ZOPF (Swiss Braided bread)

Noticed my weak point when it comes to bread shaping, I've chosen breads that require shaping in my recent bakes, tried milk (dinner) roll (pict not taken), and this is my 2nd shaping bread this week -Zopf

It does get confused when first started, thanks to blogger Angela for her step by step guide .
Practice makes perfect, will try out the 6 braided shaping in the next recipe.

Final proofing /ready for baking

Bon Appetit !

English Crusty Bread (Nissin Super King Flour +LV1 Levain)

It took a total 4.5 hours (1st -2 hrs , follow by 1 hr,then 30 mins & another 60 mins before send in to oven)proofing time for this crusty bread , the thin crust on top is its characteristic. You could still hear the "cracking" sound after taken out from the oven, what a nice " bread melody" at 1 am pass midnight.

With the long hours fermentation/proofing, the texture is chewy,moist,all you could taste is the aroma of the wheat,have it plain or go with its best companion -Marmalade.

Duration : Started :6.30pm Completion: 1.15am

Baking time Require: Total 40 mins

Initial Temp setting: 240 deg c (Bottom fire) for 15 mins, remaining 200 deg c (top/bottom fan).

Steam : Required
Recipe Source

Milk Toast (SAF LV1 Levain+ Nissin Super Camelia flour)

From this blog, I've learned a lot about various types of high quality flour,yeasts which produces a totally different taste on bread whether is simple plain toast or country rustic bread.

Been upset by lacking of choice we could source in local specialty store/supermarket owing to the market demand, I first experienced it with fresh yeast hunting, so far could get it from a German grocery store along bukit timah .Isn't it a hassle to travel all the way from east side just to get that little block of yeast ? Understand that Cold storage used to carry them but is moving very slow thus they disappeared from shelves for this reason.

I have to go thru the hassle of getting this Lv1 Levain from a specialty store in Taipei , ordered the various types of Nissin brand bread flour from this site but I must said that the effort is worth
than anything after tasting the baked bread using all these ingredients.

This recipe is using "sponge" method, it took a little longer on 1st & final fermentation/proofing.
I can be proud to shout out that the bread texture & aroma is as good as the toast I bought from "Sun Moulin"

Baker's Paradise -Kappabashi 合羽橋道具街

If you happen to be in Tokyo hunting for baking stuffs, you can't afford to miss this spot-Kappabashi near Asakusa area. Worry that you will lost control & overstuff your shopping bag? the local courier Yamato is there to solve your transporting problem. What's more, some vendors provide local delivery service, no more excuse, let's start explore till you see what I've got

The food inside this store are for your eyes only, they looks yummy but inedible

My favourite store, they have a great selection of Le Crueset cookware & many unique gadgets


Very creative window display,guess what's in store

Huge selection of Japanese Pottery, where's my truck?

PS: Price here compare with downtown is definitely a bargain.

To be continued......

See here for more info

Tokyo Trip Jan 09 - Baking lesson

My dream came true,I got to attend a single baking lesson during my recent trip to Tokyo.

Before my departure, been searching on-line for baking class, found this chained cooking studio offer 1st timer a trail lesson for only Yen 500 for a single lesson (including ingredients & you get to bring back a loaf of 3 finished bread plus a bonus homemade jam )

Look at the cakes couses they have for different stage , How I wish I could stay there & attend everyone of them.

This is the brochure of the trial lesson which I have attend.

The chocolate layer bread which we saw on e-pan website , after final-proofing ,before sending to the oven


Finishing bread, next to it is the addition jam which they suggested goes well with this bread, rasberry & clementine, made it while the bread is still in the oven.

Thanks to my Japanese friend Ms Eri for her help & joined me there as interpreter. Is absolutely a fantastic learning experience .

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.