Lemon Scented Pull Apart Bread

Salam to all,

Weekend has gone by so quickly again.  In a few days, we will be saying goodbye to February.  Nothing much happened here over the weekend.  Same old same old.  Hmmzzz just gonna post on this yummilicious pull apart bread that I made today ;)

I've been wanting to make this bread eversince I saw it at June's blog.  It was luv at first sight hehehez.  Been putting it off for awhile as I didnt have any lemons or oranges stocked at home.  Bought them oranges and lemons a few days back but only today that I got a chance to make it.  Anyway, I am not a citrusy person but was happy to have 2 slices of this bread.  Right now the person that is enjoying this bread is hb as he really luvs the tangy cream cheese icing.  When I first saw this bread, it was the tangy cream cheese icing that made me want to make this bread sooo much......so tempting!!!!  Yummmzzz.........

I did the stacking of the dough my way as I find that it much more easier than to follow the recipe's way and skipped step 1 to 3 as I dumped all the sweet yeast dough ingredients into my breadmaker and let it do all the wonders of kneading and proofing ;)

Source : June @ Amateurish Passionate Baker-Wannabe

For the sweet yeast dough:

About 2 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (2 1/2 fluid ounces) whole milk
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs , at room temperature

For the lemon paste filling:
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons) 
2 ounces unsalted butter , melted

For the tangy cream cheese icing:
3 ounces cream cheese , softened
1/3 cup (1 1/4 ounces) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract - I did not add

Directions:
1. Stir together 2 cups (9 ounces) of the flour, the sugar, the yeast, and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and set aside until warm (120 to 130°F [49 to 54°C]), about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract.
2. Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) of the remaining flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
3. Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and center the dough on the flour. Knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F [21°C]) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step. While the dough is rising, make the filling.

Make the lemon paste filling
4. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the lemon and orange zests. Set the sandy-wet mixture nearby (the sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create the consistency).

Make the bread.

5.Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Or, lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray
6. Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter generously over the dough.

I sprinkled all the zest-sugar mixture on the uncut dough instead.

Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 by 4 inches. (A pizza cutter is helpful here.) Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture over one of the buttered rectangles. Top with a second rectangle and sprinkle it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining dough rectangles and zest-sugar mixture, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Work carefully when adding the crumbly zest filling, or it will fall off when you have to lift the stacked pastry later.

7. Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 by 2 inches. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up and side by side. (While there is plenty of space on either side of the 6 strips widthwise in the pan, fitting the strips lengthwise is tight. But that’s fine because the spaces between the dough and the sides of the pan fill in during baking.) Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F [21°C]) until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for baking.
8. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
9. Bake the bread until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

Make the tangy cream cheese icing
10. In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula, vigorously mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

11. To remove the bread from the pan, tilt and rotate the pan while gently tapping it on a counter to release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the bread, invert the bread onto the rack, and carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the bread so it is right side up, and remove the original rack.
12. Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm bread with the icing to glaze it.
13. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature. To serve, you can pull apart the layers, or you can cut the bread into 1-inch-thick slices on a slight diagonal with a long, serrated knife. If you decide to cut the bread, don’t attempt to cut it until it is almost completely cool.

Have an enjoyable week ahead....TTFN ;)

Wonderfully Soft Bread

Salam to all ;)

Yesterday morning, I had an early phone call from Aunty Eton.  She said she wanted to drop by my place on her way home from Tauranga to Hamilton.  Since it was raining crazily for summer this year, she decided to chill out at my crib....cheh cheh hehehez chill out....crib......siakss :ppp  Yup yup chill out while waiting for the rain to subside before continuing her journey home with her hb, uncle David.

She told me not to go through any trouble preparing lunch and will arrive here at abt 11am.  While waiting for her, I did a little clean up and forced Jannah to eat her breakfast which she took almost an hour to finish bcos she was so engrossed watching her kid's programme on tv.  I turned the tv off and in my mind thinking, what should I whip up for my guest.  Although Aunty Eton, said not to prepare anything for them, I just can't welcome my guest with plain water. 

So, I made this wonderfully soft bread.  True to its name, just like what Yat said....it is wonderfully soft alright.  Jannah had her lunch which consist of rice, fried fish & cabbage and still managed to eat 2 pieces before aunty and uncle came over and had another 1 when they arrived.  She wanted more when she saw I packed 3 pieces of the leftover bread for aunty.  She even asked me to make them again today....yikkesss next time ok my baby ~~ she doesn't like me calling her baby now.  She's a girl she said ;)

Well, I had lots of time to make the bread, proof it, baked it and even eat it while waiting for them to arrive.  Guess what time did they arrive....????  Jeng jeng jeng.......after 2.30pm!!!  Janji melayu betol!!!  What can I say abt the Malays when they make promises aye??  They are either 5 minutes early or 1 day late ;pppp Ooopppssiiiee, that includes me bcos I fall under the Malay category.....la la la la la la la *whistle* *whistle* *whistle*

Source : Yat @ Easybakes
Ingredients :
310g bread flour
60g cake plain flour (I used standard flour)
40g Nestle CoffeeMate powder (I used milk powder)
115ml skim milk (I used fresh milk)
20g condensed milk
55g caster sugar
3g salt
7g instant yeast
1 egg + 2 egg yolks (I used 2 large eggs)
40g butter (room temperature)

Egg Glaze : 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tblsp fresh milk

Method :
1. Sieve flour mixture into a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle of flour mixture and add in all the rest of ingredients except butter.
3. Mix till a dough is formed and knead in the butter till you get a smooth dough.
4. Proof dough for 50 minutes or till double in size.
5. Divide dough into 12 portions of 60g each and shape it or wrap in the filling. Proof for another 50 minutes or till double in size.
6. Brush with egg wash and bake at 190C for 15 minutes or till cooked.

Note :
I used my breadmaker to do the job for me and sprinkled sugar after glazing the buns.

10.18pm, lights and tv already off.  Jannah and hb already asleep *yawwwnnss* my turn to join them ZZZZzzzzzz.

Sausage Rolls

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 29°C | 18°C
Current :
Partly Cloudy After Midnight
Temp : 23°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

Oh me, oh my its so freaking hot today, it was so hot also yesterday :(  We have 3 fans running, 1 fan each.  Hb whom is not a fan of fans (fans = electrical fan) hahahaz XD even turned the fan on.  As for little madame Jannah, she and her blanket cant be separated.  She just cant sleep without her blanket and she was so sweaty that her pillow was wet.  I had to remove her clothes as well as her blankie when she was fast asleep.

Jannah had a dip in her little pool yesterday and today to cool off.  Yesterday, she didn't want to leave the water even though her fingers and toes have turned into prunes & raisins and apart from being cold and shivering haizzz.  It was easier to lure her out of the pool today with the sausage rolls...hahahaz.  I supposed she had enough bcos she was in there for almost 2 and half hours.  This kinda weather isn't doing any justice to my face either.  I have pimples popping out, as if I'm going thru puberty again....but I don't feel like a teenager at all booo hooo @_@

Other than having pimples popping out like nobody, nobody but you.  Errmmm no....like nobody's business I mean, we also lost our appetite.  Too much drinking water and juice I supposed, these sausage rolls were our dinner just now.  Jannah, being the cheeky one like she has always been, only ate the bun and left the sausage behind, as usual she asked for rice. Sorry bubbah no rice again today......

Source : CMG.  Thank CMG for sharing this recipe ;)

Ingredients
250 grams bread flour (high protein flour)
50 g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 g milk powder
1/4 teaspoon bread improver
1/4 teaspoon bread softener
30 g egg (Break an egg, lightly beat it and only use 30g)
6 grams of instant yeast
20 g butter
125ml warm water (use room temperature tap water if using BreadMaker)
14 stick chicken sausage (I only had 10)

Garnish
Sesame seeds
Egg Wash (Use the leftover egg and add 1 tblsp milk)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients for the dough in a container, except for the butter and mix well.  Add butter and continue to knead until dough becomes elastic.  Then shape it into a ball and let the dough rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
2. Bread Maker - Put all the ingredients into the bread maker, select the dough only setting and press "ON" and let the bread maker do the hard work for u :)
3. Blanch the sausages in hot water, dry them with paper towels and let them cool down.
4. Once the dough is ready, punch the excess air and roll it into a square shape and divide the dough into 14 equal pieces.  (I only divided them into 10)
5. Use 1 piece of the dough to wrap the sausage.  You can click here for the step by step on how it is done.
6. Arrange them on a baking tray that has been lightly buttered or lined with baking paper.
7. Proof for a further 45 mins.
8. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seed.
9. Bake for at least 10 mins in a 190 deg C oven.

It's almost midnight and its still hot.  I've yet to iron hb's uniform.  Perhaps I'll sleep first and iron them when its cooler in the morning before he goes off to work tomorrow ;)


Good night everyone....yawwnnzzZZzzz


Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)

Chinese Cruller / You Tiao / Cakoi

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Spring
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 25°C | 17°C
Current :
Clear Skies
Temp : 17°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

I've been wanting to eat Chinese rojak since last week.  Everytime I think about rojak, my memories will take me to this yummy rojak stall in Singapore, situated at Clementi.  The stall is owned by 2 very simple yet friendly brothers.  If I am not wrong, their stall was featured in some newspaper which I couldn't remember which one.  I heard that they are very successful now and have opened a few branches in Singapore. (Please do open a branch in NZ, Tan Brothers.....hahahaz :D)

Everytime when I'm at Clementi area, I will never fail to visit this rojak store despite having to wait in a very long queue. During Ramadhan, the queue can be worse than, when Hello Kitty hit McDonad's queue (pls don't believe me, I'm just exaggerating hehehez).  Not only the stench of the grilled cuttlefish drew me to the rojak store but the very friendly greetings of the brothers makes me want to queue up for my dose of rojak...hehehez.  They always thought that I'm Chinese and will greet me in Mandarin and call me 'Báixuě gōngzhǔ' meaning Snow White....hahahahaz wwwweeeeiiiii *flutters* even though I look no where near like Snow White.  Perhaps, I look more like the evil stepmother/witch.....ROFL!!!

Anyway, I tried making these you tiaos today.  They are not as good as the real mccoy :( maybe bcos I didn't add alum powder.  They tasted like fried bread instead of tasting they way the should be that is crispy and hollow.  Even though they didnt turn out the way they should be, they do taste yummy...hehehez.  I will turn them to rojak tomorrow, insyaAllah...God willing ;)



Some were skinny, some were fat, some were short, some were long and some were burnt.....hahahaz.

Source :  Lydia Teh's My Kitchen.  You can take a peep at Lydia's blog for the detailed step by step on making these cruller.

Ingredients (makes 10, 6"): (I only made half of this recipe)

1 cup water
2 cups bread flour
¼ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp alum (I did not use this)
½ tsp ammonia/nutre powder (I did not use this)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil

*Oil for deep-fry
Directions:
- Put all ingredients into the bread maker. Select dough mode and turn in on.
- Once the kneading is completed, turn the dough out on a floured surface. This dough is stickier than bread dough so remember to dust lot of four on the working table.
- Divide dough into two portions and shape each one into a 40cm long rod. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let raise for 45 minutes.
- Lightly flatten the dough (approx. 1cm thick and 5cm wide) and cut into 2cm strips. - - Let stand for 10-15 minutes
- Heat oil in a medium pot or wok. Dip the skewer in water and wet the middle of dough as shown.
- Place another piece of dough on the top and press in the middle with a skewer. Hold both ends and pull the dough until 20cm long. Then carefully put it into the hot oil straight away. Stir rapidly as soon as the dough is surfaced, and deep fry until golden brown

Resepi cakoi dalam bahasa Melayu ;)
Sumber : SkyBlue, My Resipi.

 

Bahan-bahan ( 10 biji [15cm] )

1 cawan air
2 cawan tepung roti
¼ sudu kecil instant yeast
1 sudu kecil gula
1 sudu kecil garam
¾ sudu kecil tawas (alum) -Saya tak taruk
½ sudu kecil baking soda
½ sudu kecil ammonia atau Nutre Powder (utk menghasilkan cakoi yg lebih ranggup, takde pun takpe... susah nak cari ammonia for cooking) - Saya tak taruk
1 sudu besar minyak
Minyak utk menggoreng

-  Masukkan semua bahan2 ke dalam breadmaker, pilih menu buat doh dan ON kan. Bila dah siap uli, keluarkan doh dari breadmaker.

Taburkan tepung ke atas papan canai. Bahagikan doh kepada 2, buatkan bentuk panjang (40cm) setiap satu. Tutup doh dgn kain atau plastic wrap, biar naik dlm suhu bilik selama 45 minit.
- Ratakan doh dgn tangan, biar jadi 1cm tinggi dan 5-6cm tebal. Potong 2-2.5cm seperti dlm gambar, biar rehat selama 10-15 minit lagi.
- Panaskan minyak utk menggoreng (deep-fry) dgn api kecil. Ambil sekeping doh, bubuh sedikit air dgn mengunakan lidi sate seperti dlm gambar
- Letak sekeping doh diatas doh tadi, tekan di tengah2 dgn lidi sate.
- Pegang kedua-dua hunjung dan tarik pelahan-lahan, biar jadi 15-20cm panjang dan terus masuk ke dalam minyak panas. Kacau sikit apabila dia dah timbul kat permukaan minyak supaya dia jadi lebih kembang. Goreng sehingga perang keemasan.

Nota dari SkyBlue :
Doh ni agak lembut, kena taburkan tepung banyak.
Doh yg betul2 naik, senang nak ditarik.
Boleh buat saiz besar sikit jika guna kuali yg besar. Saiz yg i buat ni agak kecil sbb i guna periuk kecil utk menggoreng.


Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;)

Chocolate Chip, Banana & Strawberry Bread

Weather for Te Awamutu today,
Season :
Spring
Forecast :

Chance of Rain

Temp : 25C | 15C
Current :

Moderate Breeze With Late Fog

Temp : 14°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

First of all, I would like to wish all Muslims, all over the world : Salam Ma'al Hijrah 1432H.   May we be showered with blessings from Allah s.w.t for this Muslim Lunar New Year.....amin.

Another new supermarket, Countdown, opened its door in Te Awamutu last Friday.  Pak N Save (PnS), another supermarket giant, just opened here too last month.  One thing for sure, I do not have to travel all the way to Hamilton now to buy my groceries from the supermarket.  Before these 2 supermarket giants opened in Te Awamutu....there were only Woolworths & Fresh Choice.  Their prices are a little dearer.  Just hope that PnS here will have more halal produce on their supermarket shelves soon *crosses fingers* ;)

I went to Countdown last Saturday and bought almost 3kgs of 'Dole' bananas and they only cost $2.80.  The bananas were 99 cents per kg, I also bought 4 Ecuador mangoes for 99 cents each, 4 avocados for $1.40 (for 4 of them), 2 punnets of strawberries at $2 each, half 'Dole' pineapple for 99 cents & 1.5kg braeburn apples at 59 cents a kg.  Woowwwweeeiii I was so happy to see the cheap fruits prices.  

Since I've an overdose of bananas, I decided to make this bread today.  The original recipe is adapted from cakespy but I made a few changes to the ingredients and quantity.  End result....a very soft, fruity, aromatic, full of choc chips, banana-iey & strawberry-iey bread, it also sort of taste like a cake.....hehehez ;)

Source : You can view the original recipe here.   Thank u cakespy for sharing the recipe.

This is my version whereby I doubled the recipe & made some changes to the ingredients......

Ingredients

• 3 cups standard flour.
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups mashed banana
• 3/4 cups diced strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup melted, cooled butter or canola oil
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Procedure

1. Mix all of the above together in a big bowl. Don't overmix--just mix until incorporated.
2. Bake at 325 degrees F / 162 degrees C for around an hour, check center with toothpick; if toothpick comes out clean, it's done.

Note : I used a large loaf pan and baked mine at 140 degrees C for 1 hr 25 mins.  I've even tried using the breadmaker for this bread.  Just select 'dough' and let the BM mix all the ingredients for 5 mins.  Then stop the BM and put to 'bake only' and choose Basic Bread, your choice of either Light or Medium crust.

If u guessed we had a BBQ again last Saturday....u are definitely right :D.  This time we invited our close neighbour aka 'The Landlord' to join us.

 This time I marinated the chicken myself with whatever spices in the pantry & fridge.  We also had chicken sausages and satays which Auntie Eton packed for us, leftover from her bbq.

Take care everyone........

Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;)