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.