Strawberry butter

After making into strawberry jam, you can just simply mixed in some softened butter to make into strawberry butter!

It tasted great with wholemeal bread.

Strawberry jam

Since I bought many strawberry from my recent Taiwan trip, think of making into jam. Strawberry in taiwan is cheaper , cost NT150 per 600gm

Recipe :

Fresh strawberry 500gm
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
Sugar 350gm

Quartered strawberry . Cook all the above till thick.

Hotdog Wavy Bun & Cream Cheese Wavy Bun -微波面包

Hotdog Roll

using Laughing Cow Cream Cheese and raisin 

I make again another version of the wavy bun... so fluffy and delicious bread using prefermented dough.
Recipe as found here.

Durian Fresh Cream Cake

Durians are in season now. Since i have got a container of durian sitting in my fridge, i decided to make this cake.

Recipe as below :-

5 yolks
45 gm oil
25 gm sugar
45 gm milk
85 gm flour, cake

Mix all the above till well combined.
Preheat oven at 180 C . Lined a sheet pan , i used 26 x 36 cm .

5 whites
60 gm caster

Whisk the above till near stiff peak.
Add 1/3 of the whites into the yolk batter. Mix well. Add the yolk batter back into the balance of the whites. Mix carefully not to deflate the air bubbles.

Pour into the sheet pan, baked for 15 mins or till golden brown.

Let cool & prepare the fillings.

Fillings ingredients :-

Durian puree
Dairy Whipping Cream
Sugar to taste

Whipped the whipping cream with sugar , add in the durian puree and mix well,

Slice the cake into 3 portions and sandwich with the durian cream.
Fridge overnight .

Micro-wavy Bread - Sweet & soft buns 微波面包

Got this recipe from a chinese blogger. This is my second try , first time try in pandan flavor.

Recipe as below :

Prefremented Dough :
201gm bread flour
50 gm egg
1t instant yeast
16 gm milk powder
73gm fresh milk

Roughly mix all the above , set aside to rest & proof for an hour, covered.

Main dough :-

67 gm Bread Flour
54 gm brown sugar
3/4t salt
27gm fresh milk
43gm butter

After an hour, tear the prefremented dough into small pieces. Mix in all the above main dough ingredients except butter. Knead well to form a rough dough, then add in butter.
Knead till you get a smooth shinny dough , no need to reach membrane stage

Use a rolling pin, roll the dough 15 x to form a flat rectangle. Then divide the dough into 40 gm each.
Shaped round & rest for 5 mins.
After 5 mins, roll flat into a rectangle shape & roll up like a swiss roll. Let rest for 5 mins .
After 5 mins, roll flat again & roll up like swiss roll , arranged in the baking pan.

Proofed for an hour or till double. Brush with egg wash & bake at 180C for 15 mins.

This recipe is a keeper! Short time and no need to knead till membrane stage but still yield a soft & sweet bun.

Bourke Street Croissant

Hectic....at last..I managed to make this croissant. It took me 3 days to complete this. And worst still the butter keep oozing out from the dough. Very messy and stressful day cos i need to bring the dough in and out from the fridge to prevent the butter melting in our hot climate.
I have to even turn on the air con to make the laminating process easier. I also proof in the air con room so as not to melt the butter too much!!

Recipe adapted from Jane Chew Blog. Thanks to Jane for her kind sharing of this wonderful recipe

Croissant Recipe：adapted from Bourke Street Bakery cookbook

Ingredients：makes 18 croissants

Croissant pre-ferment：

• 100g bread flour (chill)
• 55 ml milk (chill)
• 5g soft brown sugar (chill)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (chill)
• 5g fresh yeast  (1g instant yeast)
• 20g unsalted butter, soften

Final dough：

• 392g bread flour (chill)
• 550ml milk (chill)
• 60g soft brown sugar (chill)
• 15g salt (chill)
• 35g fresh yeast (8g instant yeast)
• 500g unsalted butter, for laminating the dough (chill)

Egg wash：

• 1 egg，100ml milk，a pinch of salt (put all in a bowl and whisk with a fork until well combined. Set aside until needed).

Method：

1. To make the pre-ferment, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until it becomes a ball. Knead it for about 10 minutes until becomes elastic and smooth. If using electric mixer, using dough hook and mix on low speed for 3 minutes.
2. Put the pre-ferment in a bowl covered with plastic bag and leave at room temperature for 2 hours to ferment. After, store the pre-ferment in the fridge overnight (this can be kept for few days in the fridge).
3. To mix the final dough, divide the pre-ferment into 8-10 small pieces, mix it together with all other ingredients, except butter, in a mixing bowl until a dough ball is formed.
4. Transfer the dough ball to a bench and knead for 10 - 15 minutes (by hand) until the dough become smooth and elastic, and doesn't tear when streched gently. If using electric mixer, using dough hook, mix on low speed for 3 -4 minutes, followed by high speed for another 2 minutes.
5. Put the dough in a bowl covered with plastic bag or cling wrap and refridgerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Before starting the dough laminating (i.e. incorporating butter into the dough) remove the butter from the fridge. Pound the butter with rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper into 20cm flat square (about 1cm thick).
7. Take the croissant dough out of the fridge, using a ligthly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 20 x 40 cm. Place the butter in the centre of the dough and fold th dough over the top. Seal the edges of the dough together to ensure the butter is completely enclosed in the dough.
8. Gently and carefully roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 20 x 90 cm. Fold the rectangle from one long end by 1/3, so the dough is now 20 x 60cm. Folf the other one long end over the top so that the dough is now 20 x 30cm.
9. Wrap the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
10. Take the dough out of the fridge and rotate the dough 90 degree so that the dough will be rolled in opposite direction from previous fold. Repeat this folding and resting process twice more.
11. Once the dough has been rolled n folded 3 times and had a final rest in fridge for 20 mins, it is ready to be pinned and shaped into croissants or used to make pan au raisin, pan au chocolate, danishes or praline twists.
12. Take the laminated dough out of the fridge and roll it out into a rectangle about 25 x 100cm with 5 -8 mm thick.
13. Cut the dough into 18 triangles with 9-cm base and 21-cm height. Stack triangle sheets on baking sheet/papers and chill for 10 minutes.
14. Take the chilled triangles out of the fridge and shape into croissants. Gently stretch it out slightly. Strating from the base and roll up towards the tip, pressing the tip of triangle to make the triangle longer. Pull away two corners at the base and roll it towards the tip to secure.
15. Place croissants on the tray. Cover loosely with a damp tea-towel. Set aside in a warm room (25-27C)  (i proof at air con  room ) for 1-2hrs, or until almost doubled in size. Spray the tea towel  with water occasionally if it becomes dry.
16. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Preheat the oven to 240C. Remove tea-towel, brush the top of wach croissant lightly with egg wash and place in the oven. Reduce oven temp to 190C and bake for about 15 mins, or until a deep golden colour. Cool slightly on tray before serving. 
    
    
    
    
    Am very happy with the result . Very Buttery 
    
    
    and very flaky . Look at the below photo of 
    
    
    layers.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

The Yam Affair - Yam Bread & Yam Mantou

Yesterday and today....i made some yam mantou and yam bread.

Yam Mantou recipe created by wendyssw


(a) Starter Dough
130gm pau flour
2t instant yeast
100ml lukewarm water

Mix well the above and let rest for 15 mins. Then divided into two equal weigh of 115 gm.

(b) Yam dough
115gm of starter dough
85gm yam - steamed and mashed
100gm plain flour
50gm caster sugar
3/4 t Double action Baking powder
3t corn oil
35ml water
a drop of yam paste

(c) Plain dough
115gm starter dough
185gm plain flour
50 gm caster
3/4 t DABP
3t corn oil
50ml water


after the starter dough rest for 15 mins, add in (b) and mix till smooth (i mixed using the bread maker for 30 mins) . cover and proved for 45 mins or till double .

Do the same to (c) plain dough.

After 45 mins, lightly knead dough to release air.
Let rest for 10 mins , covered.
after 15 mins, roll plain dough into a rectangle shape. brush with some water.
Rolled the yam dough into a rectangle shape and put on top of plain dough.
Lightly press and rolled up like a swiss roll.
Cut into equal size and

Let proved second time for 15 mins or till double .
Steam high heat for 8 mins.

Yam Bread

Recipe adapted from Honeybeesweet

Prefremented dough :-
65gm Plain flour ( i used organic bread flour)
40 ml warm water
1/2t instant yeast

In a mixing bowl, roughly mix all the above together till become pliable dough.
Place dough in a container, covered and place into fridge for 4-6 hrs

Main Dough:-

All the above prefremented dough
250 gm bread flour
10 gm skimmed milk powder
135 gm Yam - steamed & mashed, chilled
40 gm caster sugar
1t instant yeast
1/4 t salt
180 - 200 ml water ( add only as per needed)
30 gm butter

Method :-
knead all the above till reached membrane stage. Covered and 1st proof for an hour or till double.
Lightly knead to release air.

Butter Yam Mini Bun

rest the dough for 10 mins. Divide dough . I made 7 pcs 75 gm dough & 12 pcs 25 gm mini bun.
5 pcs of 75gm dough i made into small sandwich loaf. 2 pcs of 75 gm made into hotdog bun.
The 12 pcs mini bun, i wrap a pcs of butter inside. roll up.

Second prove for 45 mins or till double.
Loaf pan - bake 180 C for 20 mins
Mini buns & hotdog buns - 15 mins.

Cooled completely before storing in an air tight container.

Result : can't really see the yam inside the bread.  But can smell yam .

Fish Shaped Mooncake ^^ Happy Mooncakes Festival 2012

Happy Mooncake festival 2012 ! Today we did a small celebration at home.
This will be my last mooncake post for this year

 Recipe Adapted from Honey Bee Sweets. blogspot.com

Mooncake Skin :-

Makes 12 Mini Fish Mooncakes

225 gm Hong Kong Flour
135 gm Golden Syrup
1t alkaline water
55 gm Vegetable oil

240 gm Lotus paste

1) Measure out the Golden Syrup, alkaline water & oil into a small bowl.
2) Add in the flour, stir & knead till pialable dough ( does not stick to your hand)
3) Covered & rest for 30 mins.
4) Meanwhile , weigh the lotus paste to 20gm each. Rolled into ball .
5) After 30 mins resting time of the moon cake skin, weigh the skin dough to 25 gm each.
Wrap the lotus paste into the skin dough and put into the fish mould shape.
6) Dislodge the mini fish mooncake into a lined baking tray
7) baked at 170 C for 10 mins. Set aside to cool
8) Brush with egg wash & return to bake for another 15 mins.

Ready to go into oven.

Steamed Flower Bun with Crispy Bacon

Recipe adapted from a cookbook  by 孟老师
(Makes 7 pcs flower roll)

135gm water
250gm plain flour
15 gm sugar ( i used 40gm , cos i feel not sweet enough)
1T oil
3/4t yeast

Chopped bacons- fried  (i added)

Method :
Mix all the dough ingredients and knead till soft & smooth.
set aside , covered, rest for 5 mins
roll into a rectangle shaped , width 35 cm x 15 cm
Brush with some oil and spread the chopped bacon over the dough.
Shaped into flower roll.
Rest for 30 mins or till double.
Steamed from cool water for 17 mins. Turn to medium heat once water is boiling.
After 17 mins, off the fire and let stand for 3 mins before opening the lid.

A Birthday Cake - Chocolate Cake with Light Ganache & laquer Glaze

Today was hubby birthday. Despite renovation going on in our house, I managed to make a cake for his birthday. It was a chocolate cake made from clarified butter. It was soft and full of bitterness from the chocolate ! simple and elegant . I topped it with strawberry.

Lucious Strawberry 

Recipe adapted from wendyinkk.blogspot.com

Thanks wendy for sharing the wonderful recipe!!

shiny glaze...simply beautiful!

Recipe for Chocolate cake :-

60 gm clarified Butter - melted and add in 1t vanilla extract

60 gm cake flour-sieved

38gm cocoa powder (1 used valhorna cocoa powder)- sieved together with flour

5 grade A eggs

200 gm sugar ( i used 150 gm)

Preheat oven at 180C. Double boil egg & sugar, whisking till egg mixture is warm and sugar melted.

Remove from heat and whip the egg mixture till ribbon stage.

fold in flour & cocoa powder. Taking care not to deflate the air bubbles.

Drop 1 Cup of egg batter into the clarified butter. Mix well and pour back to the egg batter. Fold batter till well mixed. Bake in a 9" pan for 30 mins.

Light Ganache recipe:-

250 ml whipping cream

184gm Dark bitter chocolate

Warm up cream till you see small bubbles appeared at the side. Pour warm cream into the chocolate . Leave to stand for a minute. Then stir till all chocolate melted. Covered and fridge for at least 6 hours (i frigde overnite)

When ready to use, just whipped till thick and frost immediately

Lacquer Glaze :-

39gm cold water

1-1/8 tsp gelatin

100 gm sugar

59 gm water

21 gm corn syrup (i used golden syrup)

50 gm cocoa powder

58 gm whip cream

Place 39gm water in bowl & sprinkle in the gelatin. Let sit for 5 mins.

Cooked the sugar in 59 gm water till melted .. Turn off heat and add in the syrup and cocoa powder, followed by cream. stir well. return to heat till bubbles appeared at the side. Turn off fire and strained the mixture. Add in the gelatin, stir well. Leave to cool in fridge till 26 C before pouring to glaze cake

Once cake ready, slice into half, spread the whipped light ganache and let set in fridge for 2 hours before pouring the glaze. 

Happy Birthday Hubby !

want a bite ? Creamy and delicious! make sure you used dark bitter chocolate

Try it , you won't regret ! Cos the glaze was amazing!