Standard Sandwich Bread (Rapid Dough System)

Ingredients (make 2 loaves)

Group 1

600g bread flour

9g instant yeast (Bruggermann blue)

24g sugar

6g bread improver (supertex)

12g skim milk powder

Group 2

390g ice cold water

Group 3

36g shorterning or unsalted butter (using butter will make the crust darker)

9g salt

Directions

• mix Group 1 in a mixer bowl with hook attachment
• on low speed, slowly add water and beat for 2min
• increase speed to medium and beat for 4min
• add group 3 and beat on low speed for 2min
• increase speed to medium and beat for 4-6min till thin membrane (lightly flour hands and pinch some dough... check for window pane)
• transfer on working area and round the dough
• rest for 15min covered with a bowl
• lightly flour top surface and gently flatten the dough
• using a scraper, cut the dough equally into 2 portion (approximately 535g)
• round each dough and lightly cover with clingwrap
• rest for another 15min
• shape the dough (see below) and transfer into lightly greased loaf pan
• final proof for 40-50min (temp: 32°C, humidity: 80%)
• bake for 40min at 175-180°C
• immediately after remove from oven, bang the loaf pan to release the temperature and remove the bread from the tin
• cool the bread on a wire rack

Shaping open top bread

• roll the dough from the middle with smooth surface facing you
• gently turn it over (ugly side up) and shape is very long triangle with point side away from you
• punch down the sides and the edge nearest to you
• from the top tip, gently roll down the dough towards you, using the base of the palm to lightly punch down till the dough is like swiss roll
• pinch close the open edge
• transfer into lightly greased loaf pan (smooth side up) and dough against one side of the pan
• proof until height of top of dough is same as height of loaf pan or slightly higher

Shaping rectangular (closed tin) bread

• roll the dough from the middle with smooth surface facing you
• gently turn it over (ugly side up) length wise
• punch the long edge near you
• from the top long edge, roll down... everytime punching the roll using the base of the palm down
• pinch close the open edge
• roll the dough so that the thickness is even throughout
• cut the dough equally into 2 and cut again into 2 (total 4 equal parts)
• arrange the 4 doughs side by side (in out in out)
• transfer into lightly greased loaf pan and punch lightly to even out the surface
• proof without lid until height of dough is 80% of loaf pan
• cover the lid before baking

Foodnote: Back to basics. Since I like to learn and really enjoy baking bread... I start again from basic to make sandwich loaf bread. The class is really interesting and the bread turns out so lovely. It is really soft and I really love it. Can't wait to practice and make it at home.

Apple & Pear Crumble

Ingredients

Crumbles

200g plain flour

100g cold butter

60g brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

Fillings

5 apples (or 3 apples + 2 pears) cubed with or without peel

1/2 cup raisin (optional)

1/2 lemon juice

2 tsp or more cinnamon powder

Directions

• chop cold butter into flour, brown sugar and cinnamon powder and form crumbles
• keep crumbles in fridge to cool
• mix all ingredients fillings together
• in a baking dish, take 1/3 of crumble and spread it on the base
• top with fruit fillings and top with the remaining crumbles
• bake at 160°C for 15-20mins

Foodnote: Have extra apples and pears given by my brother so decided to make this. Easy and nice to eat hot with vanilla ice cream yummm...

Sourdough Starter / Levain

Ingredients

Prima plain flour (unbleached)

Perrier sparkling water

Equipment

glass or plastic container (do not use metal)

weighing scale

spatula for mixing

Day 1

25g flour + 25g water

- mix into a paste in the container

Day 2

no feeding

- bubbly and pasty smell

Day 3

add 25g flour + 25g water

- total 100g

- bubbly and thick consistency

- strong unpleasant smell

Day 4

add 100g flour + 100g water

- total 300g

- small bubble on surface

- strong unpleasant smell

Day 5

no feeding just stir

- no activity and thin consistency

- still strong unpleasant smell

Day 6

(discard 200g) + 100g flour + 100g water

- total 300g

- no activity and very thin consistency

- smell not as strong but still unpleasant

Day 7

(discard 200g) + 100g flour + 100g water

- total 300g

- some bubbles on surface

- less strong smell

Day 8

no feeding just stir

- still little bubbles

- smell like flour

Day 9

transfer to another clean container

100g sourdough (discard the rest) + 100g flour + 100g water

- same smell as Day 8 and a little bubbly

Day 10

no feeding

- little bubble and faint smell

Day 11

no feeding (forgot hehe)

Day 12

100g sourdough (discard the rest) + 100g flour + 100g water

- thin consistency and little bubble on the surface

- flour smell

Day 13

100g sourdough (keep the rest in a container in the fridge) + 100g flour + 100g water

- thick and a bit bubbly

- a little sourish smell

Day 14

100g sourdough (keep the rest in a container in the fridge) + 100g flour + 100g water

- thick and more bubbles

- nice sweet smell woohoo

Day 15

no feeding

- very bubbly (small bubbles)

- start to rise

- very sweet smell

Day 16

100g sourdough (keep the rest in a container in the fridge) + 100g flour + 100g water

- very bubbly and thick consistency

- nice sweet fermented smell (like tapai)

- double in size and very active

- success woohoo

Day 17

can make bread already yeay!!

Foodnote: Tried to make this 2x but unsuccessful. Finally so happy to see the sourdough very active. It bubble up very fast with feeding.

Sweet Corn Custard Pudding (SIL Recipe)

Ingredients

380g del monte sweet corn cream style

600g Kara coconut milk

600ml water

Bird's brand custard powder (fill the sweet corn pack)

castor sugar (fill the sweet corn pack)

Directions

• in a large pot, mix all ingredients together before turning on the fire on medium heat
• keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot for about 10-15min till the mixture become thick and heavy
• pour the custard into any mould and leave to cool for few hours till custard is set (once a bit cool, can leave it in the fridge to set)

Foodnote: Trying a recipe from my SIL as it is quite easy. I'm just using leftover custard powder and no castor powder so I just used up the balance icing sugar *oops*. Turns out well though hehe... will use this recipe in the future and next time will try to measure the custard powder and sugar. Will stick to this recipe next time

Roti Benggali @ Roti Bai

Ingredients

400g bread flour

1 egg yolk Grade A

2 tbsp corn oil or melted butter

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp milk powder

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp bread improver

3/4 cup water

Starter

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Glaze/Topping

1 egg white + water

sesame seed + margarine/butter

Directions

• combine starter ingredients till the yeast bloom
• in another bowl mix the other dry ingredients together
• add the starter yeast mixture together with the dry ingredients
• add yolk, water and oil and start kneading until a smooth shiny dough is formed
• leave for about an hour until dough expand twice in size and punch it down to release the air
• knead again and separate into 8 equal parts
• put into a round bread tray that has been greased with margarine
• leave for about 45min 
• brush the glaze mixture and sprinkle sesame seed on top
• bake at about 180°C for about 30mins
• brush margarine on the buns after removing it from the oven

Foodnote: Always wanted to try to make this so finally I did. Add more oil and water to the recipe. The recipe didn't indicate amount of water.... found out too late so I am just 2nd guessing it. Was rushing so I didn't weigh or shape the dough properly. Still it turns out soft and fluffy but dry the next day and taste wise so so... hhmmm don't think will use this recipe again though.

Apple Crumble Cake

Ingredients

250g flour

1 egg

80g butter

100g sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 grated lemon

3 apples (peel and dice)

2 tbsp of sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 lemon juice

Directions

• in a bowl, mix the egg and sugar
• add in butter, flour and baking powder followed by lemon zest
• crumble the dough and keep in the fridge
• in a saucepan, add apples, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon
• cook for 12min under low heat
• in a springform pan, grease the bottom sides and bottom with butter (or line with parchment paper)
• pour half the dough and pat down to cover the base and sides of the dough
• pour in the apples and top with the balance dough crumbling it and lightly squeeze and smooth it afterwards
• bake at 180°C for 35-40min
• remove from springform and sprinkle the top with icing sugar

Foodnote: Recipe taken from here. Ok only lah... 

Apple Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup (210g) all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup (150g) sugar

1 cup apple (peeled and chopped into cubes)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (120ml) greek yoghurt (can be substituted with milk)

a pinch of salt

**add 1-2 tbsp of milk if batter is thick

Directions

• in a mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and sugar and mix evenly
• in a separate bowl add eggs, vanilla, salt, oil and yoghurt and whisk briefly
• add dry and wet ingredients together and fold gently till combined (do not over mix)
• add in the apples and mix together
• pour the batter mixture into a greased springform pan lined with parchment paper
• bake at 180°C for 30-35min or till skewer comes out clean
• cool for 10min, release from pan and let cool to room temperature
• dust with powdered sugar and ready to serve

Foodnote: Since I always get apples, so this time I decided to try this recipe. I decorated it as I want to present this to my 3rd niece for her birthday. I hope she likes it.

Singapore Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

Tanzhong A

3 tbsp of water

3 tbsp of milk

2 tbsp of bread flour

Tanzhong B

1/2 cup of milk

1 large egg

Dough

2 1/2 cups of bread flour

1/4 cup of sugar

1 tsp of salt

1 tbsp of instant yeast

2 tbsp of milk powder

4 tbsp of melted butter

1/2 tsp of green pandan extract

1/2 tsp of red coloring

Egg wash

1 egg + 1 tbsp of water

Directions

• prepare the tanzhong by Tanzhong A ingredients with a whisk in the saucepan and cook till paste is form then turn off the heat
• add Tanzhong B to the paste, whisk together and put aside
• in a mixer, add the bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast and milk powder
• using a paddle attachment, give it a mix on low
• as it is mixing, add the tanzhong mixture and butter
• mix for 8min or till clean up and window pane stage
• divide the dough into 2 portions
• one portion add the green pandan extract and the other one with red coloring
• round the dough and place in an oiled bowl and rest till double in size (1hr or 1 1/2 hr)
• divide each color into 2, roll one green and pink flat
• place on top of each other and roll like spring roll
• place the 2 rolls into a bread pan and cover and let it rest for 50min
• brush the top of the dough with egg wash
• bake at 165°C (no fan) for about 25min (might need to cover the foil about 20min so that it will not get too burnt)

Foodnote: This time, I am trying the recipe from here. The dough is pretty much easy to handle. The bread turns out supersoft... I like it a lot. Really nice to eat with ice cream or just butter+kaya. I have sambal egg yum yum but I bet it will also be nice with sambal tumis ikan bilis woohoo. Will definitely be making this again.