Muscovado Bak Tong Go ( steamed cake)

    Muscovado sugar...

Orange Sweet Potato Ondeh Ondeh ( Malaysian kuih)

Earlier on, I made purple sweet potato ondeh ondeh, it was too good so I made another different batch using the same recipe.

before boiled, divided into 15g each.

after boiled, so pretty colour..
my children prefer not the "fine" dessicated coconut for this time.

this is always welcomed in the family, one of the best Malaysian kuih.

Plain Mantou ( burger buns)

                                    

More mantou....

German grain bread

Another great recipe from my old cookbook.
This German grain bread, has to be popular in German baking.  It said the loaf is great to go with hard cheese, smoke fish, cured meats and pickles.  Also, it tastes best after it has matured for a day.

A flavourable loaf made from wheat and rye flours, with oats and flaxseeds...

Recipe from: The Complete Bread and Baking book
Makes 2 small loaves  ( I made a large one instead)
Ingredients:

30g  Steel-cut oats  (grinded using my coffee grinder)
455g  unbleached white bread flour
170g  rye flour
30g   flaxseed
15g  coarse see salt, crushed or ground
280ml lukewarm water
140ml  lukewarm milk
2 and 1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast ( plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar for yeast mixture)

extra flour for dusting
extra milk for glazing
extra flaxseed for sprinkling

a large baking sheet, light greased

 

well risen dough, punch down air bubbles after.

shape and let rise in room temperature until size is doubled.
Just before baking, make a slash , brush with milk to glaze, sprinkle with more flaxseed.

Wrap tightly in aluminium foil, let rest in room temperature for one day before slicing.

Method (slight alteration)

1.  Prepare the yeast mixture:
  Mix the sugar with 4 tablespoons lukewarm water (from the same mixture), let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it become foamy.

2.  Meanwhile,  in a large warmed bowl, mix well all dry ingredients :400g white flour, rye flour, oats, flaxseed and salt.  Make a well in the bowl, pour in yeast mixture and the remaining liquid.  Mix everything into a rough dough form.  Cover and leave for 10 minutes.  Gentle knead, fold and stretch for 10 seconds. Cover and leave for 10 minutes. Do twice more for the 10 minute interval.  Dough should be smooth and glossy by now.  Cover with a damp cloth, let it rise in room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours. ( my kneading method here: adapted from Dan Lepard)

3.  Punch down the risen dough. Shape it and arrange it on the prepared baking tray.

4.  Cover with damp cloth and let it rise again at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour  ( I had it much longer).  During the last 15 minutes of rising, heat the oven to 425F ( 220C).

5.  Use a sharp kinfe, make a slash lengthwise down the center of the loaf.  Brush with milk to glaze, sprinkle with more flaxseed.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the underside.  Let it cool completely on wire rack.  Wrap tightly in aluminium foil and let it rest in room temperature for one day so the flavour mature.

Note: I used steam baked method, meaning a pan filled with hot water is placed on the lowest rack of oven.

I like breads risen in room temperature!

A very good loaf.

Dark Blueberry Bran Muffins

 Muscovado sugar, un-refined and not as sweet..which is good!

100% Wholemeal Muscovado Mantou

    Love the flavour of muscovado sugar...

Red Dates Healthy Mantou ( pepitas)

                    Another Mantou experiment using red dates, tasted not bad at all :)

Gojiberry Pumpkin Wholemeal Mantou ( flaxseed)

This experiment was satisfactory, I used a smaller batch here.

Easy Wholegrain Pumpkin Banana Bread

    This recipe is simple and and easy to follow.
    Moist, 100% whole wheat bread combining two flavours in one tasty loaf.

I used a large loaf pan resulting thin layer, this way I can slice them in square cubes instead of the usual bread loaf look. 

      From:  King Arthur Flour
    Ingredients

    1/2 cup ( 8 tbsp) soft butter     ( I replaced half portion with olive oil)
    2/3 cup brown sugar   ( I used 1/2 cup)
    3 tbsp honey
    2 large eggs
    1 cup mashed pumpkin
    1 cup mashed banana, riper the better
    2 tbsp orange juice / water   ( I used lemon juice)
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 and 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
    1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 cup diced pecans toasted  ( I used chopped walnuts)
    2 tbsp pumpkin seed crunch /  1 tbsp coarse sugar to sprinkle top

rest for 15 minutes uncovered, ready to be baked now.

   Method
   1.  Pre-heat over to 350F.  Grease 8 1/2" x 4" x 1/2 loaf pan.  ( I used a large loaf pan, that's why it      looked thin.  I intended to slice them in cubes ).

   2.  In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, honey, eggs, pumpkin, banana, juice and vannila extract.

   3.  Add in flour, baking powder,  soda, salt and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.

  4.  Mix in the nuts.

  5.  Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle top now.  Let it rest in room temperature for 15   minutes.

  6.  Bake for 55 to 70 minutes  ( I had mine for 70 minutes).
  Insert skewer in the centre of the loaf to see that it comes out clean, and that same skewer inserted  about 1/2" into the top of the loaf doesn't encounter any totally unbaked batter.

  7.  Remove out of the pan and let it cool completely.  Store overnight before serving.

super......super moist!

Matcha Nuts Biscotti and Egg Yolk Sponge Cake

  I used the recipe from Nutty Slice Biscotti for this, added one tablespoon Matcha powder and took away one tablespoon flour from the recipe.

Pumpkin Steamed cake

This is the same recipe as the Never Fail Lo Bak Go, I only had 200g pumpkin mash that was frozen earlier on, thawed it and used it all here.  The result was perfect, we enjoyed it.

Sweet Potato Pecan Buns (Dan Lepard)

Yes, Dan Lepard again...I am still learning a lot from his recipes :)

Dan makes it so easy here, from the beginning to end. I found myself barely kneading at all.:)
All ingredients blended in so well.....just perfect.

super moist, soft fluffy buns.

Recipe: Dan Lepard (The Guardian
Ingredient

My kids love it so much.

400g sweet potato, peeled
375ml boiling milk
75g unsalted butter
2 oranges, zest finely grated, plus 125ml juice
30g caster sugar
7g sachet fast-action yeast
1kg extra strong flour
2 tsp salt
A little oil, for kneading


For the filling:
150g shelled pecans
150g brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cornflour
Melted butter, to finish

Rather sticky dough to work with.. 

quite tricky for me to roll it up as the dough is rather sticky

Method
1.  Grate sweet potato into a bowl, pour on the boiling milk. Add butter in pieces, then the zest, juice and sugar.  Stir, leave until barely warm, then stir in yeast, flour and salt.  Mix everything to a soft dough. Cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Lightly knead the dough on an oiled surface for 10 seconds, return to the bowl. Cover and leave for an hour, do one or two more light kneads in that time.

2.  Lightly flour the working surface, roll dough out to about 1 cm thick. Finely grind pecans, sugar, cinnamon and cornflour, spread this mix over the dough, drizzle with a little melted butter.

3. Roll dough into a tight scroll, slice into 12 wheels, sit them 3 by 4 on a large tray with parchment paper.

4.  Let it rise for 1 hour, bake at pre-heated oven at 200C (180C fan assisted)/390F/gas mark 6 for about 30 minutes, until golden.

Note: I used steam bake method, meaning a pan filled with hot water is placed at the bottom of the oven.

the caramelised part is yum!

Pink Seeded Mantou

Rose syrup water is used to create a beautiful pink look, I can't really taste the flavour here.

Poolish method is used here again, my favourite way of making Mantou so far.  I like chewy and dense Mantou, this is it.

I made mini buns, hm....I still prefer burger size buns!

Olive Oil Polenta Crackers ( Dan Lepard)

    These are really crispy and snappy crackers.

Basic Homemade Noodle

Because I had some important stuff to do, I had to speed up my noodle making, so these slurpy things could have been better than what I have currently. Anyway, for a first attempt, I was quite pleased with the result.

Wholemeal Mantou (steamed bun)

                                     More Mantou.., my chinese burger buns!

Wholemeal Rye Mantou (steamed bun)

                                                               Chinese burger buns...

Kibbled Wheat Mantou (steamed bun)

I added kibble wheat here.   The first bite is like eating a rice bread.    Next bite, you further get this soft chewy kibbled wheat going in your mouth.  Love it..

I have been reading Bread Bible book and got fascinated with all kinds of starter dough methods used in recipes.  Poolish method is a fairly wet sponge pre-ferment, using one part flour to one part water etc. (weekend bakery)

This brings a flavourful,  nice chewy texture,  perfect to have it as for my burgers or sandwiches.

moist, chewy, soft healthy Mantou

White Loaf ( black rice)

A very good recipe, taken from a very old cookbook that I've kept for a decade :)

Because of the requested cool temperature of the water used for kneading, the dough actually took longer to double in size than the dough for the basic loaf, up to 2 and 1/2 hours.  Also, it was to be risen at room temperature.  As a result of this, the texture turned out well. It is a light, even, firm and moist bread.  I was very happy with it.

I had 120g of frozen left over black rice added in here as well.

From: The Complete Bread and Baking Book
Ingredient ( make 2 small loaves or a very large loaf like mine here):

Unbleached white bread flour  680g
Salt  15g
Instant dry yeast   2 and 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar  1/2 teaspoon
Water from the cold tap  430ml ( I used filtered cool water)
Cooked black rice  120g
Oil ( about 1 tablespoon to oil hands and oil bowl and oil top surface, to make the kneading job easier)

I saved half of the loaf in the freezer.
 The loaf will keep good for four days and can be frozen for a month.

risen dough after 2 hours

Method

1.  Mix yeast, sugar and 3 tablespoons of warm water in a bowl.  Stir and dissolve yeast completely.  When it turns foamy, it is ready to be used.

2.  Salt in one corner of flour mixture.  Pour in yeast mixture, then gradually pour in water and the black rice. I used chopstick to stir, mix and bring everything together into a rough dough.

3.   Cover and leave for 10 minutes. Light knead and fold for 10 seconds, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Do that twice more for the 10 minute interval.  Dough should be glossy, smooth by now. Cover and let it rise in room temperature until the size is doubled  ( it would take up to 2 and 1/2 hours). 
Note: my kneading method here (adapted from Dan Lepard).

4. Punch down the risen dough, cut dough in half. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope. Braid the dough.

5. Cover and let it rise again at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour ( do not overproof or it would become enormous, or they will collapse during baking). During the last 15 minutes of rising, heat the oven to 220C. ( Get set for the steam bake now, a pan filled with hot water placed at the bottom of the oven. This is to create steam, moisten and preventing cracks that might occur).

6.  Egg wash the loaf. Bake for 15 minutes at pre-heaed oven 220C. Reduce oven temperature to 200C and bake for further 10 to 15 minutes.  Insert a skewer and see that it comes out clean / turn loaf out of the pan and tap it with your knuckles, a thoroughly baked loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.  ( for mine, the bottom needed a little more time, so I turned over the other side which means the bottom is facing top, covered it loosely with a foil, further baked for a short moment).

  

This is actually a large loaf of bread.  You may like to make 2 loaves.
Or, divide into rolls... or,any kind of traditional styles of loaves.

Beautiful Australian native plant I saw during my morning walk.

Lychee Agar Agar

Days are getting warmer here,  these agar agar are just good for us now.
Who wouldn't like Lychee?

Pandan Kaya Swiss Roll

Pandan goes really nice with Kaya...

Super moist and light..

Recipe:  Muimui
Ingredients
80g plain flour
20g corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
50g castor sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp pandan juice
90g coconut milk
30g canola oil
1/4 tsp pandan paste ( optional)


4 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar ( I used lemon juice)
50g castor sugar
80-90g kaya

Oops! I forgot to snap some photos of how you roll the cake..

Method
1.  Line bottom and side of 35x 27x3cm tin with parchment paper ( I sprinkled castor sugar over the top of the parchment paper).

2.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt .  Set aside.

3.  Beat yolks and sugar until sugar is well dissolved and colour turns pale and light.  Add in oil, pandan paste, coconut milk, flours, baking powder and salt.  Mix all until smooth.  Set aside.

4.  Whisk whites until foamy, add in cream of tartar.  Continue to whisk in two more batches until it reaches stiff peak.

5.  Pour 1/3 whites into yolk batter to lighten the texture.  Fold in two more batches of whites until batter become smooth and no lumps appear.

6.  Pour batter in the lined tin and bake in pre-heated oven at 200C for 15 minutes ( I used the steam bake method, meaning a pan filled with hot water is placed on the bottom of the oven.  This is to create steam to help moisten the cake, preventing any cracks that might occur).

7.  When it's done, let it rest for 5 minutes on cooling rack then invert it over the other side.  Let it cool completely, spread kaya on the cake and roll it up ( together with the parchment paper on the outer part, roll the cake slowly and tightly, wrap the two ends too).

8.  Keep in the fridge for an hour.  Slice and serve.