Ho! Ho! Ho!
How's the Christmas shopping er baking so far?
I've been too lazy lately to bake something Christmassy....
The weather here in smoggy Hongkong is just perfect for lazing around .....
I baked these 2 loaves , matcha and ube , few weeks back , you know , just to remind myself whether it's still easy to roll a buttery dough after more than 2 years of not doing it .
Yup ! It was !
Now , now ! No eye-rolling lol
If you make matcha danish loaf 5 times within a two-week time frame , I'm pretty sure the last one will yield a better result ( fingers crossed ). I usually do the 3-times trial and error when it comes to bread making and if I still can't get it , I just move on to another new recipe .
But not with danish loaf , yeah , because even that 1st ugly bake , the loaf tastes out of this world ! Okay , it was probably the copious amount of butter hee hee !
The previous recipe has only 300 something grams dough and 113 grams butter insert , imagine making it for the first time ?! The dough in this recipe is more substantial so rolling it longer and wider is much easier .
These loaves are made the same way as croissants except danish bread dough is kneaded just like most Asian-style bread . And danish dough is not rolled as thinly as croissants .
I decided to add some flavourings to butter and each ingredient certainly adds an interesting swirls of colour and delicious flavour .
I made the cocoa version 2 days ago and made 4 turns this time . I think I'll stick with 3 turns in making danish loaf from now on . The layers in the crust are much more finer so it doesn't look as distinctive as the layers in both the matcha and ube/purple yam version .
Use good quality butter in making danish loaf , the higher the butterfat in butter , at least 82% , the less it will melt as you roll the dough as the texture is more drier compare to those butter with less fat . The flavour is much more better as well . I used Isigny Ste Mere in matcha and ube/purple yam loaves and Lescure in the cocoa version . Photo of Isigny Ste Mere butter below is salted , I ran out of the unsalted ones weeks ago . The 3 baking shops that I visited doesn't have stocks anymore . Yup , French butter shortage is real tsk tsk !
Texture of the crust is shatteringly crisp and the crumb is pillowy-soft . Best eaten the same day it is made , the crust will lose its crispness the next day but will stay soft for days stored at room temperature . I usually toast slices in a non-stick pan for about 2 minutes on each sides , crust may not be as crisp as the day it was made but still delicious nonetheless .
Recipe adapted from Original Flavours
Makes one 8x4-1/2x4-1/4 inch loaf
180 grams bread flour
50 grams cake flour
3 grams instant yeast
15 grams milk powder
1 egg
90 grams cold water
25 grams caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 grams butter , softened
115 grams unsalted butter to make a 5 x 5-inch square butter insert
Each ingredient below is for 115 grams butter / 1 recipe of danish loaf
8 grams ( Valrhona ) cocoa powder
Makes one 8x4-1/2x4-1/4 inch loaf
180 grams bread flour
50 grams cake flour
3 grams instant yeast
15 grams milk powder
1 egg
90 grams cold water
25 grams caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 grams butter , softened
115 grams unsalted butter to make a 5 x 5-inch square butter insert
Each ingredient below is for 115 grams butter / 1 recipe of danish loaf
8 grams ( Valrhona ) cocoa powder
6 grams ( Uji ) matcha powder
6 grams ube / purple yam powder
* Make the dough : You can knead the dough manually , use stand mixer or bread machine . Knead dough until it pass a window pane test , about 20 to 30 minutes - this is important if you want an enriched bread to be soft for days . Chill the dough in the fridge overnight to proof . Take out dough from the fridge and form into a smooth , round ball . Cover with tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes .
6 grams ube / purple yam powder
* Make the dough : You can knead the dough manually , use stand mixer or bread machine . Knead dough until it pass a window pane test , about 20 to 30 minutes - this is important if you want an enriched bread to be soft for days . Chill the dough in the fridge overnight to proof . Take out dough from the fridge and form into a smooth , round ball . Cover with tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes .
* Make the butter insert : Cut butter into pieces and lay them down side by side on the parchment paper . Sprinkle cocoa / matcha / ube ( purple yam ) on both sides of the butter , pound butter with a rolling pin to soften it a bit , roll evenly and shaping it into a 5-inch square . Chill overnight before using .
* Roll out dough into 8 x 8-inch square , place butter at an angle , just like a diamond . Roll out each flap/sides into about 4-inch length . Fold each of the flaps to encase the butter within the dough , press edges together to seal .
* Sprinkle some flour on the work surface , also on top of the dough to prevent sticking . Using the rolling pin , press it up and down , creating ridges on top of the dough , this will make both dough and butter adhere better so as elongating it . Do this before you start rolling out the dough .
* Roll out dough into 8 x 15-inch rectangle , do the 3-fold - fold one short side at two-thirds of the length of the rectangle then the other short side over it making 3 layers .
* This is the 1st turn , rotate dough at 90 degrees , the opening should be on the right side , just like a book . You'll have a 5 x 8-inch rectangle after each turn , do this 3 times . Wrap dough in a plastic wrap and put it into the baking sheet then place in the freezer for 20 minutes after each turn .
* Remember to fluff / lift the dough often as you roll it to prevent sticking . Sprinkle some flour as needed as you roll the dough and brush off excess flour using a pastry brush before you do the fold . If there are some holes or tear on the dough , lightly sprinkle with flour and gently tapping it with a finger .
* After 3 turns , freeze the dough ( also 20 minutes ) for the last time .
* Lightly grease an 8x4-1/2x4-1/4 inch non-stick pullman tin . If using an aluminium pullman tin , grease generously .
* Roll out dough into 6 x 16-inch rectangle , the length should be twice of the pullman tin . Cut dough into 3 equal strips ; cut strips into 3 equal pieces , not cutting the top part through . Do the 3 strand braid , making sure the layered part is exposed at the top . If the strips has gone a bit soft , sprinkle some flour before braiding it .
* Turn down the braid up-side down and fold into 3 layers , the top of the braid should be in the middle and the lower part should be at the bottom .
* Place the stacked braid , middle side up in the prepared pullman pan , spray dough with water to prevent drying .
* Cover the pan/tin with plastic wrap / tea towel , place it on the baking sheet and let proof until it fill up about 90 % of the tin or nearly to the rim , 4 to 4 1/2 hours depending on the ambient temperature .
* Preheat oven to 210ºC .
* Put the cover of the pullman tin , let proof for another 10 to 20 minutes , again , depending on the ambient temperature .
* Bake for 35 - 40 or until crust is golden brown .
* Take out danish loaf immediately out of the tin and place in a wire rack to cool completely before slicing .
