Variety of buns...

Made some bread the day before my sis's wedding, using Baking Mum's sweet bun recipe..

Use small cheese cocktail sausages for the smaller buns

The soft and fluffy interior of the buns..

Whole tray of sausage buns sauna-ing in the oven.. I sprinkle some spring onions at the top of the buns to beautify it.

The recipe really yields lots lots of buns.. I made quite alot of sausage buns, 6 plain buns, and approximately 9 cinnamon rolls.. So if I were to attempt this recipe again, I'll definitely keep some dough in the freeze, or do half of the the recipe.

But I guess I won't bake any bread in the next few months.. Sigh, reason being, I really can't knead well.. And I attribute my failure to produce bread that stays soft to without owning a breadmachine/ heavy duty mixer...

Yes, my bread came out of the oven fluffy, soft and absolutely delicious, but after a few hours (5 hrs?) it starts to work it's way to become a rock..

And what I did was to munch on the sausages and dump the bread.. Which I consider that as real wastage.. =(

So I work it out that buying my bread from a bakery is better (and muchX1000 more efficient) that producing your own bread (considering the fact that you knead the dough using your bare hands).

For your information, I woke up at 5am in the morning to prepare the ingredients, and knead the dough for 1.5 hours (I'm afraid that I din knead it enough). I complete the whole bread baking process in 5 hrs time..

So from this experience, I derive the conclusion that cake baking is much much more easier.. Yes, I might try making bread again, if next time I own a kitchenAid, or bread machines.. Hehe

Enough of my grumbling.. Sharing with you the recipe (From baking mum)

Sweet Bread Dough

Ingredients

(A)

480g bread flour

120g plain flour (I used cake flour)

110g castor sugar

20g milk powder

4 tsp yeast

(B)

1 egg

300ml cold water ( I used cold milk)

(C)

60g unsalted butter

10g salt

Methods

1. Mix (A) till well blended. Add in (B) to form a dough. Add in (C) and knead till dough is elastic and smooth.
2. Gather dough to form a ball and cover dough with cling wrap and let it rest for 1 hour or double in size.
3. Divide dough into portions of 60g each. Shape into balls and leave it to rest for about 10mins. Roll out dough and wrap with desired fillings. Shape as required and let it proof on greased baking tray for 60mins or double in size.
4. Apply egg wash on dough and sprinkle some spring onion on it. Bake at 180C for 12mins.
   
   
   
   

Maiden attempt in making bread......

YEAH!! If anyone is beside me right now, he/she cand definitely see me beaming away with joy.. Reason being: my attempt in bread making today is successful!

And yes, I'm really really happy!

Anyone ask me if the kneading process is a tedious one, I'll definitely be the first of all to exclaim "YES"! And what I gain from this process is a basket of freshly baked bread, and some formation of arm muscles! Seriously speaking, I've no idea kneading bread dough can be so so so tough and tiring.. BUT, I enjoy every bit of it.. =)

Alright, Pictures time!

The batch of bread baking away in the oven.. Someone please remind me that my dough is shaped in a super duper ugly way.. Esp the cinnamon rolls.. After the 2nd proofing, everything literally "un-roll" itself.. =(

Any kind souls out there can provide me some tips on shaping bread?

The "family portrait".. Although my sis, helper and I ate about 2 square buns, and 4 cinnamon roll away b4 taking this picture.

Up close view of the cinnamon rolls.. Lovely right? And I actually prefer this to the cheese ones..

The cinnamon rolls is crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.. So yeah, I like this combination!


I wrap in some cheddar cheese slices into the big fat round buns, and for the spiral ones are actually sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. However, I suggest it will taste better if it's a cinnamon powder + sugar + butter mixture.. I believe that the taste would be strongly enhanced.

Recipe adapted from florence's blog.

Wonderfully Soft Bread (Sweet bun)

Ingredients

310g bread flour
60g cake flour
40g Nestle CoffeeMate/ Milk powder
115mL skim milk
20g condensed milk
55g castor sugar
3g salt
7g instant yeast
1 egg + 2 egg yolk
40g butter (I use corn oil)


Egg Glaze: 1 egg + 1 tsp water


Methods

1. Sieve flour mixture into a large mixing.
2. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add in the rest of the ingredients except butter.
3. Mix till a dough is formed and knead in the cornoil till you get a smooth dough (I did the membrane test in this step).
4. Prove dough for 50mins or till double in size.
5. Divide dough into 12 portion (60g each) and shape it or wrap in the fillings.
6. Prove the shaped dough for another 50mins or double in size.
7. Brush with egg glaze and bake at 190C for 15mins or till cooked.

Hmm... Bit of thoughts.. I think bread making is really time consuming.. But nothing can beat home bakes..

And yes, my family enjoyed every single bit of it. Within 1.5hours, the bread are all gone from the tray! I gonna try making different types and flavor of bread!