Soft Bread Rolls

Hotdog rolls.

I’ve been coveting other bloggers’ soft bread rolls made using the Tangzhong (water roux) method. I finally have the chance to try it out. This is my second attempt, the ones on the first try didn’t rise as much, and the oven was too hot. The bottom line is I’m improving. I used my breadmaker to do the kneading.

I used Christine's Recipes. See her step by step instruction for making tangzhong and how to wrap the sausage rolls.

Raisin scolls.

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong/water roux

250ml water

50g bread flour

For the Bread

125ml milk

1 egg (56g)

120g tangzhong

350g high protein flour/bread flour/00 flour

55g caster sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp + 1 tsp milk powder

6g dried instant yeast

30g softened butter

Method

To make the Tangzhong/water roux

1.          Heat water and flour in a pan on the stove.

2.          Keep stirring until the temperature reaches 65°C.

3.          Cool down before use. You can keep this in the refrigerator for a few days.

To make the bread in a breadmaker

1.          Put the ingredients into the breadmaker in this sequence. Milk, egg, tangzhong, flour, sugar, milk powder, sprinkle salt on the side.

2.          Make a well in the middle of the flour and put yeast in the middle.

3.          Start the machine to knead on “dough” setting.

4.          After 30mins, pour in the softened butter.

5.          After rising the dough to double its size, knock it down and divide into portions.

6.          Be creative with the shapes and flavours.

7.          After shaping, let it rise again for about 15 minutes.

8.          Brush top with a bit of eggwash.

9.          Bake in 180°C fan forced oven for 15minutes.

Cheese sticks.

Rum and Raisin Slice

I love rum and raisin, ice cream, Old Jamaica choc bar, rum balls, yum! I saw this recipe when I was flipping through my recipe books the other day while re-arranging the bookshelves. It is so decadent!

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate

100g butter

¾ caster sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ cups plain flour

80ml rum

½ cup raisins

2 tbsp of cocoa powder

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 180°C.

2.          Soak the raisins in the rum.

3.          Chop chocolate and butter into small pieces.

4.          Melt in a Bain Marie, make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl.

5.          Pour in the caster sugar, the rum and raisins.

6.          Remove from heat.

7.          Mix in the flour.

8.          Lightly beat the eggs and mix it in.

9.          Pour into a greased and lined square 20x20cm pan.

10.      Bake for 25 minutes.

11.      Slice when cool. Dust top with cocoa powder.

Chicken and Leek Pie

Chicken and leek makes a perfect combination. This is a fast weeknights and low fat version.

Ingredients

3 pieces of chicken thigh fillets, cubed

3 large leeks, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

200g button mushrooms

200ml of reduced fat evaporated milk (use cream if you must)

A few sprigs of thyme or use dried ones

1 tbsp of flour

Salt and Pepper

1 piece of frozen puff pastry

2 tbsp cooking oil

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 180°C.

2.          Heat oil in pan.

3.          Sauté garlic and leeks.

4.          Coat chicken in flour, add into the pan.

5.          Sear chicken pieces.

6.          Add in evaporated milk, potatoes and mushrooms.

7.          Add thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

8.          Cook until the sauce thickens.

9.          Pour into baking dish.

10.      Top with puff pastry. Brush top with a bit of the milk. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the pastry (I used nigella seeds).

11.      Bake in oven for 15mins until the pastry is golden.