Zopf Bread / Challah

Ingredients

700g plain flour (can be subsituted: 350g bread flour + 350g cake flour)

300g bread flour

60g sugar

3 eggs (160g)

30g yeast

20g salt

80g oil

500ml water

Directions

• in a mixer bowl with paddle attachment, add all dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 1min
• all the rest of ingredients at low speed for 2min and medium speed for 8min (window pane stage)
• divide each dough to 50g each and roll to round shape
• flour baking tray and place each dough on the try and leave in the chiller for 4hrs
• take 6 dough... each dough roll flat and roll again like swiss roll
• using the palm of hands, roll the edges so that it will be narrow at the edges and fat in the middle
• pinch the top of the 6 long dough together and do 6 braids
• formula for 6 braids > 6-1 then 1-6 (cross over) > 1 over 3 > 5 over 1 > 6 over 4 > 2 over 6 > repeat 1 over 3
• final proof for 1 hour
• brush with egg wash and sprinkle with castor sugar
• bake at 170°C for 15-20min

Foodnote: I love this bread. It stays soft on the 3rd day. I just heat it up to get the skin crispy and eat it with Lurpak butter. For braided bread, the middle must be fatter so that it will stay soft and not dry up. Will definitely make this again. Very nice to eat and nice to giveaway to friends or family.

White Bread with Cheese Topping

Ingredients

400g levain (can replace with Poolish)

800g bread flour

20g salt

10g yeast

550g water

10g soya flour

Directions

• add all ingredients in a mixing bowl with paddle attachment
• whisk under low speed for 2min and medium speed for 3-4min till clean up stage
• add some oil and mix again under low speed just so that the dough don't stick to the bowl
• cover the mixing bowl with clingwrap and leave for 1-2 hour till dough double in size
• place dough on workspace and fold the dough - NSEW
• intermediate proof the dough for 10-15min
• divide the dough into 3 parts, round it and place in a baking tray (no oil)
• final proof for another 40min
• sprinkle shredded cheese, icing sugar and pipe mayonnaise on the bread
• bake at 220°C for 30mins (no fan) - 10min into baking, open the door of oven to release steam and reduce temperature to 200°C... after another 10min reduce the temprature to 180°C
• do note that during baking, the bread with rise but it will fall again once out of the oven because of released air... but the bread will still be soft

Foodnote: Very nice bread with the cheese, though will also be nice on it's own. I cooked chicken curry and it is really yummy. The top is a bit sweet and crispy. Very happy to learn to make this bread.

Pizza Using Poolish/Levain

Poolish Stage ingredients 

200g bread flour

200g water

1g yeast (18hrs fermentation) 

or 10g yeast (4hrs fermentation)

Ingredients 

400g levain or poolish starter

800g bread flour

20-22g salt

5g yeast

600g water

mixed herbs (optional but we put 5g)

Directions

• 
  place all ingredients in the mixing bowl with paddle attachment
• mix 1min on low and 4min on medium speed till clean up stage (the dough should be elastic and shiny)
• pour some oil into the mixing bowl and mix on low just till the dough does not stick to the bowl
• remove the dough from the mixing bowl and rest for 15min
• divide to 50g each or preferred size 
• place on oiled tray, cover with clingwrap and leave to proof for 1hr
• after an hour, place the tray into chiller until ready to bake (this is because dough will be soft and sticky)
• flour the work area and take each dough, flour the surface and flatten it by hand to round shape
• transfer to baking tray and add toppings of your choice (sauce + cheese + toppings)
• bake for about 12-15mins at 180°C (can also bake half-cook and freeze)

Ingredients for tomato sauce

olive oil

chopped garlic + sliced shallots and onions

tomato paste

pineapple syrup water

sugar

salt

mixed herbs (wet it with water to diffuse the fragrant better. Not necessary if using fresh herbs)

Directions

• cook the chopped garlic, shallots and onions in olive oil till golden brown (8mins)
• add in the tomato paste and syrup from canned pineapple
• add sugar and salt to taste
• lastly add in mixed herbs

Foodnote: This pizza have really soft base and the sauce is so yummy though a bit tad sweet for me. Love this recipe and will be a go to recipe to make pizza.

Naan Bread

Ingredients

(make 17 naans)

500g plain flour

285g water

5g yeast

50g yoghurt (sub 45g whipping cream + 5g vinegar)

20g oil

5g salt

Directions

• combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl, using the paddle attachment, mix for 1min at low speed and 4 min on medium speed
• divide to 50g and round into balls
• put on a tray and rest for 2-6 hours (can be kept in chiller for up to 2 days)
• using a rolling pin, softly flatten each dough to round shape of about 4mm
• bake at 240°C until puff up or edges turns light brown (1-2 min only)
• ready to serve or grill over open fire to get that slightly charred look
• can also brush top with fragrant oil or garlic butter once out of the oven or cooked

Ingredients for fragrant oil

fresh coriander (chopped the leaves and keep the roots)

chopped garlic

olive oil for frying

Directions to cook the fragrant oil: in a pot put oil with coriander roots and chopped garlic. Start the fire and fry till garlic is golden and crispy (about 8min). Put in the coriander leaves (the oil will create bubbles) and quickly remove the pot from the stove and place it in a big metal tray filled with room temperature water. This is to cool down and not to overcook the oil. Discard the coriander roots.

Foodnote: This naan bread is really soft and can last few days in the chiller or frozen. Very nice to eat with curry... yum yum. Can also use it as pockets since it will puffed up especially when baked in the oven to fill it with vegetables or anything of your choice.

Crusty Sourdough Bread (Italian Biga Method)

Ingredients 

(can split into 3 portions)

Group A

800g bread flour

10g yeast

400g water

300g levain

Group B

200g bread flour

22g salt

150g water

10g malt flour (dark malt or diastatic malt flour)

Directions

• 
  add all Group A ingredients in a mixing bowl and using a paddle attachment whisk until a firm dough is form (add levain first followed by dry ingredients and water last)
• transfer to working surface and knead the dough lightly till smooth
• transfer the dough into a large bowl and fill with water till dough is submerged
• covered with clingwrap and leave to proof for 1 1/2 hour... till dough is bubbly and double in size
• remove the bubbly mass into the mixing bowl and add ingredients from Group B
• beat on low speed for 2min and medium speed for 10min till dough reach window pane stage
• round and cover with clingwrap in an oiled bowl and let rest for 1 hour
• split the dough equally into 3 parts, round it and place on a baking tray
• proof for another 45min
• 
  using plain flour, powder the surface of the bread and use a sharp scoring knife or razor to score the surface to any pattern desired
• leave for another 15-20 minutes, spray the tray with water and bake at 220°C for 30mins (using lower tray) till desired bread color and percentage
• during baking, after 10min open the oven door to release steam and reduce temperature to 200°C... at 20min reduce the temperature to 180°C
  

Foodnote: Ok this is something really new and interesting to me. First time I see bread dough submerged in water and poof... it just gets bubbly and jiggy. The bread also turns out super soft and delicious. Yummy!!!

Note: Sponge Biga = 800g bread flour + 1g low sugar yast + 600g water (27°-30°C) mix and leave overnight 12hrs

Practice this on 16th July but instead of dark malt, I used diastatic malt. I practice shaping of sticky dough from youtube and am very satisfied with the end result. So happy...

Basic Sourdough Bread (French Method)

Ingredients

(can split to 3 portions)

400g levain (sourdough)

800g bread flour

22g salt

10g yeast

20g soya flour (optional)

600g water

Directions

• 
  weigh all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and add the water last (add levain first followed by dry ingredients and water last)
• using a pedal attachment, whisk under low speed for a while (prevent splashing) and increase speed to high till all ingredients together till dough comes together (lift from bottom of the bowl) around 3 mins  (clean up stage)
• add some oil and using low speed, whisk again just so that dough don't stick to bowl
• cover the mixing bowl with clingwrap for 1-2hrs or till dough double it's size (fermentation)
• place dough on workspace using a round scraper or spatula
• fold the dough - NSEW
• intermediate proof the dough for 10-15min (relax the dough)
• divide the dough equally into 3 parts, round it and place it on a baking tray (panning stage)
• final proof for another 40 min
• flour the surface of bread and use a sharp scissors to score the surface gently (deco, garnish & score)
• leave for another 20-30 min (max 70-80 min), spray the tray with water and bake at 220°C for 30mins (no fan) till desired bread color and percentage
• during baking, after 10min open the door to the oven to release steam and reduce temperature to 200°C... at 20min reduce the temperature to 180°C

Foodnote: This is the first class to make Artisan bread. It is so exciting and there are new things to learn. Quite exciting because I love making bread and I also love the process of learning. Our team made a mistake but the bread still turns out well. Of course can be better and I will try again once I make my own starter dough.

Milk Bread Roll

Ingredients

165ml milk

42g castor sugar

7g instant yeast

7g salt

1 egg

350g bread flour

40g unsalted butter

Directions

• in a large bowl, add milk and yeast and mix using a whisk
• add in sugar, salt and egg... whisk well
• add in flour and mix with a spatula to form a sticky dough
• cover the bowl with clingwrap and let it rest for 15min
• transfer dough into working surface
• add butter in dough and knead till butter is absorbed
• knead again till soft and elastic (about 7-10min till window-pane stage)
• transfer back into the bowl and leave dough to proof till double in size or about 1hr
• punch air from the dough and divide into 12pcs and round each dough into round balls and rest for 15min
• using a rolling pin, flatten each dough and roll (at this stage, can also add fillings)
• place in a baking tray and let it rest for 1hr
• brush with egg wash (mixture of 1 yolk + 1 tsp water)
• bake for 10-15min at 170-180°C
• once out of the oven, brush with melted butter

Foodnote: So I have some red bean paste left and trying to clear it. This recipe looks easy and simple. No need to use my mixer and I have all the ingredients. I made 6 bread rolls and 6 buns with red bean fillings. Very good recipe and I made it while WFH hehe. The dough is very easy to manage too.

Rice Cooker Milk Bread

Ingredients 

220g bread flour

2g yeast

25g castor sugar

2g salt

15g vegetable oil or melted butter

145g milk+egg mixture (1 egg + milk)

Directions

• combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl
• add egg mixture followed by oil and combine well
• transfer on working surface and knead (like washing clothes) till dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 10min)
• round the dough and placed in an oiled glass bowl to proof for 1hour till double it's size
• cut to 9 equal pieces (about 43-45g)
• take each dough and release air by flattening dough with a rolling pin and round it into a small ball
• arrange the dough in a small non-stick rice cooker
• proof again for another 30mins
• start the rice cooking mode (about 16min) until finish and repeat the start cycle one more time
• remove immediately from the rice cooker
• brush with milk/egg wash and pop in oven for 10min at 160°C to brown the top of the oven

Foodnote: Well making homemade bread is my favorite and this is one recipe that I just have to try because I love the simplicity and this is good for those people who don't have an oven. I don't know what to expect but the bread turns out well. I am too lazy to buy milk so I just use evaporated milk. Should have diluted it with water but use it whole hehe so my bread turns out yellowish. Still taste good though and I have no regrets trying this bread. I think it will be as good baked in the oven too. I ate it with butter while it is warm and the skin still crispy... yummy!!!