Lemon Chiffon Cake

First of all I would like to thank Cosy Bake for giving me this award. Have received it before from Lena before, but this is like the Oscars, it's an honor to receive it more than once. Because of our participation in Chingay, Boyfriend and I were given 2 free tickets to go to the Flyer which expires in March. Since it's FOC and me being keen on a been-there-done-that kind of person, I was game. Alright, it had more to do with the fact that it was a freebie.

Bad ass luck. The day before our anticipated ride, I discovered that it's closed. Flyer's website claimed that it's closed for routine maintenance from 21 to 31 March. Sigh. I guess I had to postpone the idea of a perfect date being locked up in a capsule stranded in midair.

Guess what, today is National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day! A little celebration to offset the disappointment. A little lacking on the lemony fragrance, but still tangy enough. The usual cloud-like, melt in your mouth texture as per the chiffons I've made from this book. Have been chiffon-recipe hopping and I still find Keiko's recipes the most reliable and yields the lightest cakes. No wonder it's a popular book amongst home bakers.

Am submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #5: Fruity March (March 2011). Lemon Chiffon Cake (modified from Keiko Ishida's Okashi)
Ingredients:
90g cake flour
5 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
60g canola oil
50g water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon's zest

5 egg whites (weighed mine to be 194g)
90g caster sugar
10g corn flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Sift flour twice
2. Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat well. Add water, canola oil, lemon juice and zest and stir to incorporate. Add flour and mix well until the batter becomes sticky.
3. To make meringue, combine sugar and corn flour. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add half the sugar and continue beating for a few minutes, then add remaining sugar and beat until egg whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.
4. Add one-third of meringue into egg yolk mixture and fold in lightly, then add remaining meringue and fold to incorporate completely.
5. Pour batter into an ungreased chiffon cake tube pan. Bake for 40 mins.
6. When cake is done, remove from oven and turn it over, leaving it to cool.
7. Once cake has cooled completely, carefully run a knife or spatula around the sides of the cake to loosen it before inverting onto a wire rack.

Coffee Chiffon Cake

I'm so going to dieeeee. Somehow all the recipes I've tried from Kevin Chai's book has failed so far...till now.

The failed chiffon...grrr...

Have seen other bloggers using his recipes and turning out fine. Seems like I'm the only one who kept tripping. Consulted ZY and we came to the conclusion - my eggs. My eggs are XXL in size thanks to my resourceful mom, each weighing from 65g to 75g. That explains why my chiffon cakes has been adhering to Newton's Law. Too much liquid.

Re-did the cake. Used less eggs this time round while maintaining the other ingredients' portion. Finally my chiffon cake finally hung onto the mold for its dear life, emerging tall and proud like a real man. The coffee is a little too acidic for my liking, but am relieved that I finally got my chiffon baking ego up and rolling again.

Guess I have to moderate my eggs for his future recipes. Have upped his ingredients ratio to suit my 21cm chiffon tin.

True blue chiffon, standing tall and proud

Coffee Chiffon Cake (adapted from Kevin Chai's Chiffon Cake Is Done)

Ingredients:
Egg Yolk Batter:
20ml (50ml) milk
1 (2) tbsp instant coffee powder
2 (4) egg yolks
20g (50g) caster sugar
20ml (50ml) cooking oil
40g self raising flour (100g top flour with 1 tsp baking powder)
(pinch of salt)

Egg Whites Foam:
2 (161g-4 egg whites) egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g (100g) caster sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C .
2. To make egg yolk batter, stir instant coffee powder with milk until melted. Combine with egg yolks, sugar, and oil in a mixing bowl. Fold in flour until batter is formed.
3. To make egg white foam, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until mixture forms soft peaks. Gradually add in sugar, beating at high speed until frothy and stiff peaks form.
4. Gently fold the beaten egg whites foam into egg yolks batter until blended.
5. Pour batter into ungreased 6" (16cm) tube pan. Bake for 30mins (40mins for 21cm) or until cooked.
6. Remove cake from oven, invert cake onto table until completely cooled.

Crispy Fried Soft Boiled Eggs

Last Saturday, NASA reported the moon would be closer to Earth than it had been in 18 years. Experts termed it the 'Super Moon'. Gave the excuse for photoshoot loving boyfriend to whip out his lens for a beauty shot for the moon.

Here's his take for the shiny egg of the sky.

And here's my take for the awesome eggs of my kitchen. Taah daaahh! Tasty crispy panko-crusted eggs with oozing gooey yolk.

Crispy Fried Soft Boiled Eggs

Ingredients:
Eggs (Up to 8 for the batter amount), cold
25g all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Bolognese blend spices
1 egg, beaten
40g panko breadcrumbs

Method:
1. Boil water in a saucepan, enough to cover the eggs
2. Put eggs into boiling water, & let it boil for 5-7 mins (I boil 2 at a time, did 5 mins 30 secs gives a runny yolk like mine. Will do 6 mins 30 secs for a more cooked yolk)
3. Remove eggs from boiling water & soak it in an iced water bath for >15mins
4. Prepare 3 bowls - First bowl: combination of flour, salt, pepper and spices blend. Second bowl: beaten egg. Third bowl: panko breadcrumbs.
5. Gently peel off cooled eggs' shells and coat them with flour mixture, then dip them into beaten egg, then finally rolling them in the breadcrumbs.
6. Heat a saucepan on medium high heat with cooking oil reaching up to the midway of the eggs' height.
7. Place coated eggs into the heated oil for about 15 to 20 seconds. Turning quickly just to brown both sides of the eggs. Remove eggs from oil as soon as it becomes golden brown.

Orange Cupcakes

Fancy having a younger sister who is much more mature than I am. Lucky me.

Then again all my close friends agree that I don't act my age. Pffftt.

My sister is the one who's always advising me and inspiring me. In fact she is the one who planted the seed in me that I should take up a Masters. Inception eh. We are pretty different in terms of character. She's frugal, I'm spendthrift. She's the cool cucumber, I'm the itchy backside. She listens to symphonic bands, I listen to rock bands. She drinks Vitagen, I drink alcohol. But yet we're equally cranky.

Her idea. I swear!

On a random note, one of our favorite past times is to talk to each other while one of us is pooping in the toilet, i.e. leave the toilet door open and spread some 'chocolate' baking love. Sisterhood banzai!!

So it's her special day this weekend. Am not able to catch her because she was out of the house the whole weekend. But here you go: Happy Birthday to sista! I'll do something with her favorite white chocolate when I'm a more able baker. Next year, next year. :P

Primrose cupcakes are wholesome, flavorful and more filling. Comparing their cupcakes to HummingBird, I prefer the latter because I have a weak spot for light fluffy cakes. My swiss meringue didn't turn out smooth and pretty this time, not sure what's wrong. It was weeping badly after a while. Ahh well.

Am submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #5: Fruity March (March 2011).

Orange Cupcakes (adapted from Cupcakes frm the Primrose Bakery)
(makes 12 regular sized cupcakes, 20 for me)

Ingredients:
110g unsalted butter, room temperature
225g caster sugar, preferably golden (I use 200g)
2 large eggs, free range or organic
150g self raising flour, sifted
125g plain flour, sifted
90ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature (I use whole)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated zest of 1 orange (you need 1 tsp)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12 hole muffin tray with the appropriate size cupcake cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 mins using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few mins after each addition.
3. Combine the 2 flours in a separate bowl. Add 1/3 of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in half the milk and beat well. Add another third of the flour and bet again. Beat in the reminder of the milk and all the orange juice. Finish by adding the last third of the flour and the orange zest and beat well. If the mixture looks like it is curdling slightly, don't panic - simply add another spoonful of plain flour and beat well.
4. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for abt 25mins (17mins for me) until lightly golden brown. To check they are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of one of the cakes - it should come out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for abt 10 mins before carefully placing on the wire rack to cool.

Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 large egg white, room temperature
50g granulated sugar
90g unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 tsp orange zest
few drops of food coloring (optional)
6 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

1. Set egg whites and sugar in a bowl over gently simmering water and whisk until all sugar has dissolved and eggs are hot to touch, for abt 3mins. You can test if it's done by rubbing mixture in between fingers to see if there are still any gritty bits of sugar left.
2. Remove bowl from water and beat egg mixture on high speed until mixture has cool .completed and formed stiff and glossy peaks, for abt 10mins.
3. Add butter one tbsp at a time, and beat until incorporated before adding in the next tbsp.
4. Add orange zest and beat until just combined.
5. Add food coloring if you have and mix till it's well blended.
6. Add icing sugar to thicken the meringue.
7. Pipe as you like.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

First of all I will like to thank Lena for this award! Really an honor to receive this. It's my first award ever, and I want to thank my papa and my mama and my sista and my smelly puppy.

Here are the rules to abide in order to accept this award and they are:
1. Post linking back to the person that gave you the award
2. Share 7 random things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered blogs
4. Drop them a note and tell them about it.

So here's the randomness:

1. I was an avid gamer. Used to be a hardcore raider in World of Warcraft. It was like my 2nd job. Practically eat and sleep in front of the computer. Then I decided that I needed a life after 2 years, and I tendered resignation to my Raid Leader.
2. Flew to US alone during Winter '08 to meet my American friends. Had the best vacation ever. Road trip to LA, Vegas, SF. While they're at work, I wander around the suburbans by myself, talk to strangers on the streets. That explains why I'm so into American TV and their food.
3. Wanderlust me! Thrilled by the idea of travelling, even to exotic places like India or Peru. Rather backpack by foot than go for packaged tours.
4. One of the proudest moments in my life was completing a full marathon.
5. My weight fluctuates like a woman's pms mood swing. Was at 63kg at my heaviest and 46kg at my lightest.
6. Am furthering my studies this July, because I want to put myself to challenge of time management. Considered doing it overseas but that will put a strain to the pockets, so nope.
7. I like dogs, cats...and virtually all kinds of animals. Feel a lot of sympathy for them. Maybe I'll do up a stray cat blog post soon when I have the time :D

Will like to forward the award to the below lovely bloggers! Sorry if some of you have already received this award before, that's just cos you're simply awesome.
1. Busygran from A Busy Gran's Kitchen
2. Cathy from Cathy's Joy
3. Edith from Precious Moments
4. Jasmine from The Sweetylicious
5. Jess from J3ss kitch3n
6. Jane from Passionate Abt Baking
7. Jo from Sugar & Everything Nice
8. Johnson from I'll Snap That
9. Joyce from Chunky Cooky
10. Nancy from Bake for a Queen
11. Vivienne from Green Cilantro
12. Wen from Wen's Delight
13. Wendy from Table for 2...or more
14. Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids
15. ZY from Baking Library

It's Irish soda bread muffins for St Patrick's Day! It's fun to have a reason to bake something festive for a holiday when it's almost non existent over here haha. The four-leave clover and lotsa lotsa green are considered the most symbolic of this festive holiday.

I was really intrigued by how the original soda bread works. It's a bread, but it does not require any yeast to work. It's made of the simplest ingredients with no add-ins...not even sugar! Probably because of how poor the people were back then, and sugar was a luxury. Now here's a little more fanciful version with butter, sugar and some raisins.

The quick bread portion is tender and isn't as sweet as our usual cake-like muffins. The natural sweetness of raisins makes up for the lack of flavor. Honestly I think they're not much different from normal muffins. Now I'm even more curious to try how the original Irish soda bread tastes like. But I do hope I get some of the said Irish luck eating these muffins!

Irish Soda Bread Muffins (adapted from Nick Malgieri's Modern Baker)
(makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:
280g all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds, optional
113g unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
300ml buttermilk
105g raisins tossed with 1 tbsp flour

Method:

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 180°C.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and caraway seeds, if using, in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar. Whisk in the egg and half the buttermilk. Use a large rubber spatula to gently stir half the flour mixture into the liquid. Stir in the remaining buttermilk.
4. Stir in the raisins followed by the remaining flour mixture.
5. Divide the batter equally among the cavities in the muffin pan. Bake the muffins until they are well risen and feel firm to the touch, abt 30 mins. Cool the muffins in the pan on a rack.

Matcha Cupcakes

Friend wanted to get a DSLR, so we went to the IT Show during the weekend. It was a crowd pushing frenzy. There were a few moments where the crowd literally got stuck in the human traffic where we couldn't even move an inch for a good 10 seconds or so. Thankfully the Canon booth was situated outside the show itself.

Photoshoot-loving friends were psycho-ing me to get a better camera too but I chickened out in the end haha. Think I'll pass for the time being. I don't even know how to fully maximise the capabilities of my current point-and-shoot camera, needless to handle a professional camera. Clicking a DSLR in auto mode is such a shame, and that's what's gonna happen if I own one.

So we went to the Barrage and the photographers played with their cameras.

Light painting!

Cool. I feel like a super hero now.

Made matcha cupcakes the next morning. I thought the green looks pretty mutant-ish as I didn't use the best quality matcha powder. But ahh well. Love the earthy green tea fragrance emitting from these little cakes. If you're a fan of green tea, you'll love these little bite sized darlings.

Matcha Cupcakes (modified from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)
(makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting:
300g icing sugar (Used 115g)
50g unsalted butter, room temperature (Used 40g)
1 1/2 tsp matcha powder
125g cream cheese, cold

Method:

1. Beat the icing sugar, butter and matcha powder in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
2. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Cupcakes:
110g all purpose flour
120g caster sugar
10g matcha powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 egg

Method:

1. Line a 12-tin cupcake tray with paper cases. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Put the flour, sugar, matcha powder, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
3. Pour in the milk and beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are well mixed (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).
4. Add the egg and beat well for a few mins.
5. Spoon the cupcake mixture on top until 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins, or until light golden and the cake come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the cupcakes are cold, pipe the matcha cream cheese frosting on top and decorate as desired.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I'm kind of puzzled as to why this book got negative ratings on Amazon.com. Yes, the frostings are crazily sweet, but don't most American cupcake books have insanely sweet frostings? Other than that, the ideas and mixing method is innovative and totally unique. I was thrilled to dig my fork into the cupcakes when I finished decorating them and was swooning away when I had a bite.

I think to truly enjoy this book is to follow the steps with a bit of your instinct and discretion on the description on how the batter/cupcakes should turn out to be. The ingredients proportion may not be entirely accurate, but it's a refreshing change from the usual high-flour-ratio/lots-of-butter cupcake recipes. Highly recommend this book to all you baking book librarians out there.

The cupcakes are awesome! The cake is moist and tender. A little on the sweet side, but not that I'm complaining. The digestive biscuit crumbs add a crunch to the soft cake. Rich tangy cream cheese frosting adds a fuller body to the whole taste experience. Lastly, a little strawberry surprise awaits you when your fork hits the bottom of the cupcake. My favorite cupcake so far.

Am submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #5: Fruity March (March 2011).

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes (adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)
(makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Frosting:
300g icing sugar (Used 115g)
50g unsalted butter, room temperature
125g cream cheese, cold

Method:

1. Beat the icing sugar and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
2. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Cupcakes:
120g all purpose flour
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, room temperature
120ml whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
12 large strawberries, chopped (165g for me)
200g digestive biscuits (25g for me. 200g is way off)

Method:

1. Line a 12-tin cupcake tray with paper cases. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
3. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are well mixed (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).
4. Add the egg and beat well for a few mins.
5. Divide the chopped strawberries between the paper cases. Spoon the cupcake mixture on top until 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins, or until light golden and the cake come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Roughly break the digestive biscuits and put them in a food processor. Process until finely ground. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the cream cheese frosting on top and finish with a sprinkling of finely ground biscuits.

German Bread Roll

I told ya you'll be seeing more bread bakes from me. Kneading this bread really manhandled my hand mixer, the latter was roaring hot air from the motor and the dough hooker was so warm that it sort of heated up the dough as well.

But before that, let me share with you my first paintball experience hehe.

I think we look like terrorists -_-

Visited Johor Bahru with my friends the past weekend for paintball, and of course for food and shopping. The girls were freaking out when we hear the impactful popping from the air gun and contemplated opting out. Been scared by multiple dimension-ed bruises we see on our friends' Facebook photos as well. Turns out that the pellets don't hurt as much, that means the bruises look much more painful than it really seems. It's not really that painful...more of like a mosquito bite. So do try it if you have the chance to. It's an experience! Pain is temporary, Glory is forever. HAHAHHAHA

Battle scar

Happy bellies...burp!

Back to the bread which almost killed my hand mixer. There's nothing German-ish looking about it. In fact my boyfriend thinks it looks more like a pineapple bun. Honestly I don't know what this bread is, until I made it. It has a hard crust and soft chewy insides, reminds me of the warm bread I'll eat with butter in fine dining restaurants. And from the looks of it, looks like I need to practise more on rolling my bread dough.

German Bread Roll (adapted from孟老师的 100道面包)

Ingredients:
250g bread flour
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3g instant dry yeast
150g water
10g unsalted butter, room temperature

750g water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Parmesan cheese powder for sprinkling

Method:
1. Combine flours, sugar, salt, yeast and water and beat at low speed with a dough hooker mixer, then turn to medium and knead until you have a smooth dough

2. Add butter and knead with low speed until well combined, then increase to medium speed and knead till dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Cover dough with shrink wrap and let it proof for 80mins.
4. Divide proof-ed dough into 5 portions and roll them into balls. Place each ball on top of a square of parchment paper. Let them rest for 20mins.
5. Boil 750g water with salt and baking soda.
6. Add the dough balls along with its attached parchment paper into the boiling water. Ensure that the water level covers the entire ball and let each ball boil for 5 secs before placing it on a baking tray.
7. Sprinkle cheese powder over each ball. Bake bread in a 180°C preheated oven for 18mins.

Coconut Vanilla Bean Muffins

Have had a hectic week. Been so long since I'm able to go home straight after work. Honestly I've been feeling kinda cranky lately. Kinda down and disappointed with the way certain things are turning out. Also feel bad that I was unable to attend some of the gatherings which my friends whom I've not seen for ages, had organised. Sheesh. Sometimes I really wonder if I'm trying to do much more than I can handle. Moreover I'm planning to further my studies this coming July which I was initially all enthusiastic about. Now I'm kinda worried if it means giving up some time on the activities I'm engaged in now.

But it's a challenge ain't it? Have to motivate myself more. Sigh. Maybe I'm experiencing some kind of crossroad-in-life crisis or something heh.

My previous posts were actually post dated bakes from a week or two back. Wanted to bake for 'real' but can't find the time to. What I mean by 'real' baking, is making whole cakes haha. Had to make do with quickie bakes like these. But engaging myself into baking relieves me of the frustration momentarily.

Was kinda anxious to see how the muffins turn out because the batter looks different from my usual lumpy muffin mix. It was gritty instead and relatively less wet. Was excited when vanilla fragrance filled the kitchen by the time they are due to be out from the oven. The muffins came out with little jagged golden brown crusted tops, totally rustic looking. The coconut milk gave it a different undernote from normal muffins. Makes it scoring a perfect ten on the aroma department. Though a little on the dry side, nothing like good ol' strawberry jam to moisten up the little fellow. For me, I like it warm with a spoonful of honey.

Coconut Vanilla Bean Muffins
(makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:
210g plain flour
100g sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
75g unsalted butter, melted
50ml coconut milk
10ml milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla powder
Vanilla pod seeds, scraped from 1 pod
2 tbsp vanilla yogurt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 15 medium sized muffin paper cups on the muffin tray.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine butter, coconut milk, milk, egg, vanilla pod and yogurt.
4. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and fold in wet mixture into it. Stir until just combined. It's okay to have a few floury lumps here and there.
5. Bake for 14 mins and transfer to wire rack to cool

Parsley Milk Bread

Got addicted to this bread baking business. Kinda excited to home-bake what I usually buy from the local bakery. Baking bread is not hard, but it is very time consuming waiting for the bread to proof.

It was fun letting people guess what the green bits on the bread are. Seaweed was a popular guess, but nope, it's parsley! Bread was light and fluffy, but I would think my previous bread was softer for some unknown reason, maybe it's my kneading time? The parsley filling was really tasty - smooth fragrant sweet butter backed with a hint of saltiness. I had some leftover parsley butter which I used them to make scrambled eggs and it tastes really delicious!

Parsley Milk Bread (adapted from 孟老师的 100 道面包)

Ingredients:

Bread:
150g bread flour
50g low protein flour (I use top flour)
15g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2g instant dry yeast
130g milk
15g unsalted butter, room temperature

Parsley filling:
30 unsalted butter, room temperature
10g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp milk
1 tsp dried parsley

Beaten egg for egg wash

Method:

1. Combine flours, sugar, salt, yeast, and milk at low speed with a dough hooker mixer, then turn to medium and knead until you have a smooth dough
2. Add butter and knead with low speed until well combined, then increase to medium speed and knead till dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Cover dough with shrink wrap and let it proof for 80mins.
4. Divide proof-ed dough into 6 portions then roll them into balls. Cover with shrink wrap and let them rest for 10mins.
5. Shape into 15cm oval shaped dough and place them on the baking tray. Cover baking tray and let them proof for another 30mins.
6. For parsley filling, combine butter, sugar, salt and milk and beat until smooth, then add in dried parsley and stir till well combined.
7. Cut a slit in the middle of the dough, then let it proof for the last 10mins.
8. Brush dough with egg wash and pipe the prepared parsley filling into the slits on the bread.
9. Bake bread in a 175°C preheated oven for 18mins.

Crispy Sugar Topped Buns

This is my very first time baking bread and it is a success! Hooray! Bought a pack of bread flour last year when it was on sale, thinking I'll have good use for it some day. And the day never really quite came until I did a stock check to find that the flour will be expiring in a few months to come.

Found this really good book where the author is highly raved by many bloggers. My only qualm is the book is in Mandarin, so I have to guess what some of the words mean. It can be pretty frightening for a baker to translate the name of an ingredient wrongly too. So much for being a Chinese. Even the name of the bread is loosely translated by me, but never mind you get the idea. Am going to translate the recipe into English, apologies if the directions sound weird.

The bread is soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside with the sugar coated top. The texture dampened down the next morning but it taste as good as freshly baked once you warm it up.

Crispy Sugar Topped Buns (adapted from孟老师的 100道面包)

Ingredients:

Bread:
200g bread flour
20g low protein flour (I use top flour)
30g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3g instant dry yeast
5g cheese powder
15g egg
120g water
20g unsalted butter, room temperature

Sugar Topping Paste:
40g unsalted butter, room temperature
25g sugar
20g low protein flour (I use top flour)

Beaten egg for egg wash

Method:

1. Combine flours, sugar, salt, yeast, cheese powder, egg and water and beat at low speed with a dough hooker mixer, then turn to medium and knead until you have a smooth dough
2. Add butter and knead with low speed until well combined, then increase to medium speed and knead till dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Cover dough with shrink wrap and let it proof for 60mins.
4. Divide proof-ed dough into 8 portions then roll them into balls. Cover with shrink wrap and let them rest for 10mins.
5. Shape into 15cm oval shaped dough and place them on the baking tray. Cover baking tray with shrink wrap, let them proof for another 30mins.
6. For sugar topping paste, combine butter and sugar and beat until fluffy. Add in flour and stir until you get a paste consistency.

7. Brush egg wash over the bread dough and pipe the sugar topping paste over them.

8. Bake bread in a 175°C preheated oven for 18mins.