Homemade Sweet Bread

Chinese Naan

Cinnamon Rolls

Buttermilk Scones

English Scones

Homemade Butter Bread

Recipe

• 515 g Plain Flour/ 2 Tbsp Dried Yeast/ 65g Caster Sugar/ 1 tsp Salt/ 273g Full Cream Milk/ 1 Egg/ 50g Butter (Room Temperature)

Method

• Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Heat the milk in a pot until blood temperature (hot enough not to burn your finger when tested)
• Combine the milk with the dry ingredients, then add the egg.
• Using an electric mixer (i.e. KitchenAid) work the dough until the gluten starts to form. Then add in the butter.
• The dough will be sticky. Restrain from adding in anymore flour. Allow the electric mixer to continue to work the dough until a smooth and glossy dough is achieved.
• Allow the dough to prove until double in size.
• Preheat the oven at 180 C
• Portion the dough into 60g portions. Shape the dough into the shape desired.
• Allow the dough to prove again for 15 minutes or until double its size.
• Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Keeps for 3-4 days in an air tight container

Piroz(s)hki

 

Doughnuts II

Doughnuts

 

 

Recipe

 

• 515 g Plain Flour/ 2 Tbsp Dried Yeast/ 65g Caster Sugar/ 1 tsp Salt/ 273g Full Cream Milk/ 1 Egg/ 50g Butter (Room Temperature)/ Caster Sugar (Extra for coating)/ Vegetable Oil (Substantial amount)

 Method

• Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Heat the milk in a pot until blood temperature (hot enough not to burn your finger when tested
• Combine the milk with the dry ingredients, then add the egg.
• Using an electric mixer (i.e. KitchenAid) work the dough until the gluten starts to form. Then add in the butter.
• The dough will be sticky. Restrain from adding in anymore flour. Allow the electric mixer to continue to work the dough until a smooth and glossy dough is achieved.
• Portion the dough into 60g portions. Shape the dough into round buns.
• Allow the dough to prove until double its size.
• Take a round bun and puncture a hole through the centre. Do this to the rest of the batch. Once done allow the doughnuts to prove again for 15 minutes in a warm area.
• Preheat substantial amount of vegetable oil to 180 C.
• Place 3-4 doughnuts into the oil. Once placed in, flip the doughnuts. This allows it to achieve a its puffiness and cook evenly. Cook until when golden brown (or when poked, it bounces back)
• Transfer to a bowl with caster sugar and coat.
• Doughnuts must be consumed on the day. Leftover may be reheated in the oven before consuming.

Steamed Buns (Mantou)

Recipe

• 4 cups Plain Flour/ 1/3 cup Self Rising Flour/ 1/4 cup Caster Sugar/ 2 Tsp Salt/ 2 tbsp Dried Yeast/ 1 1/2 cup Warm Water (plus extra)

Method

• Mix all dry ingredients together, then add in the water. Knead.
• If required add in more water, but 1/2 cups at a time. Once dough comes together knead until a smooth and glossy dough is achieved (the gluten should be formed by this stage)
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap/ glad wrap and allow to prove in warm area until double its size.
• Prepare a steamer, oil the base of each steamer pan
• Portion the dough, then roll into round buns. Allow to prove for final time until double its size.
• Steam on high heat for 13-14 minutes. When done, release the heat by lifting one side of the steamer lid carefully, enough to allow the heat to escape. (This allow the buns to adjust to the room temperature, and will prevent the buns from shrinking)
• Leftover should be refrigerated. When want to consume, re-steam for 10 minutes on high heat.

Homemade Butter Bread

Russian Bread

I'm unsure whether this is the authentic way of making Russian Bread, but it is something that has been passed down from my mother, who had learnt it from hers. If I was to never mention it, I don't think anyone would have realised I was an eighth Russian. There's just no resemblance.

Having to live through consecutive days of hot weather, it is no better time than to make bread. With Chinese New Year around the corner, what best than to perfect my skills in bread making. Just last year did I post a recipe titled 'Traditional Russian Bread', however, for those who have tried it, may have realised that the measurements were not precise. This goes to having a bad memory and forgetting to take notes during the process.

Just today I tried incorporating two recipes together, hoping that it would solve my issues with this particular bread. And now, I would like to, very humbly of course, claim my success! I shall try over the next few days the same recipe again, just to prove that it was no fluke. We would definitely be having substantial amounts of bread around the house. I hope my dears are alright with it.

Steamed Chinese Buns (Man Tou)

Doesn't it feel great to be able to cook once again. After my return, we were off as a family to San Remo for a few weeks hence cooking wasn't as accessible. But that does not stop the passion juices from flowing for I have set out once again, and it looks to be a great year ahead.

Summer's a great time to make breads and buns, either steamed or over baked. Reason being, during the process of making the dough, we need to let the dough proof (or expand) before handling it. And only during summer, is proofing dough most effective.

Making Steamed Chinese Bun has always been a challenge for me, especially when I've experimented countless times. I've tried working with milk, cream etc, none of which has given me the best results. However, I was reading this site which used neither of the above mention. Instead, all they used was water. After so many setbacks, there really was nothing worth losing, hence I gave it a try. And to my amazement, it worked perfectly.

How do I know that? Well, after steaming to know whether your buns are good, when you remove the lid, the buns should retain their shape and not shrivel up into this brain like clump. Enough talk, here are the pictures.

Steamed Chinese Bun

Success once again. Grandma makes a good batch of these buns which I've never managed to replicate myself. Though its not perfect, I'm satisfied with what has been achieved for the time being.

A few more attempts shall do the trick. But first things first, back to nerding~