北海道牛奶麵包 (湯種法) aka Hokkaido Milk Toast & Savoury Breads

Trying out another 北海道牛奶麵包 but this time is using water roux method. Many claim that water roux method give an result that will produces soft, tender and fluffy bread. That didn't happen to me for the past attempt I tried.

But this time I manage to bake one loaf of soft and fluffy bread. I not sure is it because one of the ingredient that I used, whipping cream or is because of water roux that produced the good bread.

I have tried a few different method to make the dough using whipping cream, it will always produced a soft and fluffy bread. Pls aware that whipping cream is not the kind of everyday food, once in a while is fine.

The ingredients quantity can make 2 loaf of bread. The other half of the dough, I made some savoury bread with cheese, ham and mayo eggs. I cooked 2 boiled eggs and mash than mix with some mayonnaise, pepper and salt.

The combination of cheese, ham and mayo eggs are perfect match. You can't stop after one bite and my mum finish one whole bread by herself. Initially she said is too much (big portion) for her to finish it and she did it.

This little small roll wrapped with ham and cheese only. It taste equally delicious too. I used my cupcake liners as the support base for the bread, during baking when the cheese melted it stick to the liners. Next time will buy the bread liners. 

I left some for breakfast the next day and the bread still taste soft and fluffy.

Recipe source:
http://www.christinesrecipes.com/2010/10/hokkaido-milk-toast.html

(A) Water Roux (湯種法) Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup (50gm)  bread flour
• 250ml water (I used half milk and half water)

(B) Main dough ingredients:

• 540gm bread flour 
• 86gm sugar
• 8gm salt
• 86gm egg (beaten)
• 9gm milk powder
• 59gm whipping cream 
• 54gm milk
• 184gm water roux (tang zhong)
• 11gm dry yeast
• 49gm butter

(C) Ingredients for the savoury breads:

• Cheese 
• Ham
• Egg Mayo

Method:

Making water roux (tang zhong): 

1. Place bread flour in a saucepan. Add water, mix till smooth, making sure there are no lumps of flour.
2. Cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly with a hand whisk to prevent it from burning. Within 1 to 2 mins, the mixture will start to thicken, stop when you see traces in the mixture for every stir you make with the hand whisk.
3. The tang zhong is ready. Immediately transfer the hot tang zhong into a bowl and cover it with a cling wrap, making sure the cling wrap sticks onto the surface of the mixture. This is to prevent a film from forming on the surface.
4. Leave to cool completely before using it.

Making the Dough:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre and add in the egg, whipping cream, milk and tang zhong. Knead the dough till is not so sticky, add in the butter and mix until dough turn smooth and can stretch into a thin sheet without breaking into hole. (I using the bread machine to do the job).
3. Cover the dough with a cling wrap or damp cloth and leave to proof for 60 min or until double in bulk.
4. After 60 min, sprinkler some flour on the counter top and press the dough to let the gas release out from the dough. I divide the dough into 2 equal weight. Shape it into balls and cover the dough with a cling wrap or damp cloth, leave to rest for 15min.
5. After 15 min, measure out one of the dough into 3 equal weight and roll out dough into long rectangle shape and roll it back like swiss roll shape.
6. Place the individual dough into the pullman tin.
7. Cover the dough with a cling wrap or damp cloth and leave to proof till 80%.
8. Brush egg wash on the surface of the dough. Cover the tin with the cover or not up to your choice.
9. For the savoury bread, divide the dough into small balls. Just wrap the ham and cheese with the dough and seal it. Optional you can put one tbsp of egg mayo on the top of the bread. 
10. Preheat oven at 180°C. For loaf, bake for 40 mins or till golden brown. For savoury, bake for 12min or till golden brown. 

Hokkaido Chiffon Cake

This hokkaido chiffon cake has been in my baking list for so long until than recently I decided to bake because one of my colleagues offer us this HCC bought from Polar puffs & cakes. After trying the cake, it motivate me to get on started.

The first time I saw this hcc is at some baking blog and I find it so elegant and look so attractive.

I bought all this beautiful cupcake liners at Taobao, there are lots more different pattern can be found there. Out of all I choose this three cupcake liners and I only bought 3 each, I should have buy more.

I saw Phoon Huat sell this type of square cupcake liners too but pattern wise only have 2 kinds (If I didn't remember wrongly). They sell in bulk like more than 30 for one pattern, so I didn't purchase over there.

I'm so happy with the result, the cake are very light and soft like cotton with the whipping cream is perfect. The cake taste better after fridge to let the cake and whipping cream turn slightly cold. I bought some to the office and offer to a few colleagues, they give a thump up and praise. I glad they like it so much, I will bake this again but other flavour.

Cupcake: Make 9 cupcakes
Ingredient A (Egg Yolk batter):
- 4 egg yolks
- 20gm castor sugar 
- 50ml vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
- 50ml fresh milk (I use low fat fresh milk)
- 80gm cake flour (Sift)

Ingredient B (Egg White foam):

- 4 egg white

- 50gm castor sugar

- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Whipping Cream:
- 120gm dairy whipping cream
- 20gm sugar

Method:

1. Separate the egg yolk and egg white into different bowl (make sure the egg white bowl do not contain any water or oil on it)
2. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the sugar until the yolk become pale in light yellow colour. Than add in the oil and mix, follow by the milk and mix till incorporated. The surface of the batter should have many small bubbles. 
3. Add in the sift flour and mix until no trace of flour can be seen. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the meringue into (step 3) and mix. Continue mix the remaining meringue and make sure there are no trace of meringue can be seen in the batter.
5. Pour batters into cupcake liners, tap the cupcake lightly on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.
6. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 170°C for 15 minutes or until insert a toothpick into the centre comes out clean. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack and leave to cool completely before unmold.
7. Make sure the whipping cream must be cold. I put the bowl in the freezer to let it become cold for about 10 min. After 10 min, I pour the whipping cream and sugar into the bowl and start to whip with the electronic hand mixer. Whip until it become soft peaks and slightly stiff. 
8. Put the whipping cream in a piping bag, pipe the cream into the center of the cupcakes. Dust with some icing sugar and decorate with some fruits or peppermint leaf. 

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cupcake

 

Yes, this will be a slightly healthier choice of cupcake if without the frosting. I bought a tub of plain yogurt accidentally and actually I wanted to buy a fruit flavour. Plain yogurt taste really awful, I have try eating it with some fruits but I just can't accept the unique tang. So as usual I will try to utilize it as not to waste the tube of yogurt.

 

 

As I'm going to a B'day party the next day so I bake a batch of cupcake and apply the frosting the next day before I head down to the chalet. I have a book call The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and I really like the swirl frosting pattern they create on the cupcake. So I went youtube and search, tadah and I found some really good video guide. If you are interested, click the link below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtzYFcl6nHw

 

http://www.howcast.com/videos/509034-How-to-Frost-with-Buttercream-Cupcake-Tutorials

 

It look so easy in the video but when you hand on it and you will know is not that kind of easy though. Need more practice to create the beautiful swirl.   

 

 

 

Here my first time trying on swirl frosting cupcake with some mini heart shape sprinkle. I added some chocolate chip into the cupcake but the original recipe didn't include. The cake are moist and soft. This is not the kind of sweet and rich taste perhaps because is using oil and yogurt instead of butter and milk. Consume it with the icing will balance the sweetness.

 

*Make 12 cupcake

 

Ingredients:

250 plain flour (reserve some for the chocolate chips)

1 tbsp baking power

100g caster sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

125ml sunflower oil (I use canola oil)

175gm natural yogurt

A handful of chocolate chips

 

Icing:

50gm unsalted butter (softened)

175gm icing sugar (sifted)

25gm cocoa powder, sifted

Any kind of toppings

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C oven. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Sprinkle some flour into the chocolate chips and set aside (This is to prevent the chocolate chips sink onto the bottom of the muffin after the bake).
3. Shift the flour, baking powder and castor sugar into a large bowl.
4. In another bowl, whisk the vanilla extract, eggs, oil and yogurt together until combined.
5. Pour the dry ingredient (step 3) into the wet ingredient (step 4) and stir with a spatula until incorporated.
6. Use a ice cream scoop and divide the batter into the paper cases.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and risen or insert the toothpick come out clean.
8. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For the decoration, put the butter into a bowl and whisk until fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix until combined. Add the cocoa powder and 2 tbsp boiling water and whisk until light and fluffy.
10. Using a small palette knife, spread the buttercream over the top of each cake.
11. Decorate with toppings.

Bangkok, Thailand 2013

It has been more than one month since I updated my blog due to my lazyness. =p
Welcome to a brand new 2013 December, time flies.
This blog entry will be about my trip to bangkok on Oct 2013, yes Bangkok again. I truly in love travel to Bangkok. Bangkok is my yearly affair. I hope to travel bangkok at least once time a year. xD

In the month of October they are celebrating the Vegetarian Festival (九皇斋节), there are lot's of lantern hanging around outside the Platinum Fashion Mall. Many street food variety on the whole stretch too.

Bought some healthy juice at one of the food street stall. I choose the carrot and orange juice, the raw carrot taste is too strong for my liking. I can't remember what is the juice my friend order but it taste much better than mine.

This time round I choose to taste at Baiyoke Sky Hotel. The hygiene is quite terrible, I saw baby cockroach crawling around the hotel room. Same scenario as my previous stay at Baiyoke Boutique Hotel. Except for the cleanness everything are fine. I super like the location of the hotel, there are lots of street food, clothing, etc all gather just right below the hotel in the day & night. Platinum Fashion Mall located just opposite the hotel, cross over the overhead bridge and you will reach.

We arrived at the Suvarnabhum Airport. We took the Airport Rail Link (City Link Train) from airport and alight at Ratchaprarop station. About a 5 min walk from the station to the hotel. The station is located right behind the Baiyoke Boutique Hotel back gate door. It will be close at night but I not sure what time.

If possible try not to walk into the back gate alone at night as it was pretty dark and quiet. Me and my bff was terrify that night walking into the dark path but we have to give a try and see if the gate still open but in the end the back gate was closed and locked. I got a scared when I saw a man sleeping on the rocky and dirty floor near the gate door. I hold my friend hand tightly and walk away quietly.

BTS skytrain map

Our day 1, we visit the Asiatique. We took the free shuttle bus from the hotel to Siam Station. From there we took the BTS from Siam to Saphan Taksin Sation, S6 (Silom Line, dark green colour line). Upon arrive and walk out from the station, you will able to saw a board direction and map. Follow the direction as shown, exit 2 to board the free shuttle boat service to Asistique.

Here we are, the Sathorn Pier or Central Pier. Look for the free Asiatique shuttle boat queue lane. The complimentary boat service start from 4pm to 11.30pm. Queue at the left side to board the boat to Asiatique. 

Queue started to move and finally we board the boat

Pass by this unique building (Chatrium)

When I saw this beautiful ferry wheel and I knew we are near Asiatique. Take note that don't visit Asiatique in the morning or early afternoon because this place start at late afternoon till wee hours. One of colleague told me she went on a early afternoon and there are nothing for her to shop, ended up she left the place. 

Sadly, we didn't board the ferry wheel due to an experience in Singapore flyer which I think sitting in a flyer really bored me. 

The places are pretty huge and is not crowded at all might because I visit on a weekday. =p There are a few restaurants and a foodcourt. 

One of my flavour shop selling kitchen art utensil but I didn't buy any. I told myself to control because my kitchen does not have much space for me to keep the barang barang. 

Row of shops with number indicated on the top board so you can mark down which one you have already visit. The area are pretty cooling although is an non air-con and the toilet are clean & acceptable too.

Dinner time, we decide to give a try at Happy Fish restaurant. They offer with air conditional and non air-conditional dining area. We choose the air-con dining area with live band while enjoying the meal. 

They provide free wifi too, remember to ask the staff for the password. 

Table 210

Red Grape Juice and Orange Juice @ 80 Baht each

Fish & Chips @ 280 baht

Pork Ribs @ 480 baht

Beer Batter with Calamari ring @ 280 baht

All the food serve are decent, especially the pork ribs with the thick potatoes wedges. The pork ribs are so tender and juicy, it serve together with a special sauce too. The portion are really huge, we can't finish all the food at all and request to take away. 

I can't really taste the beer in the calamari, the calamari are so chewy and crispy. I recommend to finish it while is still hot. For the fish and chips, fish are fresh, batter are crispy and not very oily. The batter is not very thick and just nice. I hate to eat the kind of batter are thicker than the fish, terrible.

We end the 1st day with an awesome night view and enjoying the sea breeze while snapping picture with camera. I will be back here again if I visit Bangkok. 

Day 2, we visit the Maeklong Railway Market and later on the DamnoenSaduak Floating Market. I bought this tour voucher from deal.com.sg and it cost S$26 per person but must purchase at least 2 voucher. I find it quite reasonable with the price that bring you to 2 places and the driver will come and fetch you from and back to the hotel you stay. 

Upon arrived at Maeklong Railway Market

An old Granny set up sewing service at a road side

Map direction

This is the place where later the train will stop and passenger can alight or aboard. But I think is more for tourism taking photo with the train, I'm one of them too. =p 

Local Street Food

Mini You Tiao (油条）

Keep walking down and cross a road, you will saw 2 stretch full of vendor selling vegetable, fruits, meat and seafood. Is like a wet market but held in between the railway. That's so interesting. My friend can't stand the stink smell but is fine for me because I used to visit the market. 

Be prepare that the walking space is really narrow and jam-packed, the limited space are pack with full of tourist and local as well. Majority of the tourist just keep walking straight down till the end and make a u-turn back (just like me). If someone stop in front of a stall and purchase goods, the people behind them will be jammed and stuck. That how congested the railway road are. 

See that two tiles on the floor, that's the walking space for both ways

Mini crab & Large Crab

The Fruit look so fresh and bright 

The mama are busy cutting the Bamboo Shoot, Pineapple and scrap the fish meat

Fishmonger

There are dessert and dried food in the wet market too

美丽的莲花

Train is approaching soon, vendor busy packing and push in their goods

All the vendors push in the tents when train going to approach and will push it back after train go off. 

See how crowded it is, camera ready

Here come the trains 

See how near the distance between the fruits and the train. No worries all the fruits are fine and still in good shape after the train go off. 

After the train stopped at the station, all the people (tourism) rush to there and take picture. 

The interior of the train. 

Before we go off, saw some kampong chicken 

Here we arrived at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, queuing up to board the speed boat. The river is full of the speed boat, occasionally the boat will bump into another boat but the impact is not very strong. The boat we board is an open air without the tent over the head and that day the weather is pretty hot, me and bff was sweating and sun tanning. 

The ride duration at the boat was more 30 minutes but can't remember the exact time. There are nothing much to see and buy during the ride, according to the information I google, many people mention that the things there are steep pricing and yes is truth.

I order this plain Pad Thai and it cost 80 baht, yes is plain no meat nor seafood. Actually it cost 100 baht but I bargain with the seller to 80 baht. Although is a bit pricey but the taste is really good and scrumptious.

The bridge is so crowded

Pity the shop owner where their feet being soak in the muddy and filthy water everyday 

This is where the van park, alight us and we will meet here after the stipulate given time. After alighting from the boat, we went for a short walk but nothing much to see. So we decide to take a seat in a provision shop and order a drink while waiting for the driver. I realise that Bangkok most of the drink are extremely sweet. I can't finish this bottle, I felt like I'm drinking syrup. I bought the Meiji cultured milk with less sugar but the sweetness is like the normal bottle without less sugar taste.

My plan was to visit the Amphawa Floating Market in the late afternoon but me n bff totally worn out. So plan changed, by the time we reach hotel is around 1pm plus. We stay in the hotel and laying on the bed for the whole afternoon, we feel much better after a good rest. Seriously, I won't visit that 2 places again but it is really a good experience, at least I visited once before.

Mini Macaroon VS the Gaint Macaroon 

After a long and good rest in the afternoon, we decide to shop at Siam shopping area. My colleague highly recommend this restaurant is a must visit at Bangkok, MK Gold Restaurant. Basically is a steamboat restaurant other than steamboat they have dim sum too.

From the left, Siew Mai, Steam Rice, Har Gau and some of the steamboat side dishes we order at the top right picture. For the soupbase broth taste very light, not rich and flavourful. But the dim sum are supreme, it has the hong kong standard and very delicious. I will definitely come back for the dim sum.

I went to this outlet locate at Siam Paragon, majority of the staff can't speak english. So when ordering the food, I was like pointing at the menu. When they serve a dish to your table, the staff will insert a confirm order slip into the pigeon hole located at the table. Remember to check every slip to confirm they have serve the food you order earlier or if  you can remember by heart which item you have order than don't bother to check because all the slip are in Thai wording. Luckily I did a check and realise that they short gave me a dish that I have order. I told one of the waiter to waive the item because we already full and almost finish all the other food. Overall the meal cost 838 baht.

Day 3, we went to the famous Chatuchak Market. I saw some big renovations behind the chatuchak market and the board shown a picture with modern shopping centre. I went google and some rumour said that the market might close down. O.O

Hopefully is just a rumour. Chatuchak is really a gem place with lots of things to shop, eat and buy.

This is really huge but have no idea what food is that.

The chef

We didn't had lunch at chatuchak because both of us are pretty full but we did munch some of the street food while passing by those food vendor. After shopping, we went back hotel and rest.

This is our late lunch cum early dinner. I sooooo wanted to try the Mos Burger Tonkatsu Burger (Pork Burger) after I saw it last year. I told my bff, I die die also must try. Hahaha.. Pork is one of my flavour meat.

Pork Cutlet Burger

My bff order the Takokatsu Burger (Octopus Burger) and me of course, Pork Cutlet Burger. See how generous the shredded cabbage they gave.

The cutlet is so crispy and juicy. The meat is so tender and not tough at all. Between the cutlet and cabbage has a light sweet sauce, so so delicious! I going to have it again next year and yes I have already book the ticket to Bangkok next year. =D

Ice Lemon Tea and Sprite

The serve the drinks in a glass cup instead of paper or plastic cup. 

French Fries, Calamari Ring and Butterfly Prawns

Day 4, we visit the Chinatown (Yaowarat). I choose to take the boat ride at Sathorn Pier. To reach the Sathorn Pier, take BTS and alight at Saphan Taksin Sation, S6 (Silom Line, dark green colour line). Is the same place where I board the boat to Asiatique on day 1, you may refer to there at the top.

Look out for Chao Phraya Express Boat service, buy the ticket at the counter or alternative you can board the boat without buying the ticket first. There will be a ticket collector person on the boat to check if you have already bought the ticket if not, you can paid the ticket when aboard.

The time table

Boat ticket, 40 baht for single trip

Alight at Rachawongse Pier station (N5)

Chinatown Map

The main road once we walk out from the pier station. 

I saw this while we pass by, plus I was so hungry so I bought a packet and try. OMG after eating one, I can't stop and continue. This little eggy sponge cake is so addictive, very soft and fragrant. Btw I bought the one with some raisin on the top of the cake.

The seller using charcoal to bake the sponge cake and it didn't burn. All are so golden brown and even, isn't that amazing. I'm curious how they manage to control the charcoal heat so well. I miss this eggy cake so much right now. 

Small packet 30 baht and big packet 50 baht

My colleagues told me if you happen to visit Chinatown, remember to eat the Shark Fin and Bird's Nest because is really cheaper compare having it in Singapore. Seriously I don't know how to inspect if the product are real or not, anyway as long as the taste are good.  

So here we are at the Hua Seng Hong Shark's Fin. I didn't have any specific restaurant to visit, we just enter when we saw this restaurant that offer shark fin.  

We order some dim sum for appetizer but taste not good except for the egg tarts. As we are so full so we didn't had the egg tart till night time and the taste of the egg very fragrant and crisp at the side. 

Here come the lime light, shark fins. See the chunk of shark fins still in shape and beside that there are also real crab meat inside the pot. Overall super satisfy and full. I forgot to note down the price, anyway is really affordable. 

We bought the bird nest and keep in the fridge for the next day breakfast. So thoughtful of the seller, they even make an effort to separate the ginkgo nuts and honey.

Actually my plan is to have dinner at T&K Seafood but by the time we had our lunch is around 3 plus in the noon and that day weather is really humid. There are nothing much to shop except buying pork floss souvenir for the colleagues and we took cab back to the hotel. 

Day 5, we visit the Wanton noodles stall for breakfast. I happen to saw this a few days back during the trip when I was buying the mini you tiao to try my luck if the seller are there for business. So I walk randomly around the street and saw a snake queue with many people under the hot sun, I remember that was on a weekend. 

So I noted down the place and told my bff about it and make sure to try it since the stall can attract such a long queue and I assume the food must be good. 

Opposite side of the wanton stall selling mix pig organ food. We didn't order that pig organ to try. Majority people go for the wanton noodles.

See how crowded the place are on a Monday morning. Fortunately is an air-conditional place although is not very chill. Luckily we did not queue for very long and had a table share with a local thai. Many tourist including us and there are 4 Singaporean sitting next beside us, I quite sure because of the assent (singlish). 

My friend order the soup version, while I order the dry version. The portion is not much, see how barely the noodle gave. The dry version is really very dry, there are no sauce on it. So I pour some chili sauce on the noodle and the chili sauce is not very spicy. 

I notice the local thai can really eat a lot. A thai middle age women sharing on a same table with us and another 3 thai people sitting next table to us order a bowl of wanton noodle and a plate of mix pig organ with rice. I saw them finish the wanton noodle follow by the organ rice. Maybe the portion is not that much so one bowl and one plate should be fine? 

If you want to know where is located pls visit this food blogger website for more details. 

http://danielfooddiary.com/2013/11/22/sabx2/ 

Pork with Bacon Burger

My last meal at BKK, I order a pork with bacon burger for dinner. The pork are tender and bacon is not tough.

That's all for the trip to BKK on year 2013. I will be going again on year 2014. I love visiting BKK.