Spicy Chickpeas / Chilli Chana

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of dry chickpeas 

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp smoked paprika powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chicken stock powder (optional)

sea salt to taste

sugar to taste

2 tbsp oil for frying

Directions

• soak chickpeas overnight and boil for 2 hours till soft (add a pinch of salt)
• drain the chickpeas, add olive oil, paprika, cumin powder, cayenne pepper and sea salt
• mix well
• using a non-stick pan, add oil till hot then add in the chickpeas
• cook till the chickpeas is crispy... ready to serve

Foodnote: I love chickpeas so decided to cook this. Actually I just agak2 the recipe and it turns out yummy. Will definitely make this again as snacks. For healthier version... I will bake it in the oven next time. Maybe it will turn out crunchy... nom nom nom.

Decorative Braid Bread

Ingredients

1000g plain flour

50g skim milk powder

100g sugar

15g salt

100g cold butter (cut cubes)

6g yeast

550g water

5-10g of flavor (eg. pandan essence, coffee or herb)

Directions

• in a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, add all ingredients and mix at low speed for 5-8min (dough will be heavy) till window pane stage
• divide to 50g "hot dog shape" and rest in chiller for 1-4 hours
• shape with 5 braids: 5 over 2 >  1 over 3 > 2 over 3 > repeat till end
• final proof for 1 hour
• brush with egg wash
• bake at 160°-180°C for 15 to 20min

Foodnote: Very nice to dip in hot milo or coffee or tea!! The bread is not as soft as zopf/challah but the dough is easier to manage... that is why it is more suitable for decoration to make other shapes. Perhaps as a gift basket or something. Happy to learn to make braided breads woot woot.

Tortilla

Ingredients

(100%) 500g plain flour

(0.8%) 4g yeast

(2%) 10g salt

(5%) 25g sugar

(12%) 60g shortening

(1.5%) 7g baking powder

(0.5%) 3g skim milk powder

(50%) 250g water

25g 100°C water + 5g yeast mixture (to ensure that dough don't shrink)

Directions

• 
  develop the dough: in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, dry mix all the dry ingredients
• add in the shortening and all the ingredients
• mix at low speed for 2min and medium speed at 5min till dough comes together
• divide to 40g each, round and rest for 1-4 hours at room temperature
• take each dough on a lightly floured work space and roll the dough to 1mm thickness
• grill for 1min or each side till dark brown spots are visible

Foodnote: Another lovely recipe. The tortilla stays soft after a few days kept in the chiller. Just need to put on grill over non-stick pan for a short while to heat it up both sides and wrap away! I wrap with shredded grilled chicken, scramble egg, japanese mayo and chilli sauce for my niece to bring to work. Next time will make the wrap bigger 60g each so I can make bigger healthy wraps with salad. Definitely a keeper!

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...