Wholegrain Raisin Buns

I checked back my blog and found that I have been 3 months never update my blog. June and July were my busiest months as I traveled a lot with my family.

Now, it is time to start warming myself at the kitchen. I tried to bake some European buns today. Maybe I have been too long did not interact with my oven. I over-burned the buns which have a very dark bottom with taste like a charcoaled coffee bean.

Anyway, I will try to bake this bun again because this bun is very healthy, eggless, less oily, need not to wait window panel and I can apply some flour on my hands when kneading.

Recipe adapted from 石師傅的面包教室 at page 193。

Baking Time: 15~20 mins

Oven Temperature: 180C upper heat, 160C lower heat (My oven has only one heat for both, so I use 180C)

Yield: 7 buns

Ingredients:

180g    High Protein Flour

1.5g     Salt

3g        Instant Yeast

120g    Water (I used cold water)

9g        Butter

65g      Raisin

27g      Walnut (I omitted this)

Topping:

Wholegrain or Oatmeal

Methods:

1. Soak raisins in the water for 15 minutes and. Drain the raisins and set aside. (This is to prevent the raisins becomes too dry after baked).
2. Sift high protein flour into the mixing bowl. Add in salt, sugar, yeast. Pour in water.
3. Use the mixer to knead the mixture.
4. Add in butter when the dough is formed. Continue to knead the dough.
5. Add in raisins and knead the dough till smooth and elastic. (I made a mistake by soaking the raisins for hour. When I added it in the mixer and knead, the raisins melted into the dough and no trace of raisins anymore. Then the dough turned out brown color. If the raisins were soaked only for few minutes, it won’t be melted into the dough.)
6. Take out the dough. If it is too sticky, you can add in some flour to form a round shape. Rest it in a container or cover with cling foil. Let it proof for 2 hours or till it becomes double of its original size.
7. Knead the dough to let the air comes out. Rest the dough in the container again for 1 hour.
8. Divide the dough into 50g each and shape it. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
9. Sprinkle some water on the small dough; it will help the wholegrain sticks on the dough.
10. Put the wholegrain or oatmeal in a bowl; roll the dough in the bowl. Arrange the buns on the tray nicely. Set aside to rest for 1 hour.
11. Bake the buns in the preheated oven at 180C upper heat / 160C lower heat or 180C for 15 – 20 minutes.

Soft Sweet Buns

I made the buns last week according to my friend’s recipe. The buns were really soft. It was tedious because of waiting the dough to proof. Anyway, this is the recommended type if you like to eat soft bun.

Oven Temperature: 200C

Baking Time: 12-15 minutes

Yield: 12 Buns

Ingredients:

(A)

280g    High Protein Flour

3.5g     Instant Dry Yeast

167g    Cold Water

(B)

120g    High Protein Flour

8g        Instant Dry Yeast

6g        Salt

80g      Castor Sugar

15g      Milk Powder

27.5g   Cold Water

40g      Eggs (1 Egg)

40g      Butter

29g      Shortening

(C) For Glazing

1          Egg White

1tbsp   Water

(D) Fillings: (Optional)

Chicken Floss

Cheddar Cheese

Hotdog

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix well ingredients (A) without electrical mixer. Cover with cling wrap or towel and let the dough to proof in double size. This will take around 4-5 hours.
2. Mix the proof dough with ingredient (B) except butter and shortening. Knead the dough mixture till the flour is well combined. 
3. Add in butter and shortening. Continue to knead until it becomes smooth and elastic (non-sticky as well). (I used KA mixer to knead it at speed 3-4 for 20 minutes.)
4. Put the dough in a tupperware with cover and rest it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 50g each. Set aside for 15 minutes.
6. Shape the dough and put some fillings.
7. Allow the dough to proof for 1 hour at 40C. (I put it in the oven without switch on the temperature, but put a bowl of hot water underneath the tray.)
8. Brush the dough with glaze and bake at 200C for 12-15 minutes. 

Pork Floss Buns

Today I try to make sweet buns again as I was not making a good bun last Thursday.

This time, I use KA mixer to knead the dough at speed 2 for 20 minutes. Then, I knead the dough by hand for about 1 hour till the dough does not stick to my hands and I can stretch it till it becomes a thin mask.

I follow the steps from 周老師的美食教室 as she has explains clearly how to make a good dough with steps by steps photo. This is a very useful website!

Recipe adapted from 周老師的美食教室第127篇

Baking Time: 15-20 minutes

Baking Temperature: 175C

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

(A)

180g                Water

1/2tbsp            Instant Dry Yeast

320g                High Protein Flour

80g                  Superfine Flour

80g                  Castor Sugar

1tsp                 Salt

16g                  Milk Powder

1                      Egg

(B)

40g                  Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

(C) Mixed Well

1                      Egg Yolk

1/2tbsp             water               

(D)

Mayonnaise

Pork Floss

Method:

(1)   In a mixing bowl, put all ingredients (A) and use the lowest speed to knead the mixture. Change to higher speed when the mixture is well combined.

(2)   Add in unsalted butter and continue knead at higher speed. (Different mixer needs different speed and time. I use KA mixer at speed 2 for 20 minutes and knead the dough by hand for 1 hour).

(3)   The dough is done when you knead it till you feels it is no more sticky and it can be stretched to become a thin mask (please do not add flour when you knead the dough).  

(4)   Put the dough in a big bowl and cover it tightly. Let it proof for 2 ½ hours.

(5)   Wait until the dough becomes double in size. Test the doneness of the dough: Use one finger to poke the dough, if it holds the indentation, then it’s ready.

(6)   Use your hand to knead out the air from the dough.

(7)   Divide the dough into 12 pieces, each at 45g.

(8)   Round it and let it rest for 15 minutes.

(9)   Roll the dough into your favorite shape. Brush with ingredients (C).

(10)Put the ready dough in oven with a bowl of hot water at the bottom of the oven for final proof, approximately 55 minutes.
(11)Brush the dough with egg yolk mixture. Bake the dough at preheated the oven at 175C for 15-20 minutes. 

(12)Remove the buns from the mould and let it cool on a rack. 

(13)Put some mayonnaise on the top of the buns and sprinkle some pork floss. 

Fish Floss Buns

I have one big packet of fish floss, which is brought all the way long from Singapore by my hubby. It tastes just nice, not too salty and not too sweet. Today, I try to follow Jane's recipe for making a soft bun with content of this fish floss.

This is my 2^nd time to make buns. You can say I am still an amateur and do not know how to knead a good dough. So, I try to have simple buns, not so fancy with mayonnaise around and not garnished by the egg yolk.

Bun making method adapted from Jane’s corner.

I am lazy to translate it into English version. So, you have to bear with me by reading the text in Mandarin. :D

Baking Temperature: 180C

Baking Duration: 12-15 minutes

Yield: 9 Buns

65度汤种：

1. 在250g水中，加入高筋面粉50g, 搅拌均匀。
2. 放到瓦斯卢上加热， 需不断搅拌， 防锅底烧焦。
3. 面糊加热至65度离火（面糊在搅拌时， 会有纹路出现的状态）。
4. 在面糊表面贴上一层保鲜膜， 降温后使用或放入冰箱隔天取出使用。*多出的汤种可以收入冰箱内，保存数天。

内馅：魚肉絲

面包材料：

• A: 210克高筋面粉，60克普通面粉， 20克奶粉，30克细糖，1/4小匙盐，6克即溶酵母
• B: 60克全蛋，80克水，75克汤种
• C: 25克无盐奶油 (如果用有鹽奶油，就不需要放1/4小匙鹽）

 做法：

1. 把A和B的材料倒入搅拌盆中, 使用搅拌器先慢速搅拌。
2. 搅拌均匀后,  转成中速继续搅拌。
3. 搅拌成团及有筋性时, 才加入C, 用慢速搅拌, 再转中速。搅拌至可拉开薄膜的阶段。
4. 取出面团, 放入已经抹油的大碗中,  让它发酵成双倍大（約1小時）。
5. 把面团取出, 排气, 将面团分成12份, 每份约30克, 滚圆,  松弛15分钟。
6. 把小面团擀成圆形, 包入魚肉絲, 捏紧收口。
7. 进行最后发酵約30分鐘。
8. 面团发酵完毕, 放入预热180‘C的烤箱, 烤12-15分钟。   

hmm... I should have put more fish floss instead

one big and one small for my kid's tomorrow nursery class

Fruit Cake

Thanksgiving day is just around the corner. I was thinking of baking x'mas fruit cake for a pilot run. I never had a chance to bake this cake mainly because it is too rich and full of fruits and nuts which I do not really like.

Anyway, I baked one yesterday as the "trial version". The look was not so bad. However, the mixed fruits I bought from the hypermarket way too sweet. Maybe, next time I need to find unsweetened mixed fruits.

I found this recipe from the book which I bought in year 2004 and only just started reading the book recently. >.<

Oven Temperature: 190c
Baking Time: 60 minutes or until cooked
Mould Size: 9"


Ingredients:
(A) 170g     Brown Sugar
     1/2tsp   Salt

(B) 120g     Margarine
     100g     Butter
       7g       Ovelette

(C) 250g    High Protein Flour
     1/2tsp  Baking Powder

(D) 240g   Eggs (approx. 4 eggs)

(E) 20ml    Fresh Milk

(F) 400g   Mixed Fruit
     150g   Walnuts (roasted & chopped) (** I omitted this ingredient)

Methods:
(1) Mix ingredients (B) and ingredients (C) together, and beat at low speed for 30 seconds. Change to high speed for 3 minutes.
(2) Add ingredients (A) and beat for 3 minutes at high speed.
(3) Add eggs one by one slowly. Blend until well mixed.
(4) Pour in milk and mix well.
(5) Add ingredients (F). Mix well and steam bake for 60 minutes or until cooked.