Chocolate Cherries Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

350g bread flour 

40g cocoa powder

320g water

80g active starter 

8g salt

5g diastatic malt

Inclusions:

leftover cherries

semi-sweet chocolate chips

Foodnote: Recipe here. So I bought Cacao Barry cocoa powder to try due to the good reviews. It really smells amazing. Found this simple recipe however could be due to my technique, the bread ends up flat. Is it due to the inclusions? Will keep trying and learning.

Taste wise... it is ok with strong cocoa taste. Nice to bite into the cherries though. It taste awesome with cream cheese. Hhmmm will try chocolate cheddar sourdough bread.

Pandan Waffle

Ingredients

2 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp soft butter (43 grams)

koepo pandan / vanilla essence

200ml coconut milk

1 1/2 cup plain flour

Directions

• using a mixer beat eggs till light and add caster sugar, baking powder and salt
• once combined add in butter and continue beating till light and fluffy
• add in pandan paste mix and add coconut milk
• finally add in flour and beat till fully combined
• batter is ready to be cooked in a pre-heated waffle maker
• lightly oil the waffle maker
• (since I am using a Kenwood sandwich maker, I cook 5min and then turn the waffle over and cook for another 5min)

Foodnote: I love love love waffles and I think Prima Deli's waffle is one of the best! Have not been successful as much with other waffles recipe but finally come across this! It really taste so yummy almost like prima deli especially with the crispy bits. The only thing is I am using a sandwich maker with waffle attachment. I don't have a waffle maker but this is good enough lah. I give a thumbs up to this recipe 👍🏽.

I get 8 small waffles. Ate some and keep the rest in the freezer for another day.

What I might try next time. Sift all dry ingredients together. Separate egg whites and yolks. Beat yoke with sugar, butter, coconut milk and pandan paste. Fold in dry mixture. Beat egg whites till stiff peak. Fold in egg whites to batter. Hope this will make the waffles fluffier?

Coconut Candy

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

230g grated coconut (only the whites)

100g sugar

220g condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla

few drops coloring of choice

pandan leaf

pandan paste (optional. I added because I use green coloring)

Directions

• grease pan/glass container generously
• in a non-stick pan, melt butter on low heat
• add other ingredients and stir for about 20min
• the ingredients should clump together but not dry
• transfer onto the pan/contrainer and flatten it levelling the top
• leave it to cool for 30min and cut to small cubes
• allow to cool overnight and remove from pan
• keep in airtight container

Foodnote: I have grated coconut in the freezer so I decided to make this. Used to make this with mum during Hari Raya. It is so yummy and irresistible but because it is too sweet... I can't make this regularly huhu. 

Fruit Salad

Ingredients

greek yoghurt (can substitute for cream)

condense milk

cheese

any fresh or dried fruits:

blueberries

apples

grapes

mixed canned fruits also can (but not healthy already hehe)

raisins

seeds etc.

Directions

• mix yoghurt and condense milk
• combined all other fruits/ingredients
• keep in chiller overnight before consuming

Foodnote: I remembered eating a nice fruit salad at a hotel once. So decided to make my own. Saw a keto fruit salad recipe that called for all purpose cream and condense milk. I just use whatever I have on hand: condensed milk, greek yoghurt, blueberries, an apple, a small can of mixed fruits and shredded cheddar cheese. I adjusted the milk+yoghurt to desired taste and tadaaa... super yummy fruit salad hehe. I topped it with some dried fruits and seeds that I have. Delicious and "healthy" dessert woohoo.

Basic French Baguettes 2023

Ingredients

500g strong bread flour

10g instant yeast

350g distilled water

20g sea salt

Directions

• in a mixing bowl, add water, flour and yeast and mix using dough hook > slow speed 4min then fast speed 4min
• add salt after 4min
• dough will be sticky
• transfer to working surface and using a scraper lightly tuck and round the dough till top is no longer sticky
• lightly dust the top with flour and transfer to bowl (smooth side up)
• rest it for about 1hr (max 2hr) then leave it in the fridge overnight
• next day dough will be bubbly
• flour woking surface and top of dough
• release the edge of dough with scraper and turn bowl upside down to transfer dough on working surface
• using a sharp scraper gently cut the dough (about 145-150g each) ~ will yield 6 baguettes
• shape baguette > create a spine in the middle, roll rop over to the spine, roll bottom to the spine... put the edges together and pinch together
• roll the edge of roll to sharpen the edge of baguette
• place into baguette tray with seam side down
• proof for 45min and score
• spray tray generously before baking
• bake at 220°C without fan at 3rd bottom level ~ add tray with ice to create steam
• remove ice tray at 5min and spray water on dough (may want to rotate tray for even baking)
• total 25-30min baking time till desired dark golden brown is achieved 
• I left it for 5min the oven with temp off before transferring to cooling rack

Foodnote: Impressed with the youtube video and decided to try it out. I tested with 50% portion so each dough is approx 145g. It seems easy. The only thing is need to use the mixer but that is ok. My scoring still need improving hhmmm. I think I can bake a little bit longer as the color looks a bit pale. Will try again soon.

To freeze: Bake for 5-8min and remove from oven. After bread is completely cool, shrink wrapped and put in ziplock. 

My Cousin's Prata Style Roti

Ingredients

2/3 atta flour

1/3 plain flour

pinch of salt

water

vegetable oil

Directions

• mix both flour together in a bowl and add in salt
• add water till a soft dough is formed
• rest dough for 1hr or leave it in the fridge till ready to cook
• when ready to cook, pre-heat flat pan or non-stick pan on low heat
• round dough into a ball and flatten it on a lightly floured work station
• put vegetable oil on the surface of the flatten dough
• roll the dough and roll spiral (as picture)
• roll the dough again to flatten as thin as possible
• cook on pan with oil just like a prata

Foodnote: When I went to KL after a work trip, my cousin cooked this for me (besides the yummy pakistani briyani). It is easy to make and very nice. Her pakistani husband taught her to make it and my cousin, the brother... insisted that she cooked it for me. It is just like a combination of chapati and prata. We ate with mince meat but I am sure it will be nice with curry or keema. Now... need to go and buy atta flour. 

Sourdough Bread with Great Oven Spring

Ingredients and directions same as here

Only difference is baking directions

• pre-heat dutch oven to 230°C for 30min or more
• transfer dough with parchment paper into pre-heated dutch oven and spray with water and quickly put the lid on
• transfer the dutch oven in the pre-heated oven and turn off the oven... yes turn it off!
• leave the dutch oven in the heated oven for 20min
• after 20min, remove the dutch oven cover, admire the oven spring and turn on the heat to 230°C with fan
• bake for 15-20min till desired color
• cool for few hours before serving

Foodnote: Wanted to bake a plain sourdough bread to eat with rendang or SCS butterscotch butter with butterscotch spreadable. Saw this tip online and I just have to try it because I love to see the oven spring. It didn't disappoint and it really gives a very impressive oven spring. I will probably be doing this from now on :) Always good to learn new things to improve my bakes.

Sourdough Bread with Inclusions

Adapted from here.

Ingredients best for 1 loaf

70g active starter

210g water

315g bread flour

7g salt

4g diastatic malt

Dry Inclusions: +/- 1 cup depends on ingredients and how much you want

For sourdough starter: I add 50% water + 50% bread flour to any amount of starter (1 tsp up to same amount of water/flour. Leftover scraping also can use) and leave it for at least 4hrs or overnight. Can use unfed starter but have to leave mixture up to 24 hours and then shape. Sometimes to speed up fermentation, place newly fed starter in oven and place a bowl of hot water beside it to create warm environment.

Directions

• in a bowl, mix starter with water
• add in bread flour, salt, malt and mix till even (to add dry inclusions eg. seeds, nuts, dried fruits at this stage)
• cover bowl and leave for 1hr 
• first fold and fold 2x after 30min (to add fresh inclusions eg. blueberries together with 1st fold)
• check for window pane... if not fold again 1-2x
• cover bowl again and let it proof till double in size (~ total 8 hours from mixing... up to 24hrs if starter have not been fed and not active)
• shape and place in banetton that have been lightly dusted with rice flour
• let rest for 30min and keep in fridge till ready to bake (~8hrs or within 3 days)
• bake with top bottom heat and fan at 230°C in pre-heated dutch oven for 20min covered
• open cover of dutch oven, and bake for another 10-15min depending on desired crust coloration
• let cool for few hours before cutting

Foodnote: Find that this works best so far for sourdough with dry inclusions so. This time I bake 1 loaf with Origins california treat that have almonds, black raisins, cashew nuts, cranberries, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I chopped the whole almonds and cashew nuts to make it smaller. The other loaf is with mixed citrus peels that I bought from Phoon Huat. Turns out well and inclusions are evenly distributed. 

Going to try the following flavours sourdough next:

- pumpkin cinnamon

- apple cinnamon

- orange or purple sweet potato

- fresh blueberries + lemon zest

- cheese + cranberry

- walnut + cranberry

- and many more woohoo

So excited to bake more sourdough to share with friends and families.