Wholemeal Bread

Recipe Source:   Corner Cafe's with some slight modifications


Ingredients:

Water-Roux Paste (湯種): 
25g bread flour
125ml water

• Mix flour and water in a normal saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until it reaches 65ºC (should thickened to a paste at this stage) and when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and place a cling film over the paste (making sure that it touches the paste) and leave until lukewarm before using.

Main Dough:
 400g wholemeal bread flour
120g plain flour
30g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
10g active dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
195g lukewarm water
50g Rice Bran Oil 

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• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine bread flour, plain flour, yeast, caster sugar and yeast into a mixing bowl. 
• Add in the water-roux paste, then gradually add in the lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Add in oil gradually and continue to knead until fully incorporated.   At this stage, the dough should be able to stretch to form a thin membrane before it breaks. 
• Form the  dough into a ball and place it in a greased stainless steel bowl.  Cover with a cling film and leave in a warm place  until  the dough doubled in size.
  [To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger into bread flour and poke into the centre of the dough.  When you pull your finger out, the hole should remain.  If the dough springs back, then it should be proved further.]
• Punch down the dough to knock the air out. 
• Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll into balls.  Rest for 10 minutes. 
• Flatten the dough and roll them up like swiss-roll.
• Place the rolls into greased loaf pans and cover with greased clingfilm.  Leave them to proof until they are nearly doubled in sizes.   
• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
• Bake the loaves for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.   
• Once they out from the oven, brush the top with melted butter. 

Fried Cubic Noodle (Char Kuih Kak)

When Poh made Cubic Noodles in MasterChef-All-Stars recently it brings back memories of the popular street food in Malaysia - Char Kuih Kak  or fried Loh Bak Go (Radish Cake). 

Ingredients for the cubic noodles (rice cake):   I halved the recipe from my  Chwee Kueh recipe (Serves 3)

110g rice flour
2 tbsp tapioca flour (or cornflour)
1 tbsp wheat starch
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

• In a mixing bowl combine rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat starch, salt and cold water together.  Stir in oil. 
• Pour boiling water into the batter and stir until batter is smooth.
• Pour into a 17cm round pan and steam over boiling water for about 25 minutes or until cooked.  
• Cool the rice cake thoroughly before cutting into cubes.  

Ingredients for frying cubic noodles:

3 tbsp chopped pickled radish (chai poh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
a few sprigs of chinese parsley
beansprouts (about 3  handfuls)
oil

Seasoning:  (to taste)
dark soy sauce
light soy sauce
sugar
salt & pepper

• With about 2 tbsp of oil, pan fry the cubic noodles until golden brown.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Stir fry the pickled radish and garlic until aromatic. 
• Return the cubic noodles to the wok.
• Push the cubic noodles to the side of the wok then crack eggs into the centre and scramble until egg is just set.
• Pour in seasoning.  Toss well to combine.
• Finally add in beansprouts and chinese parsley.  Toss until well combined and heated through.
• Serve while it is hot. 

Sweet Pandan Buns

Recipe Source:   Corner Cafe's

(Makes 16 buns)


Ingredients:

Water-Roux Paste (湯種):

25g bread flour
125ml water

• Mix flour and water in a normal saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until it reaches 65ºC (should thickened to a paste at this stage) and when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and place a cling film over the paste (making sure that it touches the paste) and leave until lukewarm before using.

Main Dough:
 
375g bread flour
100g plain flour
35g milk powder (omitted)
75g caster sugar
3/4 tsp salt
7g instant dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
150g (approx.) lukewarm water
40g butter (substituted with 40g Rice Bran oil)

1 tsp pandan paste

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• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine bread flour, plain flour, yeast, caster sugar and yeast into a mixing bowl. 
• Add in the water-roux paste, then gradually add in the lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Add in oil gradually and continue to knead until fully incorporated.   At this stage, the dough should be able to stretched to form a thin membrane before it breaks. 
• Take out half of the dough.  Add pandan paste into the other half and knead to combine.
• Form the two pieces of dough into balls and place them in a greased stainless steel bowl.  Cover with a cling film and leave in a warm place  until  the dough doubled in size.
  [To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger into bread flour and poke into the centre of the dough.  When you pull your finger out, the hole should remain.  If the dough springs back, then it should be proved further.]
• Punch down the dough to knock the air out.  Rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the two pieces of dough and stack them together.  Roll up tightly to form a roulade. Cut into 16 pieces and roll into balls. 
• Place the buns onto a greased baking tray and cover with greased clingfilm.  Leave them to proof until the buns nearly doubled in sizes.   
• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
• Bake the buns for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.   
• Once they out from the oven, brush the top with melted butter. 

Yoghurt White Bread

On a gloomy, chilly winter day, what's nicer than filling the house with the wonderful aromas of freshly baked soft and fluffy bread ...

Recipe Source:  Corner Cafe's Sweet Bun Dough (scalded flour version) recipe by Alex Goh.

Ingredients:

Scalded dough:

100g bread flour

70g boiling water
30g water (room temperature)

• Add boiling water into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough.  Rest for 5 minutes.  Then gradually add in the room-temperature water and mix into a pasty dough.   Cover with a clingfilm and set aside to cool.   Refrigerate for 1 hour (I left mine in the refrigerator overnight).

Main Bread dough:

300g bread flour

100g plain flour

70g caster sugar
75g Greek yoghurt

9g (1 tbsp) active dry yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

100g (approx.) lukewarm water

2 tsp salt
60g butter, cut into small chunks

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flours, sugar, yeast and egg together.  Add in the scalded dough and yoghurt, then gradually add in the lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

• Add in butter and continue to knead until fully incorporated.  
  [At this stage, the dough should be able to stretched to form a window-like thin membrane without breaking].

• Shape the dough  into a smooth ball and place in a greased  bowl.  Cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  Then place it in a warm, moist and draught-free place to allow the dough to rise until at least double or nearly triple its original size.
  [To determine if the dough has risen long enough, poke a floured finger into the  dough.  When you remove your finger, the dough shouldn't spring back at all.  If the dough springs back immediately, it is underproved and needs more time to proof further.]

• Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down by pressing the dough out evenly with your hands.

• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and roll them into balls. Rest for 10 minutes. 
   
• Flatten the dough and roll them up like swiss rolls.

• Place the rolls into greased loaf pans and cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  For final proofing, leave them to rise in a warm, moist and draught-free place until they nearly doubled in size.   

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

• Brush the loaves with egg-wash and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

Orange Ogura Cake (香橙相思蛋糕)

 

The Ogura Cake (相思蛋糕) 'bug' has been spreading all over the food blogosphere lately and fellow bloggers have been raving about this delicate spongy, airy and light cake.   I seem to have finally caught the 'bug'  too, I think it is the name 相思蛋糕 which caught my attention - what a name for a cake!  According to Min, she said it is actually called Ogura Cake, sounds Japanese to me  ^_^    Since I came across her beautiful  Green Tea Xiang Si Cake two weeks ago I've been wanting to try my hand at this and yesterday I finally got around to it.  My children are not keen in anything with green tea, so orange is the best bet.   

Ingredients:

A:

45g Rice Bran Oil

80ml fresh orange juice

zest of 1 orange

1/4 tsp salt

100g egg yolks

1 whole egg 

65g cake flour

B:

200g egg whites

65g caster sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.  Line the base of a 18cm square pan. 
• Beat together oil, egg yolks, whole egg, salt, orange zest and juice until frothy.
• Sift in flour and mix well.  Set aside.
• In a clean and dry mixing bowl, with an electric mixer whisk egg whites until frothy.  Add in cream of tartar..  Gradually add in sugar and whisk until soft peak forms.  
• Gently fold beaten egg whites into the egg yolks mixture and stir until just combined.  
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake  for 50 minutes using "water bath" method.
• Invert the cake on a wire rack to cool. 

"Water Bath" method:

• Place the cake pan into a larger shallow roasting pan.
• Fill the roasting pan with hot water (about half way up the sides of the cake pan).

 Note:  Be sure to wrap the cake pan with aluminium foil to prevent water from seeping in.

Coconut-Cranberry Scrolls

Sadly my Coconut-Cranberry Scrolls didn't turn out as pretty as  Helena's Kitchen's.  Maybe I didn't roll the scrolls tight enough .....?

Recipe Source:   Corner Cafe's Overnight Soft Dough and Coconut Fillings from Helena's Kitchen

(Makes 16 buns)

Ingredients:

Overnight Poolish:

150g bread flour

150g lukewarm water

1/8 tsp dry active yeast

• Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until incorporated.  
• Cover with clingfilm and let it proof for about 1 hour in a warm place, then refrigerate for at least 16 hours (at this stage it should be bubbly).
• Before using the poolish, let it return to room temperature.

Main Dough:

250g bread flour

100g plain flour

15g milk powder (omitted)

50g caster sugar

6g (1¼ tsp) salt

5g (1¼ tsp) dry active yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

75g lukewarm water

50g butter, cut into small cubes (replaced with Rice Bran Oil)

Coconut Filling:
50g dessicated coconut
85g caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
20g plain flour
50g butter, melted

½ cup dried cranberries, chopped into small chunks

• Mix everything together except the cranberries.  Set aside.

To make the bread dough:

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine bread flour, plain flour, yeast, caster sugar and yeast into a mixing bowl.
• Add in the room-temperature poolish, then gradually add in the lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Add in oil gradually and continue to knead until fully incorporated.   At this stage, the dough should be able to stretched to form a thin membrane before it breaks. 
• Form the dough into a ball and place it in a greased stainless steel bowl.  Cover with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place  until  the dough doubled in size.
  [To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger into bread flour and poke into the centre of the dough.  When you pull your finger out, the hole should remain.  If the dough springs back, then it should be proved further.]
• Punch down the dough to knock the air out.  Rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the dough.  Spread coconut filling on the dough and sprinkle cranberries over it.
• Roll up the dough into a log and cut into 16 pieces.
• Place the scrolls onto a greased baking tray and cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  Leave them to proof until  nearly doubled in size.   
• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
• Brush the scrolls with egg-wash and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.   

Sweet Buns

Recipe Source:  Corner Cafe's Sweet Bun Dough (scalded flour version) recipe by Alex Goh.

Ingredients:

Scalded dough:

100g bread flour

70g boiling water
30g water (room temperature)

• Add boiling water into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough.  Rest for 5 minutes.  Then gradually add in the room-temperature water and mix into a pasty dough.   Cover with a clingfilm and set aside to cool.   Refrigerate for 1 hour (I left mine in the refrigerator overnight).

Basic Sweet Bread dough:

300g bread flour

100g plain flour

80g caster sugar

20g milk powder (omitted)

9g (1 tbsp) active dry yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

175g (approx.) lukewarm water

1 tsp salt
60g butter (replaced with 60g Rice Bran Oil)

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flours, sugar, yeast and egg together.  Add in the scalded dough, then gradually add in the lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

• Add in oil  gradually and continue to knead until fully incorporated.  
  [At this stage, the dough should be able to stretched to form a window-like thin membrane without breaking].

• Shape the dough  into a smooth ball and place in a greased  bowl.  Cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  Then place it in a warm, moist and draught-free place to allow the dough to rise until at least double or nearly triple its original size.
  [To determine if the dough has risen long enough, poke a floured finger into the  dough.  When you remove your finger, the dough shouldn't spring back at all.  If the dough springs back immediately, it is underproofed and needs more time to proof further.]

• Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down by pressing the dough out evenly with your hands.

• Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.  Rest for 10 minutes.  Round the pieces of dough into balls.

• Place the buns onto a greased baking tray and cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  For final proofing, leave them to rise in a warm, moist and draught-free place until the buns nearly doubled in size.   

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

• Bake the buns for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.  

• Once the buns are out from the oven, brush the top with melted butter. 

Lemon-Orange Curd

Yield 1¼ cups of curd

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

85g caster sugar

50ml lemon juice

50ml orange juice

40g butter, chopped into small cubes

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar until combined.  Add in lemon and orange juice and continue to whisk until incorporated.  Strain into a stainless steel bowl.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure that the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water).  Whisk continuously until it thickens and custard-like.  Whisk in butter.  
• Remove from heat and pour into a container.  Cover immediately with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming.  The lemon-orange curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Refrigerate.  (Keep up to a week)

Suggestions:  Use as a spread for crackers, scones or filling for tarts, pies, cakes, swiss roll, etc etc.

Raspberry Muffins

Adapted from Joyofbaking

(Makes 12)

(A)

1 cup orange juice

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 orange zest

(B)

230g plain flour

30g almond meal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

100g sugar

1/4 tsp salt

125g frozen raspberries

• Preheat oven at 190 degrees C.  Line muffin pan with paper cups.
• (A)  Whisk everything together in a bowl.
• (B)  Sift everything into a  separate bowl.  Toss raspberries in a tablespoon of flour.  Shake off excess flour and set aside.
• Fold wet ingredients (A) into the dry ingredients (B).  Stir quickly.
• Gently stir in frozen raspberries.
• Fill the muffin cups to 2/3 full.  
• Bake for about 18- 20 minutes.

Raspberry-Lemon Ricotta Cake

Technically,  Ricotta is not a cheese because it is made from a cheese by-product (whey).   The name Ricotta is derived from the Latin word 'recocta' which means 're-cooked' or 'cooked twice'. 

I don't usually use ricotta for baking but since I have some leftover from cooking, I thought I'd try to bake a cake with it.  The texture of ricotta is a little grainy and has a slightly sweet flavour.  It also has a high moisture content compared to most cheeses; so for a cake recipe the moisture has to be drained out  for a drier consistency.   Line a strainer with a cheesecloth or muslin cloth and spoon the ricotta into it.  Gather the edges of the cloth around the ricotta and tie it loosely.  Place the strainer over a bowl and let it drip dry for about 15 - 20 minutes.  You may use a spoon to gently press out the excess liquid.

 

Ingredients:

150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
3 eggs (180g), separated
200g ricotta , drained
150g self-raising flour
100g almond meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup frozen raspberries (or fresh)- toss with flour to coat and shake of excess flour
1/4 cup almond flakes (for topping)

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• Grease and line an 18 cm cake tin.
• Sift flour together with baking powder.  Add in almond meal and whisk to combine.  Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in egg yolks one at a time.  Then beat in the ricotta.  Add in lemon zest and juice; stir until combined.
• Fold in the flour mixture.
• In a clean and dry bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold into the ricotta & flour mixture.
• Gently fold raspberries into the batter.
• Pour batter into cake tin and sprinkle some almond flakes on top.
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until cooked.

Hummus

Ingredients:

400g cooked chickpeas
1/4 tsp seasalt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp cooking liquid **
2 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 cup sesame seeds- lightly toasted

Chickpeas:

• Wash and soak chickpeas overnight.
• Rinse the chickpeas and add to a pot of boiling water.  Cook until very soft.
• Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid for later **

Sesame Seeds:

• Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan under low heat.  Keep stirring and fry until light brown.  Set aside to cool.
• Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a blender into a fine powder. 

 To make Hummus:

• Put cooked chickpeas in the food processor and blend.  Gradually add in reserved liquid (from chickpeas).  Continue to blend until smooth.
• Add in garlic, lemon juice, sesame powder, oil,  salt and pepper.  Add more liquid if required.  The paste should be thick and creamy.
• Serve hummus with pita bread or crackers.

Eggplant Dip

Ingredients:

500g eggplant
1 red capsicum
6 cloves garlic (leave the skin intact)
2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted and grind to powder
salt & pepper, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
3 - 4 tbsp olive oil

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Cut the eggplants into halves, lengthwise, with the skin on. 
• Cut the capsicum into quarters, lengthwise. Remove the central seeds and membrane.
• Rub eggplants, capsicum and garlic cloves with olive oil and place them onto a baking tray, cut-side down.  Put in the garlic cloves
• Roast for about 35 - 40 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft and the skin of the capsicum charred and blistered.
• Remove from oven.  Transfer the eggplant to a bowl to cool.  Then scoop out the flesh.
• Transfer the capsicum to a sealable plastic bag and set aside for 15 minutes.  Then peel the skin off.
• Place the flesh of the eggplant, capsicum, roasted garlic (without the skin), sesame powder, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a food processor.   Process until smooth or to a consistency that you preferred. 
• Serve with pita bread, crackers, etc.

Pita Bread

Inspired by Tyler Florence's recipe


Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
280g bread flour
1 tsp olive oil
 

• Put yeast,  sugar and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Let it stand until foamy. Stir in salt and olive oil. 
• Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.  Turn mixer on to low speed and add in flour gradually.  Mix for about 5 - 6  minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough around the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl.  Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size (it will take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
• Place a pizza stone in the oven.  Preheat the oven (and stone) to 170 deg C.
• Punch down the dough. Divide the dough into balls and keep them lightly floured and covered.  Allow the balls of dough to rest for 15 minutes.
• Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle about 4mm thick. Cover the discs as you roll them out.
• Put the pita rounds on the hot pizza stone and bake for about 4 minutes or until bread puffs up like a balloon and is light golden. 
• Remove bread from the oven and cool them on a rack.  
• The bread will deflate once they are cool, leaving a pocket in the centre.  To keep bread soft, wrap them in a kitchen towel.
• Serve with dips, eg. Eggplant dip

Coconut-Cranberries Muffins

Adapted from this recipe

[Makes 12 muffins]

(A)
260g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt

(B)
250ml orange juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 rice bran oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange

(C)
50g dried cranberries
40g dark chocolate, chopped
40g dried shredded coconut + extra for topping

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper lines.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together (A).
• In another bowl, whisk together (B).
• Fold the wet ingredients (B) into dry ingredients (A) and stir quickly and gently until ingredients are combined and moistened.
• Then stir in (C).
• Fill the muffin cups with batter and then sprinkle some shredded coconut on top.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the muffin pan.