Ham-stuffed whole wheat rolls

The second batch , more whole wheat flour than bread flour .

I've been only using bread and all-purpose flour in baking bread 'til a week ago - this batch was baked 3 days ago ....

So , when I made my first whole wheat bread , a combination of flour , actually , more bread flour than wheat ....

I was thinking , it has been nearly an hour of proving and still this dough didn't quiet rise as high as my previous bakes using bread and all-purpose flour ....

Did I do something wrong ?! ....

I've actually forgotten that whole wheat flour takes more time to double its size compare to bread and all-purpose flour and didn't rise that much ! Silly me ! pffffttttt

This batch is not a recipe for stuffed ham rolls ! I just played around with some ingredients , more whole wheat than bread flour ,  so that I can have a comparison to the ones that I've made using a different recipe ....

The first yum ! 50 grams wwf , 130 grams bread flour ... Need to tucked the ends of the rolls properly !

I love both results though using a wheat and bread flour combo yield a smaller bread yet more substantial ( in taste ) compare when using bread/all-purpose flour ....

Both bread were still soft after three days at room temperature ( packed in a plastic bag ) though the first one , more bread flour than whole wheat , was more softer , fluffier and yummier .....

As I love eating store-bought stuffed bread where it's made of bread or all-purpose flour , this whole wheat and bread flour combo makes a delicious and healthier choice ....

Now , if only I didn't add that ham and mayo ! lol

Recipe from The Big Book of Bread

Soft wholemeal rolls , makes 8 rolls

My modification in red

225 grams strong plain wholemeal flour , plus extra for dusting ( 175 grams wholemeal flour  , 50 grams bread flour )
1 tsp salt
25 grams butter , diced
1 1/2 tsps easy-blend dried yeast ( Saf red instant yeast )
1 tsp caster sugar
about 150 ml warm milk
some sliced ham
1 1/2 tablespoon mayo + 1 tsp Thai chili garlic sauce , mix together

* Grease or flour 2 baking sheets and set aside . Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl , then rub in the butter . Stir in the yeast and sugar . Make a well in the centre , then add enough milk , mixing to form a soft dough .
* Turn into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic . Shape the dough into round , then place it in a lightly oiled bowl , cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size .
* Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface , then divide it into 8 equal portions . Roll each portion of dough into a round or oval , press each one dough firmly with the heel of your hand and release . I flattened each portion and put in the ham and top it with mayo mixture , roll and sealed then cut several slashes on the top of the each dough with a knife .
* Place rolls on the baking sheets , spacing them well  apart , cover and leave to rise again for 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in size .
* Meanwhile , preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F . Lightly dust the tops of the rolls with flour . I used an egg wash to brush the top . Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned .
* Transfer to a wire rack to cool and cover with a clean , dry tea towel to keep the crusts soft .

Recipe for the first batch please check Cookpad's site

Brookies

 Have you made or eaten brookies yet?!

If you can't make up your mind whether to bake cookies or brownies , this one's for you!

But I'll say, bake both! lol

Brookie is a cross between a brownie and a cookie, or should I say, a 2 in 1 treat?!, part chocolate cookie, part fudgy brownie.....

The wrinkled and cracked top may look like a forehead of a woman ageing gracefully heh! but that's the beauty of Brookies....

Just like when you bake brownies, the top is cracked and so as these Brookies and in the shape of a cookie....

Have you checked the recipe yet?!

Note the amount of oil and butter.....

If not for the 3/4 cup of sugar, but hey! you need it to make those distinctive cracks, I might call these a healthy yumminess!

Recipe from Clinton St. Baking Company

Makes 18 to 20

1 tablespoon canola oil ( I used sunflower oil )  
1 tsp unsalted butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks ( 52 - 62% cacao )  ( 1 cup bittersweet and 1 cup white choco chips )
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

* Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
* Melt the oil, butter and 1 cup of the chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high heat or melt the mixture in the stainless-steel bowl of a double boiler. Let cool.
* In another bowl, with a whisk , mix the eggs , sugar and vanilla together until well combined.
* Fold the melted chocolate mixture  into the egg mixture.
* In another bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and mix until well combined, then add in the remaining chocolate chunks.
* Freeze the batter in a shallow pan, ( such as pie plate ) for 6 to 8 minutes until the batter sets and hardens slightly. I didn't freeze the batter since it was quiet thick enough to scoop directly onto the baking sheet. 
* Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 10 tablespoon-sized Brookies onto each sheet. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until tops look dry and cracked ( the insides will still be quiet moist ) . Cool completely.

Bihon guisado

If there's one Filipino dish that I can cook well - yeah right ! hee hee - it would be this dish ....

But I spent too much time lurking online until I get it right !

I did ask my Nanay ( mother in Filipino ) what's the right proportion of noodles and water and she told me , just enough to cook your noodles ! Ha !

Yup , she doesn't measure everything what she's been cooking since time immemorial .....

Bihon guisado is made of thin rice noodles , fried with assorted veggies , meat , shrimp , fish sauce and served with a drizzle of calamansi or anything that you would like add into it . This is a popular Filipino dish and commonly served as an everyday meal , a staple in every gatherings and sometimes eaten together with our staple rice !

Before , when I cooked this dish it's either too dry or too wet ....

Until I saw this Filipino blog , which sadly , I can't remember the name ugh ! Hey , that was 3 years ago ! , that it should be 5 cups of water for every pack of noodles ( about 400 grams )  .....

But don't forget that you need to factor in several kinds of veggies and other ingredients in this dish to absorb some of that water .....

I was thinking at that time , " Huh ! I bet it will turn into bihon ( rice vermicelli or maifun in Cantonese ) soup instead of  sautéed noodles ! "

Now , if you have the inclination or desire to make this dish and a bit leery of putting that huge amount of water , try adding it as you go to achieve the desired consistency  ....

I know there's a lot of sodium ( salt , chicken powder , soy sauce , fish sauce and oyster sauce ) in this dish so try to modify it according to your preference .

This is also a good vegetarian dish if you just omit the nasty bits ! ^___^ ''

450 grams pork , blanched and cut into bite-sized pieces and boil until soft , reserved the broth
150 grams chicken liver , blanched and cut
600 grams cabbage , sliced
250 grams carrot , sliced
200 grams green beans , cut
1 medium onion , sliced
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 tsp ginger , finely chopped
1  pack / 400 grams rice vermicelli
5 cups pork broth
2 tsps chicken powder
1 T oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp chili flakes
1 T fish sauce
1 T dark soy sauce
calamansi , lime or lemon to serve
chili garlic sauce

* In a wok or a large pan , heat oil and add in the onion , fry until softens then add in garlic and ginger ; continue frying until the garlic turns lightly brown . Add the pork , chicken liver , the rest of the veggies and add in the the chicken powder , oyster sauce , salt , sugar , pepper and chili flakes , stir well to combine . Pour in the broth , let boil for a minute or so and add in the fish and dark soy sauce ; stir until combine . Cover the wok and cook for about 3 minutes or until veggies are tender ; adjust seasoning . Add in the rice noodles , stirring the ingredients around so the noodles will be covered by the broth ; cover the pan and continue cooking , stirring the mixture from time to time to prevent the noodles from sticking at the bottom of the pan . Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the noodles are soft but not mushy . Serve hot or warm with a drizzle of calamansi juice and with chili garlic sauce thrown in if desired .

Pullman loaf sandwich bread ( Pan de mie )

At last a respectable pullman bread !

From the Bread Bible by Rose Beranbaum , " The pan de mie is the basic white sandwich bread of France . This bread has a minimum of crust , the result of baking the loaf in a special straight-sided covered pan ( pullman pan ) . The cover prevents a full rise , producing the tight fine crumb and minimum of crust . "

This is my 3rd try so far ....

If you've already tried Rose Levy Beranbaum's pullman loaf sandwich bread , you would agree that it's one delicious loaf bread .....

My 2 previous bakes which I made half of the recipe and it looks good enough but it barely hit 2/3 of the pan and the top was little bit scorched and uneven ! 

So this time , I made the full recipe , crammed 850 grams of dough in my 8 x 4-inch pullman pan , didn't open the cover after 30 minutes as stated in the book and left the small loaf pan ( with 270 grams of dough )  uncovered at the start of baking and just covered it after 20 minutes .

I think I'm happy with how it turned out ......

Though I've only had a 7 1/2  x 3 1/4-inch and a malnourished ( uneven top , as well ! ) 5 x 1 1/2-inch result . The combined weight of my bread is 980 grams .The  recipe should filled up a 16 x 4 x 4-inch pullman pan ! pfffttttt 

But don't smirk at that malnourished loaf ! It may defy description but it's taste really great with it's crunchy crust ( it will turn soft after a day ) and soft crumbs .....

As for the one baked in the pullman pan , I'll let the photos speaks for itself ! lol

I'll still need to knead trillions of bread dough to have that toned arms ! ^____^''

Recipe from The Bread Bible 

You'll need a pullman loaf , 16 x 4 x 4-inch to make a 15 x 4 x 3 1/4-inch-high loaf ( about 1015 grams )

4 cups / 20.5 oz / 585 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (use only Gold Medal , King Arthur or Pillsbury) - Just use any all-purpose flour you have in hand ! -
1/4 cup / 1.5 oz / 40 grams dry whole milk
1 tablespoon / 9.6 instant dry yeast
6 tablespoon / 3 oz / 85 grams unsalted butter , softened  

1 1/2 liquid cups / 12.5 oz / 354 grams water at room temperature ( 70° to 90°F )
2 tablespoon / 1.5 oz / 40 grams honey 

2 teaspoons / 1/3.2 grams salt

* Mix the dough :

Mixer method : In a large mixer bowl , , whisk together the flour , dry milk , and yeast . Add butter and mix the with the dough hook on low speed ( #2 if using a KA ) , then add the water , honey and salt . When all the flour is moistened , raise the speed to medium ( #4 KA ) and beat for 7 minutes . The dough will be smooth , shiny and slightly sticky to the touch . If the dough is not stiff , knead in a little flour . If it is not at all sticky , spray it with a little water and knead it in . ( It will weigh about , 38.5 oz / 1102 grams )

Hand method : In a large bowl , whisk together all but 1/4 cup of the flour , the dry milk and yeast . Add the butter , with a wooden spoon or your hand , stir in the water , honey and salt until the flour is moistened . Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together , then scrape it onto a lightly floured surface . Knead for 5 minutes , enough to develop the gluten structure a little , adding the reserved flour as little as possible to keep the dough from sticking . Use a bench scraper to scrape the dough and gather it together as you knead . At this point it will be very sticky . over it with the inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes . ( This resting time will make the dough less sticky and easier to work with )
         Knead the dough for another 5 minutes or until it is very smooth and elastic . It should still be tacky ( sticky ) enough to cling to your fingers . If the dough is still very sticky , add some of the remaining reserved flour or a little extra .  ( It will weigh about 1102 grams ) Mine was 1120 grams .

Both methods : Shape the dough and let it rise . On a lightly floured counter , shape the dough into a ball . Flour the top and cover it with plastic wrap . Allow it to relax for 10-15 minutes . Remove the plastic wrap and gently deflate the dough , using your fingertips to spread it into a rectangle about 10 x 8-inch .

        Give the dough one business-letter turn , then press or roll it out again to about 12 inches by 5 inches and shape it into a 16-inch-long loaf . Set it in the prepared pan . Grease the top of the pullman pan and slide it into place , leaving a few inches ajar so that you can gauge the progress of the rising dough . Cover the exposed area with a plastic wrap . Let rise in a warm area and allow it to rise until it is about 1/2 inch below the top of the pan , about 1- 1 1/2 hour .  

* Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C for 30 minutes before baking . Bake the bread for 30 minutes  . Quickly slide off the lid , turn the pan around , for even baking and continue baking for about 30 minutes until deeply brown . If bread starts getting to dark after 20 minutes , tent it loosely with foil .

* Remove the bread and unmold it onto a large wire rack . Cool it top side up .

Small loaf , baked without cover 

Pullman pan 

Penne with bolognese sauce

We've been enjoying a cool and sunny weather these past few days .......

According to the Observatory , we're going to have a long cold winter .....

Not good for making ice cream , I'll tell you ! lol

But good for the warm and hearty meals that you can't wait to scarf down while it's piping hot ......

Congee immediately comes to mind but I got a can of pasta sauce that's calling my name ^____^ ''

So , pasta it is ....

This is a spin from Martha Stewart recipe , though I used pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and added some tomato ketchup so it doesn't look like your typical bolognese sauce . Maybe it's not bolognese sauce at all ; mine is more saucy , no pun intended heh ! and spicy as well ......

Fresh rigatoni with bolognese sauce  , recipe from Martha Stewart

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small carrot , peeled and grated , about 3/4 cup
1 rib celery , chopped , about 1 cup
1 large red onion , finely chopped
1/3 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
2 cups canned peeled whole tomato
2 tbsp tomato paste
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsps heavy cream , optional
1 pound fresh rigatoni

***** I used 2 cups of pasta sauce , 1/4 cup tomato ketchup , 1/2 cup water , 300 grams ground pork , 3 rashers of bacon , generous teaspoon of chili flakes , 1 tsp oregano , a handful of chopped cilantro , some brown sugar and penne instead of rigatoni . I cooked my sauce for about 30 minutes .

* Heat olive oil in a large saucepan , over medium high heat and add , carrot , celery and onion , cook for 2 minutes . Add the beef and pork , until meat in nicely browned , 15 to 20 minutes . Add tomato sauce , paste and 1/4 cup water and season with salt and pepper . Cover and cook , stirring occasionally for an hour .
* Meanwhile , boil pasta until al dente , drain . Add heavy cream if using and stir to combine . Serve immediately over pasta .

Mozzarella and ham pizza pull apart bread

Don't mind the rat hole ! 

I've been thinking of making pesto for months now ....

Either make it - too cheap to buy real Parmesan cheese - or buy it - haven't seen any pesto in the supermarket near our area yet .....

I guess , I'll start growing basil first - hopefully it won't die just like my 2 pots of mint ! tsk tsk 

Why I'm rambling about pesto ?! 

Because the recipe that I used in this bake calls  for both pesto and Parmesan cheese .....

I have some cheddar - a staple in our fridge - and some mozzarella that's getting moldy , these two cheese are another excuse for me not to buy the expensive Parmesan heh ! 

I'm planning to make the pull apart bread that I've seen from KitchenAid's Facebook link but this book has some simple and easy recipes that a newbie bread baker just like me needs ! :D 

I was quiet hesitant at first to add too much filling in this bread just in case it won't rise properly ! 

Hey ! I'm new to this bread baking business ! lol 

What can I say ?! I've oohed and aahed as the bread rose beautifully as it bakes ! 

And the smell ! Have you passed at the Pizza Hut lately ?!

This bread has a soft yet chewy ( especially the top crust ) texture and best eaten warm but still really good at room temperature . If there are some leftovers , cut in half and toast it in the skillet or nonstick pan to have a crunchy pizza bread treat !

I used an 8-inch square pan and cut the dough into 12 but the 9 rolls were huge so I put the 3 small ones in the muffin liners . Oh ! I've already eaten one piece ! lol 

Pesto parmesan pull apart  , recipe from The Big Book of Bread

Makes 16

My modification in red

450 grams plain white flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps easy blend dried yeast ( I used Saf red instant yeast )
1 tsp caster sugar
about 300 ml warm water
3 tablespoons green pesto sauce ( 3 tbsps pasta sauce ) 
40 grams fresh Parmesan cheese ( 120 grams mozzarella )
90 grams ham , chopped 
a handful of cilantro , chopped 
beaten egg , to glaze

* Grease a deep 23 cm ( 9-inch) round cake tin and set aside . Sift flour and salt into a bowl then stir in the yeast and sugar . Mix in enough water to form a soft dough .
* Turn the dough into a floured surface and knead until smooth , about 10 minutes . Shape into a round , then place in an oiled bowl , cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size .
* Knock back the dough on a floured surface , then roll out to form a 40 x 28 cm ( 16 x 11-inch ) rectangle . Spread the pesto sauce over the dough , then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese .
* Starting on the long side , roll up dough fairly tightly like a Swiss roll . Cut into 16 even slices , then place the rolls , cut-side up , in a circular pattern in the cake tin . Cover and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes or until double in size .
* Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F . Brush the spirals with beaten egg , then bake for 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown . Cool slightly in the tin , then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely . Pull the rolls apart to serve . Serve warm or cold .  

Japanese cheesecake

Here's one cake that needs no guinea pigs .....

As I can eat it all by my lonesome , expanding tummy be damned ! lol

Nearly the same as the recipe from Diana's Desserts that I've been baking from time to time .....

But when I stumbled upon this recipe , with so much rave reviews , I couldn't help but bake it asap ! 

I've seen this recipe's link from this awesome Japanese blog Just one cookbook .....

This one though only uses 3 eggs instead of 6 and the height is not as impressive but it's just as delectable ! 

This cake is much more softer , its texture's more like the lighter version of a traditional cheesecake sans the richness and much easier to slice so no messy slices !  

The recipe's link is in Japanese so use the translation button in your computer - the English translation is a little bit off but still easy to understand : )

I omitted the rum , used a generous teaspoon of lime instead of lemon and added a pinch of salt .

Recipe from Cookpad

200 - 225 grams cream cheese , at room tempearature

30 grams granulated sugar

30 grams butter , at room temp 

3 eggs , separated

100 ml cream , at room temp

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tbsp rum

40 grams cake flour

50 grams granulated sugar for the egg whites

some apricot jam for glazing

* Preheat oven to 150°C . Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a 7-inch springform or removable- bottom pan and lined with parchment paper , grease it as well  ( the parchment paper should be an inch higher than the pan ) .

* Combine the cream cheese , cream , sugar and butter and whisk until smooth .
* Add egg yolks , lemon juice and rum to the cream cheese mixture , whisk until well combined .
* Add the cake flour in two additions and mix until well incorporated .
* In another bowl , beat the egg whites and add sugar in 3 additions ; whip mixture until the texture looks silky and is still dripping when you scoop it ( Don't overbeat or else the surface of the cake will crack when baked ) Mine still crack , so don't worry if you overbeat your egg whites !
* Add 1/3 of the egg white mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix well then pour that mixture back in the remaining egg white mixture and fold well thoroughly but gently .
* Pour batter in the prepared pan and drop the pan to remove the air bubbles in the batter . ( Don't mind  that small craters in my cake heh ! ) .
* Bake cheesecake in a water bath at 150°C for 30 minutes then lower to 140°C and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean .
* Leave to cool in the oven with door slightly ajar , about 30 minutes to an hour .
* Brush some warm apricot glaze on top ( I mixed a generous tablespoon of apricot jam and a tsp of water and heat it , strain if prefer )

This is how I bake my cheesecakes , instead of wrapping a foil around the pan and putting it directly into the pan with water , put a roasting tin at the bottom , add the hot water after preheating the oven  , and a wire rack at the top , that way , no water can seep into the cake .

PeaNuts butter cookies

It's been years since I baked peanut butter cookies .....

With so much recipes to choose from and not only cookies !  My greedy eyes wants to bake/make each and every one of them !

Sadly , I only have one ever expanding tummy tsk tsk lol

I just can't eat as fast as I can make it ....

Need some guinea pigs , anyone ?! hee hee

I saw this recipe from Clinton Street Bakery Cookbook and it's one of the easiest recipe around ....

I just added a generous half cup of mixed nuts for texture and I should have added more ......

Though 'twas a tad difficult to press the back of fork to flatten the cookies to make a crosshatch design  when nuts are added in the dough ......

Maybe the next time , just sprinkle some nuts after making the crosshatch design or just omit it but the design looks nice though mine's just so-so  ......  ^___^''

Peanut butter cookies ( makes 12 cookies )  I don't know how huge each cookie in that cookbook but I made 30 ( 2 1/2-inch ) cookies

1 stick / 8 tablespoon / 113 grams unsalted butter , at room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter , chunky or smooth but not natural
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

* Preheat oven to 325°F/ 160°C .
* In the bowl of an electric mixer , cream the butter , peanut butter and the sugars together until fluffy .
* Add the egg and the dry ingredients and mix until smooth .
* Roll the dough into a log ( 2 inches thick and 8 inches long ) and use a knife to make a 3/4-inch-thick slices
* Line 2 sheets of baking sheets with parchment paper and place cookie slices on the sheets .
* Using the back of a fork , flatten the cookies and make the classic crosshatch design - press hard ! - . Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar .
* Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly brown .

Variation : For peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies , add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks after the dry ingredients . You can use a spoon or scoop to portion these cookies rather than rolling the dough into a log .

Panfried taro cakes

Lately , I've been too lazy to take some photos much less blab ......

Maybe , it's the time of the month ?! lol

Or the change of temperature ......

Have you watched Cake boss ?!

Okay , that's what I've been doing this past few days .....

Watching it , online ..... you should ! ^___^''

Anyway , since it's little cool out here these past few days , the morning that is , noontime , still hot ....

I've been craving for taro cakes to go with my hot tea or coffee ......

You'll see loads of this steamed cake in the bakeries or Chinese restaurants during Chinese New Year only but you can order this ( in slices ) all year round when you go yumcha ....

Much as I love the turnip cake , taro cake is much more easier to prepare .....

Recipe from Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking

My slight modification in red 

1 pound taro root , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tbsp salt

4 dried black mushrooms , soaked and sliced
1/4 cup dried shrimp , soaked and coarsely chopped ( 3 tbsp ) 
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup shallots , chopped
1/2 Chinese sausage ( lap cheong ) about 1 ounce , chopped ( I used 1 sausage )
1 green onion , trimmed and chopped
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup water ( 1 cup ) 
3/4 cup boiling water ( generous 3/4 cup )
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4  tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
/12 tsp sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tsp chicken powder
pinch of ground white pepper

* In a medium saucepan , bring water to a boil and add taro and salt . Adjust heat so the water is simmering , cover the post and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until taro is tender . I steamed mine for 15 minutes , mashed about 2/3 of the taro and leave the rest whole . Drain and mash the taro , leaving some lumps , set aside .
* Heat wok or a pan over high heat , add the oil and add in the shallots , sausage , green onion , mushrooms and dried shrimp , stir fry until shallots are soft and sausage is cooked through , 2 to 3 minutes . set aside .
* Stir the rice flour and the water together in a large bowl until well blended . Add the boiling water , potato starch and salt , stir until well blended , then stir in the mashed taro , the shallot mixture , soy sauce , sesame oil , sugar and pepper , ( adjust seasoning according to taste ) mixing thoroughly . Spoon batter into a greased 8-inch glass pie plate or a cake pan .
* Steamed over high heat for about 30 minutes or until the cake is set and firm . Let cool . Slice and panfry on both sides and serve with chili sauce .