Hokkaido Milk Bread

Hokkaido Milk Bread

The Hokkaido milk bread is a type of Japanese bread that is much softer and smoother in texture than other breads. It's similar to the way Chinese pastries are made, where a starter is made separately and later added to the dough. The starter makes the bread more soft and pillow-y. It doesn't have the crumby and grainy texture like other breads. Personally, I much prefer milk breads over regular breads, but they're difficult to find unless you live near an Asian grocery store. An even then, a fresh piece is quite rare. If you love milk breads, I recommend making your own batch for the freshest quality! I was very happy with the results. It came out perfect!

This recipe was adapted from Food52's recipe. I switched up a few ingredients, but still found good results with what I used. I also tried another recipe from the New York Times, but I found better results for Food52. 

Serving: 1 9x4 inch loaf pan

Ingredients:

• Starter:
• water, 6 tbsp
• all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp
  
• The Dough:
• whole milk, 1/4 cup
• active dry yeast, 1 & 1/2 tsp
• all-purpose flour, 2 & 3/4 cup
• salt, pinch
• powdered sugar, 1/4 cup
• evaporated milk, 1/4 cup
• eggs, 2
• softened butter, 2 tbsp

Directions:

1. For the starter, simmer water and flour in a small pot until it becomes thick.
2. Add warm milk and yeast. Stir and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
3. For the dough, sift flour, salt, and sugar together and mix.
4. Add 1 egg and evaporated milk into the starter. Mix. Then add milk and mix.
5. In the dry ingredients bowl, make a hole in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix all. 
6. Knead for 5 minutes. 
7. Add 1 tbsp butter and mix.
8. Repeat #7.
9. Knead for 5-10 minutes while adding 1 tbsp of flour.
10. Cover and let the dough rise for 2 hours.
11. Punch the dough and cut the dough into 3 pieces. Roll up the pieces at let it rise for one hour.
12. Roll the pieces and put it into a 9x4 loaf pan.
13. Use an egg wash over the dough.
14. Bake for 350F for 25 minutes.
15. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Links:

Food52: 

http://food52.com/recipes/30962-hokkaido-milk-bread

New York Times recipe (alternate recipe): 

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016275-japanese-milk-bread

Crescent Dinner Rolls

Crescent Dinner Rolls (aka Butterhorn Rolls, Sweet Dinner Rolls)

Crescent dinner rolls are a staple to an evening meal. The perfect appetizer and accompaniment to a meal, it is both sweet and light yet buttery and filling. I love making any type of pastry or bread from scratch, but it is definitely one of the more challenging types of food to make. Nevertheless, I love bread and decided to take on the task. It's similar to croissants except it does not have the flaky texture, which takes a lot longer to achieve. These dinner rolls are the next best thing to the Vienna-style pastry. You can eat them alone or dunk them in butter, which I highly recommend the latter. :)

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Crescent Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm almond milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2.5 tsp active dry yeast
• extra melted butter for brushing

Directions:

1. Combine water and almond milk and microwave for 1 minute.
2. Add sugar and yeast to the liquid mixture above.
3. Add salt, butter, and egg.
4. Slowly add in flour.
5. Knead for 20 minutes. 
6. Let it rise for one hour. After one hour has passed, punch the dough for 3-5 minutes, and let it rise again for another hour.
7. Use the dough the divide them into a crescent shape. Brush the top with butter.
8. Let it rise for one hour.
9. Bake for 350F for 12 minutes, or until the top is brown.

Done!

Hong Kong Pineapple Buns

Hong Kong Pineapple Buns

Pineapple buns, or bo lo bau, are one of my favorite Chinese pastries and may be the most well known bun in Chinese pastry cuisine. Characterized by a flaky, crunchy, yet sweet crust topping over a soft bread, it's a perfect snack that combines two delicious delights. Literally, a bun and a cookie combined!

Fun fact: It's called a pineapple bun because it resembles a pineapple, but there's actually no pineapple fruit or flavorings inside! 

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Hong Kong Pineapple Buns Recipe

Serving: 8 buns

Prep: 4 hours

Cook: 11 minutes

Total: 5 hours

Ingredients:

Dough:

• all-purpose flour, 240g
• butter, melted, 20g
• egg yolk, .67
• milk, warm, 100ml
• salt, 1/5 tsp
• sugar, 2.33 tsp (separated in 1.33 tsp and 1 tsp)
• honey, 2 tsp
• active dry yeast, 2/3 tsp

Crust Topping:

• sugar, 53.4g
• butter, room temp, 33.3g
• egg yolk, 1.33
• honey, 2 tsp
• all-purpose flour, 93.4g
• baking powder, 1.33 tsp
• milk, 1.33 tsp

Egg Wash:

• egg yolk, 1.33
• milk, 3.33 tsp

Directions:

Crust:

1. In a small bowl (#1), combine flour and baking powder.
2. In another bowl (#2), cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, milk, and honey.
3. Add bowl #1 to bowl #2.
4. Put dough in a plastic wrap in a "cigar-like shape" and refrigerate for 1-1.5 hour.
5. Cut into discs and apply the egg wash.
6. Make vertical and horizontal markings with a pastry scraper or a knife.

Dough:

1. Combine yeast, 1.33 tsp sugar, and milk in a small cup or bowl. Wait 15 minutes.
2. Add egg yolk and butter.
3. In another bowl, add flour, salt, and 1 tsp sugar. Mix. Add honey.
4. Knead for 20 minutes.
5. Let it rise for 1.5 hour in a butter-greased bowl.
6. After it has risen, punch out the air, knead, and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
7. Divide the dough in 8 balls on a cookie sheet.
8. Add crust and let it rise for 45 minutes.

After you apply the crust on top of the dough, bake for 350F for 11 minutes.

Done!

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Everyone loves banana bread. It's the staple homemade bread found in many kitchens. It's quite easy to make compared to other types of bread because it has no leavening. All you need are a few bananas in addition to the ingredients for a simple quick-bread recipe. To make the most of this recipe, I recommend three or four bananas that are very ripe. The more ripe, the better. You want them to be almost completely black and mushy when touched (but not runny). This helps your bread have a strong banana flavor and a moist texture. Also, I used shortening in this recipe because I didn't have any butter, but I recommend butter for a richer taste. If you are aiming for extra moistness, read my tips section below. Enjoy. :)


Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (aged for at least 2 weeks) (using 3-4 bananas is recommended for added moistness!)
• 1/4 cup shortening, with 1/2 tbsp water (or 1/4 cup butter)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk

Directions:

1. Combine wet ingredients (eggs, shortening, water, bananas, vanilla extract).
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon).
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Bake for 350F for 20 minutes.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and lower the temperature to 300F. Continue to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Done!

Tips:

• For extra moistness, add more ripe bananas, sour cream, yogurt, or olive oil. Also, lower the temperature, increase the baking time, and put aluminum foil in early.
• Don't over-mix the batter or it'll become dry.
• Age the bananas longer for extra banana-y flavor! :)

Coconut Pumpkin Bread

Coconut Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 & 2/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 tbsp & 1-3/4 tsp water
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup & 3 tbsp Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• Shredded Coconut Flakes. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix the pumpkin sauce, egg, oil, and water together.
3. Mix the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.
4. Combine both and then pour into a loaf pan.
5. Bake for ~50 minutes.
6. Top with coconut flakes.

Tips:

• Use a toothpick to check if the bread is done. If it comes out clean, then it's ready to be taken out of the oven.