Rustic Bread ( Natural grape levain)

Framboisier

Apple Crumble Tart

I've heard about crumble related tarts, pies which claimed to be most hassle-free bakes of all but they didn't draw my attention at all, until lately I've tasted this applie crumble tart, baked by a friend from our sewing group, Hmm.

Like the soft caramel apple filling , the crispy crust & the crumble top ,perfect match!

Egg Tarts

This has been our family's all time "tim sum" favourite, the traditional chinese restaurant in the 70's serve was flaky skin pastry utilizing mainly lard . Though some of the restaurant here still serving the flaky skin type, but the taste is un-competible since it has been replace by crisco for a more healthy choice.

I planned to bake this using traditional flaky skin recipe which i found on web, but has last minute changed my mind as the fats required on oil dough for both crisco & butter are too heavy . Alternatively , go for the crust pastry skin which is equally good after all we are after the egg custard.

Little Devil

I have to confessed that I baked this totally out of "Curiousity" ! Beforehand, I make it a point that I will bake it only if I have left with extra egg whites to waste (if it didn't turned out)+ the day that I'm in a perfectly good mood prepared for failure, so yesterday was the day that matches these critiria.

Ok, got the "feet", I'm almost there, But........... SWEET! , that's all I could comment about this little devil, I prefer to look at it than to eat it.

Here I come again ! Pan De Mie

Took a short break from bread making and "sunk" into festive bakes (mooncakes) lately.There are always a few recipe which i have tried earlier without much satisfaction with the end result, thus my mind keep calling me for the 2nd attempt ,after reviewing my mistakes, Yes, now I'm so ready to embark on with much care taken from mixing to final proving so as to achieve a better finishing.

Now i somehow realised that I could sense & "feel" the dough if it has done right , It is solid & full of "body" ,i knew that I'm going to make it this time, not perfectly well but I'm closed to "origin".

I've learned that A perfect pullman toast should form a white semi-rounded ream surrounding the top edge , not the square top which i last did, that was over-profing, meaning to say, it has to be send to the oven when it reach 70~80% height.

Mooncakes

Time really flies, it seems just like yesterday when I started my first mooncakes bake last year after got hold of the "mooncake" recipe book published by Y3K. I focus more on snow skin with custard filling & champagne truffles last year since i was just a beginner , had a small trial on traditional baked towards the end of my baking schedule, it was not that tough as i first thought.
This year, to give a little twist, I started the baked version first, since it require at lease 3 days for the pastry to "stabalize", I personally feel the most details part is the glazing , you really need a good quality brush to tackle this "critical" task as it affect the appearance of your moonies.
One recipe I will not missed is the flaky skin yam paste , I enjoyed most on preparing the pastry dough, but since the yam paste won't keep long, I will have to bake them in a few batches before giving away.

HongKong style Polo bun

This is our all time favourite bun whenever we had our Sunday "Tim sum" brunch . particularly sandwich with a slice of butter ,Heaven!

This batch which I baked last night turned out to be the best recipe among the previous few with direct method. I always belived with recipe using "slow ferment dough" method, as its produce a softest texture bread without failed. I adapted this recipe quite awhile & overlook it's method suits me well until days back when I had a chance to browse through my entire downloaded hardcopy.

What's more can i say? the taste is authentic , this will definitely list in my favourite recipe card .

Raisin Toast

The breads list in my to do list has been piling up as i was restrict by the limited time left for baking on week days, I will leave those recipe with longer fermentation on weekend so i will have a good control ,oh my! when can i begin with my natural levain bread, for sure once master the techniques utilizing natural levain,

will replace this with the usual fresh/instant yeast. heard that the aroma & texture is even better with natural levain.

One of my bread book collection "名店面包大公开", intended to pick up french rustic bread from the author ,japanese Boulangerie 野上智宽. Admiring bloggers in HK & Taiwan have good supply source of imported french bread flour , the best I could find from local supply is "Gold medal" flour from USA. Thus, was

desperate to Pick up a few packs of french bread flour from my previous trips to Japan & taiwan.

Back to the book, this raisin toast appear to be the least ferment time require (except for the "biga") what's more raisin bread has always been my all time favourite. had used less raisin than the recipe called for which is the only regret this time.

My favourite spread to go with : Marmalade + butter

Plain White Toast (17 Hrs Low temp fermentation)

Though is just a plain white toast, I was very thrilled by the "stretch" round top resulted from the oven spring when the bread just came out from the oven, I reckon I might have achieved the perfect stage of window pane while mixing dough.

Besides, the texture, it is exceptionally soft & spongy, the fermentation dough which i used has been left in the fridge for more than 3 days , could this be the reason as it has given the dough a much "mature" fermentation ? certainly I did check on the dough before adding to the main dough mixture to ensure it did not turn sourish, the aroma of the wheat ease my worries.

This is just like a victory to me as i have overcome the problem of achieving the perfect "stretch mark" for round top loaf which is similiar to achieved squre top on pullman bread tin.

Curry Toast (17 Hrs fermentation)

Still remember the curry buns stuffed with potatoes which was available in some indian owned grocery store or push cart bread seller used to carry ? For some sentimental reasons, I will crave for these buns & start hunting around but sad to know is rarely available now.

Now, with this recipe, I can have my curry bun/toast anytime as I wish. Shall I have a pot of curry chicken tonight ?

A Simple & Relaxing afternoon tea @home

Phy, my best friend whom I known for ages since Secondary school , invited her with another pal of

us, Jess,to my place this afternoon for tea as a birthday celebration since June is their birthday month. They have requested for Creaｍpuff/waffles, well ,their wish is my command, I can handle that .

The spread I've prepared for them besides their request, have added raisin scones with cream,jam, egg sanwich on self-baked coffee toast & nevertheless a birthday cake (caramel cream pear cake)

for the birthday gals.

We had a very relaxing afternoon catching up each others latest happening in life, works and what's more giving them my birthday (coming next month) wish list, that is, each of them will sew me a dress, yes I prefer handmade gift .

As for them, I've made up this tote bag with the lovely Atsuko 's design fabrics with the matching handles,so

glad both of them like it so much.

Banana Bread

It seems that whenever we have left with over riped bananas , this will be follow up -Banana bread,

ThoughI personally not fond in adding Bananas, coconuts etc in my bakes, but this bread will be an exeption since

its process is easy that could be done within 30 mins , what's more toasted walnuts will be its perfect match .

Oops! What am I doing, just when the ready batter being sent to the oven, I realised that the honey that was supposed to add in is still sitting on my kitchen scale !!

Pain De Mie

Like his bread making style & recipe that never call for sort of improver , got his book months back then chance into his blog, like his way of "interpreting" bread making skill , he called himself "王残忍", him, a professional boulangerie & authors of bread making/baking books, 王传仁 老大

Though is a plain loaf, the aroma of wheat and chewy texture adds a characteristic to this bread owing to its extra minutes fermentation, Yummy !

Summer Berries Charlotte

My second attempt Birthday cake for another member in our sewing group ,Yvonne Mccormick from England. I thought I could save some time by utilizing store bought sponge finger, guess I will have to start from scratch next round cos the taste of the ready made sponge finger is rather disappointed and the gap in between does affect the whole appearance.

Hokkaido Milk Loaf (中种法)

I would have to say this is the best shape loaf which I have achieved so far, the oven spring effect resulted such a gorgeous wave. I'm so used to make loaf with pullman tin covered. Once again thanks to this taiwan blogger for her generous sharing & tips given in her blog.

Believed that this is the most popular recipe among HK/Taiwan bloggers, it has several version, ie direct method or slow fermentation , again , slow fermentation has always been my favourite method , is definitely worth spending 3 hrs for the fermentation to achieve such soft texture, the only thing I will reduce on my next attempt will be the sugar as I personally felt is too sweet for a toast.

Wholemeal Toast (低温冷藏中种法)

Low temp fermentation method has became my only method used when making toast ,due to its superb texture and convenient (though I have to split dough mixing twice) and I must emphasis again that it last for at least 4 days without adding bread improver.

I adapted this recipe from her ,she is not only sharing recipe but also share some techniques ,advise in her blog, thanks to such generous blogger like her .