereals
• Mini Marshmallows

Bomboloni

Ingredients (makes about 20pcs from 6cm diameter mould)
Dry
125g Japanese plain flour
125g Japanese bread flour
30g caster sugar
3g saf yeast (shelf life longer if kept in freezer)
1/8tsp Bakerzine Plus bread improver (shelf life longer if kept in freezer)
4g salt

Wet
100g cold UHT milk
15g cold water (keep in freezer before using and it is ok if ice is formed)
25g whole egg
25g egg yolk
20g shortening (do not use butter or it will absorb oil when frying)

vegetable oil for frying
caster sugar
fillings of your choice (eg. nutella, blueberry, custard, cream cheese etc.)

Directions

• Mix dry ingredients in mixer first using dough hook
• Add in the balance wet ingredients and slowly mix the mixture around 10min till dough is soft and sticky
• Transfer dough on a silicon mat and knead by hand for about 10min till thin membrane is formed. To do this, pinch a fistful of dough and slam on the mat, fold over the dough and repeat the process.
• Round and rest dough (covered) for 15mins
• Roll into about 4mm thickness (make sure to remove any bubbles) and use a 6mm round cutter to shape
• For balance dough scraps, round it and rest for another 20mins more before rolling and cutting to shape again
• Place each cut dough on a tray lined with parchment paper
• Let it rest and proof for another 1.5hrs to 2hrs
• Heat oil to about 160-170°C and fry each dough till light pale cream color
• Let it cool down before lightly coating it in a bowl of caster sugar
• Use a satay stick to poke a hole but not to poke through. Shift the stick around to make space for fillings
• Using a piping bag, fill the bomboloni with any fillings that you like (eg. nutella, blueberry, cream cheese, custard etc.)

Foodnote: Another learning journey with another instructor/chef who is very generous in sharing tips and tricks. Interesting thing I learn is that it is best to just knead the dough by hand after mixing for max 20mins in the mixer. Not to use high speed.... just 1-2 is good enough. Always check for thin membrance when dealing with dough for doughnuts or breads. Keep all flours, yeast in the freezer compartment to make it last longer. Japanese flour is the best.. yielding super soft bread and dough. Combination of yeast and improver is very important to get supersoft bread.

Another tip given to me is to just weigh the dough into balls of equal weight and flatten it... then leave it to proof.

Made this on 14th April 2019. I didn't use round cutter. Instead, I just weigh 20g dough each and flatten it. Got exactly 23 pieces. Didn't have parchment paper so my bomboloni stick to the paper sob sob. Chef called me and told me next time I can use normal paper but put shortening generously on it. Okie chef... will definitely try this recipe again. Another tips is that I should lower the temperature when frying. It should be lighter in color and that will make the bomboloni softer. 

Soft Bread Loaf

Ingredients and Directions here.

Below is the preparation of the mother dough starter.

Foodnote: 

I divide the dough into 2 and roll to fit into 2 bread loaf pan without the cover. Brush with egg wash before baking. Bake for 30mins (turn at 20mins). Brush with butter immediately after removed from oven. 

This is going to be my favorite recipe. Soft and yummy bread. Softer when cooled and left overnight.

Bakery Style Soft Bread

Ingredients
Mother Dough Starter
1/4 tsp instant yeast
125g bread flour
125g water
(Combine all ingredients in a large container, cover and stand at room temperature overnight or for about 8-10hrs)

Group A
280g bread flour
80g cake flour
25g milk powder
60g sugar
8g salt
1 3/4 tsp instant yeast

Group B
1 egg
140g full cream milk

Group C
60g unsalted butter

Directions

• In a mixer with dough attachment, mix ingredients A and mother dough starter togther  
• Add B and mix till dough is formed
• Add in C and let it knead till windowpane stage (VERY IMPORTANT) stage (about 15-20min on high speed... to half hour on low speed)
• Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and let it double in size for about 1hour
• Transfer to a floured surface, deflate and divide into 12 balls (or 50/60g each)
• Cover in cling wrap and rest the dough for 15mins
• Shape each dough or with desired fillings and proof for another 45min or 1hr (till double in size)
• Brush with egg wash (egg+full cream milk) and bake at 180 degrees for 12-15min
• Transfer to cooling rack and store in an airtight container

Foodnote: Always wanted to make soft bakery-style bread. Found and tried this recipe. I think this recipe is a keeper. I saw lots of good reviews and success trying out this recipe so it is a must-try and I am not disappointed. The dough is so easy to handle and the taste is so divine. 

I made 4 types of soft bread. Cheese roll, white choc melt, Delfi bloom, and plain bun. Just use whatever ingredients that I have on hand hehe. Looks like a go-to recipe from now on. Yeay! Going to make it into loaf next time.

Crispy Apam Balik

Ingredients

200g all-purpose flour

100g rice flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 large egg

100g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

200ml water

Fillings

roasted ground peanut

sugar

butter

sweet corn

Directions

• sieve all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, and baking soda and put aside
• whisk egg and sugar and add the rest of the ingredients till thick batter is formed
• cover the bowl with cling wrap and put aside for 1-3hours
• heat the pancake pan with oil, scoop the batter and spread thinly
• sprinkle sugar and leave until the top looks cook (dry) and bubbly
• spread the roasted peanut, drop some butter and sweet corn
• leave till the edges turn golden
• fold the pancake into 2 and put on a wire rack to cool

Foodnote: Since I still have sweet corn and peanut leftovers, decided to try a crispy apam balik recipe. The batter is very gooey and I think I made it too thick. It was ok. Once cooled it is not so crispy. Not easy to spread on the pan though. Maybe need more liquid? Nice to eat and don't mind trying one more time.

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