Brioche Bread

Ingredients

Sponge

128g all-purpose flour

7g active dry yeast

120g warm milk

Dough

320g large eggs room temperature (~5eggs)

384g all-purpose flour

105g sugar

12g sea salt

227g soften butter

Egg Wash

1 large egg

1 tbsp water

~ Sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

• 
  mix all the sponge ingredients in a mixing bowl and using a hook attachment, mix till well combined and put it aside for 45min
• once sponge have air pockets, add in eggs, flour, sugar and salt and mix on medium till well combined then increase to medium high till dough pulls away from sides and is very elastic and shiny
• add in butter about 1 tbsp at a time at medium speed for about 15min and increase speed to medium high for about 7min (test window pane)
• cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1hr or double in size
• once dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down dough
• divide in half using a bench scraper
• cut each half into six equal pieces and flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold short ends in towards each other as if folding a letter
• flatten again and tightly roll into a log starting with the short end... repeat with all pieces
• place 6pcs of dough into a greased loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap and rest for 1hr or double in size
• pre-heat oven to 190°C and prepare the egg wash
• once dough is ready, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt
• bake for about 30min or top is deep golden
• let cool completely before baking

Foodnote: Butter make everything taste better and since I am a butter hoarder hehe and a fan of bread... so Brioche it is!! This is quite challenging. I think I did wrong as I can't get to the window pane stage :( I just go ahead and proof to 1hr and proceed to the other steps while praying hard it will turn out looking like bread hehe. It still double in size on final proofing though pheeewww... Finally I have a very super soft bread. Will I make this again... eeerrr unlikely. Maybe will try to find a better and easier to handle brioche bread dough.

French Baguette

Ingredients

475g bread flour

65g all purpose flour

2g instant yeast (SAF gold)

3g diastatic malt

10g salt

380g filtered water

Directions

• mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl
• make a well and add in water
• mix all ingredients are well combined till shaggy mass is formed
• place dough in a clean and lightly oiled bowl
• rest the dough for 3hr, folding it 3x every 45min (LFTB and turn smooth side up)
• after 3hr, lightly flour the counter and transfer the dough (smooth side down)
• divide into 3 portions
• pre-shape each dough (pat and roll to tighten the dough) and rest for another 30min
• final shape the baguette to baguette tray and let it rest for 30-60min
• pre-heat oven to 220°C
• score the baguette right before baking and spray with water
• after putting the baguette on a tray in the oven, place also a bowl with ice to stimulate steam
  
  
• bake for 20-25min (turn tray 10min into baking and remove the bowl of water)
• let it cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hours

Foodnote: One of my niece makes awesome homemade mushroom soup 😘👌 and she is so nice to share it with me. So I thought I'd make her homemade french bread. 

Saw this recipe on youtube and the baguette looks really good so of course must try. Everything is good and dough is very easy to handle... except next time I will lower the baking temp to 220°C instead because I think Asian are not very used to dark crusty bread... I think lah. I also need to improve more on how to shape french bread

I really love this recipe and will try to make it again for practice.

Katzoomi Bread (Sourdough Shokupan)

Ingredients

Sweet Starter

40g active starter

40g water

40g bread flour

20g sugar

Preferment

100g starter

40g water

100g bread flour

Main Dough

120g bread flour

20g sugar

5g salt

25g water

20g whipping cream

all of the sweet starter

all of the preferment

20g unsalted butter

Directions

• prepare the sweet starter in a container: mix starter with water and add flour with sugar
• prepare the preferment: mix starter with water and add bread flour
• leave both at room temperature for 2.5hr and keep the preferment in the fridge
• let the sweet start peak for about another 2hr
• add all ingredients in a mixer except for butter
• using a dough hook, mix everything for about 10-15min
• add in the butter and mix till windowpane stage
• divide dough into 2, round and rest for 20min
• shape the dough: roll it long and roll it
• put dough into greased loaf tin and let it proof to 50% (2hrs or more)
• apply egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp milk)
• bake at 180°C for 35-40min (might want to cover it with foil if the top get too dark)

Foodnote: Saw this loaf of bread and just have to make it since it is using sourdough starter instead of yeast. Love it but it does takes a long time to prepare BUT in terms of taste... ooh la la... really super delicious. I only ate it the next day. After slicing, it was lightly toasted and spread with butter. The texture is so soft with crispy crust and the taste oh so divine. I have to stop myself from eating the whole loaf hehe.

Will definitely make this again but for quick fix yummy loaf will be using the killer toast recipe. The smell of fresh baking bread permeating the house... simply awesome!

Crown Chiffon Cake

Ingredients
Group A
40g butter
45g any desired syrup (mango, orange juice, sweet corn etc.)

Group B
4 egg yolks
70g cake flour

Group C
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g caster sugar
1 tsp corn flour

Directions

• prepare 6" x 3" round mould with removable bottom (do not use non-stick, don't grease or put parchment paper)
• pre-heat oven to 180°C top heat only!
• in a stainless steel bowl, heat Group A together using low fire till butter melted and it is evenly mixed with the syrup
• remove from fire and sift cake flour into it and mix with a whisk in a round motion till smooth
• add in the egg yolks and mix again... put aside
• in a mixer with balloon whisk, beat the egg whites till bubbly then add in the cream of tartar
• once fine bubble is formed, add in sugar + corn flour mixture (in 3 batches) till stiff peak is formed
• scoop a portion of egg whites meringue and slowly whisked till even in the egg yolk batter
• once smooth, pour the yolk mixture to the egg whites and fold till everything is smooth
• pour into a cake mold and use stick to run through batter to remove air bubbles
• bake for 5-10min at 180°C till top is light golden and remove from oven
• use a knife and cut slightly on the top surface making 6 even cuts for the crown to form
• immediately put back in the oven lowering the temp to 170°C top and bottom heat and bake for another 35-40min
• cake is fully baked when skewer comes out clean
• remove from oven, bang on the table few times to loosen the cake... and leave it upside down to cool for 1 hour 
• remove from the mould gently and enjoy the fluffy cake!

Foodnote: Recipe is from here. It looks so nice so I just have to try and bake this. I just use the mould that I have and the crown didn't rise as much. I also use orange juice ahahah. Anyway... the most tricky part about this cake is to turn it upside down to cool. I drop it a few times :(( but it still tasted good lah. Will bake another one and hope it turns up nicer hehe.

Dates and Almond Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

260g distilled water

90g active sourdough starter

390g bread flour

5g diastatic malt

9g sea salt

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped almonds

Directions

• in a large bowl add starter to water and mix well
• add in the bread flour, malt and salt mix well till well combined
• let it rest for 1hr
• transfer to lightly floured surface and round the dough then rest for another hour
• stretch the dough out as big as possible and sprinkle the dates and almonds
• round it up again and let rest for about 4-5hours till dough is double in size
• shape the dough and transfer to a banetton that have been dusted generously with rice flour
• let it rest for 1hr and then keep in the fridge for 2hours or more
• bake as usual in dutch oven (250°C covered for 20min and another 20min uncovered)

Foodnote: Ever since I learnt the simpler way to make sourdough bread and while my starter is getting very active, I decided to make something I've always wanted to try out.

Dates + Almonds = Super Yummy Sourdough bread!!

I think the malt helps makes the crumb softer and less chewy. This is really so delicious I will definitely make this again. Furthermore, it doesn't take long and minus the folding2 process. So happy that I decided to experiment with this yeay!! The bread also yield quite a big loaf... I'll be eating this for the next few days hehe.


Update 7 Oct 2022, Friday:

I really like to have sourdough with fruits and nuts so I made it again... this time with cranberry and almonds. I think I still love the dates and almonds combo. I split the dough into 2. One big one small. I have guests coming so baking it for them and thinking I will keep the small piece for myself. But when I see the guests enjoying the bread, I tapao it for them. I can always make this again :)

Simply the Easiest Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

140g sourdough starter

420g filtered water (or 434g for 72% hydration)

630g bread flour (or 80% 504g bread flour + 20% 126g whole meal wheat flour)

14g sea salt

5g diastatic malt

140g inclusions if required

Directions

• 
  in a large bowl, stir water and starter till evenly mixed
• add flour and salt and knead until all dry flour is gone
• round the dough as much as possible, cover the bowl and let it rest for 1hr
• fold NSEW 3x every 30min
• cover again and let it rise till double in size 
• (newly fed starter can double in size within 5 hours. Unfed starter may take up to 24hours or longer to double in size)
• transfer on floured surface and shape into loaf (I split the dough into 2 loaves) and place into banetton baskets
• proof for 1-2 hour, cover in plastic and let it cold retard in the fridge overnight (min 12hrs and up to 3 days)
• next day when ready to bake, pre-heat the oven with dutch oven to 230°C at the 2nd lowest rack
• once oven is ready, transfer dough onto a parchment paper and score
• carefully transfer parchment paper and dough into dutch oven, spray water over the dough and bake for 20min covered and 15-20 min uncovered with oven fan
• cool before slicing (I leave it for few hours to totally cool down)
• best to eat freshly baked but to store, just keep in container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 5 days (don't think it will last that long though hehe)
• do not keep in fridge but can store in freezer

Foodnote: Now testing this easiest sourdough bread from here. It just makes so much sense. I didn't really follow the steps to a "T" and adjust the schedule accordingly. I am already using a fairly active starter so the mixture was left to proof till dough double in size. I am supposed to use 21g sea salt but it looks too much so I reduced it to 16-18g. The dough proof very well in 2hrs and after shaping and leaving it for 1hr, I left it in the fridge for another 2hr or so because I want to bake it slightly later. I also spritz the dough before baking to create more steam.

I am so impressed with the outcome. Check out how beautiful the bread look with the oven spring. The taste is excellent and the crumbs just perfect. I can't stop eating with a spread of butter. Being used to soft bread growing up, I grew to like the texture and flavour of sourdough more and more each day. Love this recipe and will definitely make this regularly. Thank you Ben Starr!

Update on 22 Oct 2022: I added 5g of diastatic mall to the dough and practice my scoring. I updated the recipe with steps that I think help with the oven spring and crumbs looks much better. I am very happy with it. Again... I split the dough into 2 portion so I can bake it in my dutch oven. Love and this is going to be my goto sourdough recipe 💖.

Update on 28 Oct 2022: I used this recipe but this time halved the portion (because it is for my own consumption) and included balance "origins california treats + extra cranberries". Again the recipe did not disappoint and it turns out really well. Look at that beautiful bread. Ooowwhh... I want to eat sourdough bread everyday!! 😭

Half Ingredients using bread formulas (right side of this blog)

70g active starter

210g water (or 217g for 72% hydration)

315g bread flour (or 252g bread flour + 63g whole wheat grain flour)

7g sea salt

4g diastatic malt

Origins Health Food California Treat Fruits & Nuts mix

dried cranberries

Pulut Kukus Kacang Hijau (Steamed Glutinous Rice with Mung Beans)

Ingredients

250g glutinous rice (soak in warm water for 1hr)

40g mung/green bean (soak overnight)

200ml coconut milk (65ml Kara + water)

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp grated coconut

1 pandan leaf

Grated coconut sides

150g grated coconut

1 pandan leaf

1 tsp salt

^ combine all the above and steam for 10min

Directions

• spread the green bean in a steamer and steam for 10min
• in a cooking pan, mix the glutinous rice, pandan leaf, salt and coconut milk
• cook in medium fire and keep stirring till there is less coconut milk (not dry)
• remove the green bean to another bowl and steam the glutinous rice for 10min
• after 10min turn the glutinous rice, add grated coconut and the green beans
• mix well and steam for another 10min
• cooked glutinous rice can be shaped using any mould for presentation

Foodnote: Another comfort food that late mum used to make. Since I have some green beans and glutinous rice, decided to make this. I followed the recipe here because it makes a small portion and I can keep the rest. This food is quite rare and not one that can be easily bought outside. It is actually similar to lepat kacang so can also make this using black eyed peas. To eat with steamed grated coconut or any other dishes eg. rendang, sambal even gula melaka syrup.

Bubur Kacang Hijau (Mung Bean / Green Bean Porridge)

Ingredients

1 cup mung/green beans

1/2 cup gula Melaka 

1 tsp salt

1 pandan leaves

1 cup coconut milk (80ml instant + water)

4 cups water (adjust accordingly)

(optional: ginger, sago or durian. Can also add cornstarch if you want it a bit thicken)

Directions

• clean the green beans in a pot and fill with water about double the amount of beans
• cook and when it starts to boil, leave it for 5mins
• turn off the fire, cover the pot and leave for 30min
• after 30min, boil again for 10min (beans should soften by this time)
• add in gula melaka, sugar, pandan leave and salt and cook till the sugar dissolve
• mix the coconut milk making sure to keep stirring till boiling
• taste and add white sugar if not sweet enough

Foodnote: I have dried green beans or most commonly known as mung beans still in the packat in my pantry. Decided to try out this "secret" to cook bubur kacang fast without having to soak it overnight or few hours. Fast to cook and good to eat. It took overall about just an hour to cook it. I am so impressed that it works and will definitely make this again or try the same method to cook chickpeas or red bean to make gendang kasturi.