Apple filling buns

Which one is apple?
Hehe...you can find it easily, but they look so lovely, don't you think so?

Sour dough with tea leaf crust and apple filling inside.
The core of apple is stick pretzel, and leaf is a biscuit.

At first, make sourdough, and make apple preserve with raisin. OK, get ready, proof the final dough!!

Apple filling buns (make 7)
Sourdough
50g High grade flour
50g Water
1 teaspoon of sourdough starter

Apple preserve
2 apples (peel and cut into dice)
30g raisins
2 tablespoon of Sugar
1 tablespoon of Lemon juice

Final dough
250g High grade flour
50g Plain flour
1 bag of tea leaves
5g salt
2 table spoon of Sugar
195cc Water
20g oil
Sourdough polish

Decoration
Pretzel (stick type)
Biscuits (or something like leaf)
Any type of jam

Prepare
In a small container, combine flour, water and sourdough starter and stir 16-20 hours to ripen at room temperature.


In a small sauce pan, heat apple, raisin, sugar and lemon juice with low heat, and stir  constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in apple and simmer until apples are transparent.

1. In a large bowl, mix final dough flours and sugar, salt, tea leaves. Add sourdough starter and water, oil. Mix with your finger combine the ingredients till water and flour combined well.
Place the dough onto the floured counter, then knead it for 10 minutes till it becomes smooth and elastic.

2. Put the dough into a container with cover, place it warm place (35℃) till it becomes double size (about 8 - 12hours). I set overnight.

3. Pour the dough onto floured counter, then deflate it, knead briefly. Divide into 7 pieces(70g each). Shape them into balls.
Set the dough with cover for 20 minutes.

4. Punch the dough, make a round shape with a roll pin. Put the apple filling on the dough. Seal the dough tightly, try not to put air in.

5. Place them into the warm place(40℃) for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven at 200 ℃。


6. Bake them at 190℃ for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

7. Decorate leaves. Use any type of jam as glue. Cool them on a wired lack.
Poke cores on the centre of buns.

Castella (Japanese Sponge Cake)

This recipe is really simple to make.

I got some fresh eggs from my friend. She has 4 chickens at home, so she can get 4 eggs everyday!!
Mmmmm.... what shall I make with eggs...

OK, I decided to make Castella!

Castella is a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, but I used honey instead of syrup. Honey makes better taste.
This cake brought from Portugal to Japan by missionaries in the 16th century. That time we, Japanese didn't use to have milk and butter. I think Castella is the first cake in Japan!

It is simple ingredients, but it is not just a sponge cake. Sweet, fluffy, but moist...Color is so nice. Brown outside, Golden inside. \
The main ingredients are eggs and sugar and flour, so I can taste fresh eggs!!

POINT
Use fresh eggs,  that makes different taste.
Use high grade flour and sift it. That makes it elasticity.
Sugar makes it caramelize Brown and Golden. You can smell it from the oven!
Honey makes it moist sponge, and extra flavor.
Let it mature after bake, 3 days later is the best time to serve if you can WAIT!!

Castella (20cm x 20cm square)

5 Eggs

150g Sugar

150g High grade flour (sifted)
30g Honey
30g Milk

1. Put baking paper on the 20cm x 20cm square tin.  Reheat the oven at 170C.
Combine honey and milk in a small bowl, heat it up at medium power for 1 minutes. Mix well.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar. Then whip them with a electronic mixer at high speed for 6 minutes or till whiten. Add mixture of honey and milk, combine well.

3. Add 1/2 of sifted flour, mix with spatula gently well.  Add left all of flour, and mix as well.
4. Pour it into the cake tin,  smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Drop the cake tin from 5cm high to let air out 3 or 4 times.

5. Bake it at 170C, once the top gets brown, cover with tin foil, heat down at 150C, then bake it another 50 minutes.
Poke the middle of the cake with thin stick, check it baked or not.

6. Wrap it up with plastic wrap as soon as finish to bake. Let it mature at least 1 day. (I think 3 day is the best)
7. Cut it half and cut the edge off, then make it slice, go for it!!!

Hot Cross Buns

It is first time to make Hot Cross Buns for Easter.
I am Japanese, we dont celebrate Easter in Japan. I experienced the first Easter in Whakatane, NZ. I was helping a bakery there at the time. I made Easter cookies, chocolates and Hot cross buns!!!
I still remember how we were busy at the bakery. We made lots, lots, lots of sweets. It was interesting for me, to make rabbit, egg shaped cookies with decoration.
And I like Hot cross Buns. Spiced, rich taste with dried fruits.

I used cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, ginger and extra spice, Cocoa powder to make it dark color and extra aroma. You can smell when it is in the oven!!
Egg, Milk, Butter and Sugar make it rich.

Rebake them, put butter on, then eat in the Easter morning!!

Hot Cross Buns(makes 12)
Sourdough starter
70g High grade flour
70g Water
Pinch of active dried Yeast

Final dough
400g Flour
1/2 tea S. ground Allspice

1 tea S. ground Cinnamon
1/2 tea S. ground Nutmeg
1/2 tea S. ground Ginger

1 tea S. Cocoa powder
60g Sugar
60g Unsalted Butter (melted)
1 whole Egg + lukewarm Milk = 200g
100g dried Raisins
60g dried Orange peel (chopped)

Cross lines pastry
100 g pastry flour
100 g water

Glaze Ingredients

50g Icing sugar
50g Water

1.The day before, in a small bowl, mix all the sour dough starter ingredients until just combined. Cover the bowl and let the polish ferment at room temperature for about 6 hours or more. The polish is ready to use when the surface is creased, and pebbled with bubbles. Keep it in the fridge till use.

2. In a large bowl, mix final dough flour and spices, sugar. Add sourdough starter,butter, and mixture of milk and egg.  Mix with your finger combine the ingredients till water and flour combined well.

3. Place the dough onto the floured counter, then knead it for 15 minutes till it becomes smooth and elastic.


4. Spread the dough, put raisins and orange peel on it, knead it briefly till dried fruits are just evenly incorporated into the dough.

5. Put the dough into a container with cover, place it warm place (35℃) till it becomes double size (about 8 - 12hours). I set overnight.

6. Pour the dough onto floured counter, then deflate it, knead briefly. Divide into 12 pieces. Shape them into rough balls.

7.Set the dough with cover for 20 minutes.

8.Reshape them into final balls.


9. Place it into warm place with spray water, rise them for 1 hour.

10. Meanwhile make the paste, sift the pastry flour and combine it with water, stirring well, until the mixture reaches the consistency of very thick glue. Don’t make it so thin that it runs, but if it is too thick it will be difficult to pipe.
Preheat the oven at 220℃.

11. When the buns are finished proofing, pipe the crosses onto them.

12. Bake the buns at 220℃ until the tops are browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200 ℃ and continue baking until browned all over, about another 8 minutes.
While the baking, make the glaze. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside.

13. While the buns are still hot, brush glaze lightly. Then cool them down on a wired lack.

Multi Seeds Loaf

This bread contains 5 seeds and 2 grains.
Seeds... Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Flax seeds, Sesame seeds, Poppy seeds.
Grains...Whole meal, Millet.
Make extra multi seeds mix, so you can use them next baking.

When I finish to bake it, I drop lots of decorated seeds on bread. I pick up and use them to sprinkle salad. Roasted seeds on salad!!

This bread is ideal for sandwich and meals. I like to put butter on it.

Multi Seeds Loaf

Sourdough polish
100g High grade flour
100g Water
Pinch of Active dry yeast

Final dough
140g High grade flour
160g Wholemeal flour
195g Water
7g Salt

30g Pumpkin seeds
30g Sunflower seeds
 20g Flax seeds
10g Sesame seeds
10g Poppy seeds

30g Millet
(use them half of amount)
 
1. Combine flour and wholemeal flour, seeds mix(remain some of them for decoration), salt in a large bowl. Mix sourdough polish, water into a bowl with your finger till it becomes hard to mix.


2. Place the dough into the floured counter, then knead till it becomes smooth and elastic.

3.Put the dough into a bowl with cover, place it warm place (35℃) till it becomes double size (about 9 - 12 hours).

4. Pour the dough onto floured counter, then deflate it, knead briefly. Preshape it into tight balls and let rise, covered, for 20 minutes.

5. Shape the dough into a loaf tin and place it, seam-side-down. spray water, sprinkle seeds mix to decorate on the top.

6. Set the dough with cover for 60 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 240℃.

8. Put dough into the oven with steam for 10 minutes at 230℃. Then bake it at 200℃ for 20 minutes without steam. Then turn off the oven and leave the loaves in for another 15 minutes.

9. Cool on a wire rack.

Spice & Molasses Rye Sourdough

I made dark colered bread. I added Molasses and spices to make it dark. When I finsh to bake it, my kitchen was full of spices aroma. That made me hungry.
Spice and Rye bread, keeps very well. It is better have one after 2 days.  It must be mature!

I used my apple cider instead of active dry yeast for Rye sourdough starter to ferment. It proof very well.
I kneaded the dough at night. Proof it over night. Then shaped and baked in the morning.
I like to have one with honey or marmalade jam. This bread is bit sweet and spicy.

Spice & Molasses Rye Sourdough
Rye sourdough starter
70g Rye Flour
70g Water
Pinch of active dry Yeast
Mix all ingredients into a container, place it in room temperature for 12hour.

300g High grade flour
50g Rye flour
202g water
7g Salt
30g Molasses
Rye sourdough starter
1/2 tea spoon of Ginger powder
1/2 tea spoon of Cinnamon
1/2 tea spoon of Cardamon
1/2 tea spoon of Natmeg

1. Conbine flour and rye flour, spices, salt in a large bowl. Mix rye polish, molasses, water into a bowl with your finger till it becomes hard to mix.
2. Place the dough into the floured counter, then knead till it becomes smooth and elastic.
3.Put the dough into a bowl with cover, place it warm place (35℃) till it becomes double size (about 9 -  12 hours).
4. Pour the dough onto floured counter, then deflate it, knead briefly. Preshape it into tight balls and let rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

5. Shape the dough into a loaf tin and place it, seam-side-down.
6. Set the dough with cover for 40 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 240℃.
8. Put dough into the oven with steam for 10 minutes at 230℃. Then bake it at 200℃ for 20 minutes without steam. Then turn off the oven and leave the loaves in for another 15 minutes.
9. Cool on a wire rack.

Stecca (No knead Italian bread)

I found such an attractive bread recipe from American bread recipe book.

Looks Italian flag.
No knead bread dough, it becomes flat bread, soft and chewy with a thin crust coated with olive oil and lightly salted. Toppings with tomatoes, olives and garlic.

No knead bread, easy to make, but you need to take your time or organize your time.
Use a litte bit of active Yeast. I made sour dough starter day before, took 12 hours(over night) for proofing the dough, 1.5 hours for second proofing.

Stecca (No knead Italian Bread)

Sour dough starter
100g High grade flour

100g Water
A pinch of active dry Yeast

Final dough300g High grade flour
3g Salt
250g Water
Sour dough starter

Topping
whole Garlic cloves, whole Olives, halved cherry Tomatoes
50g extra virgin Olive oil
Coarse sea salt


1.In a small bowl, mix all the sour dough starter ingredients until just combined. Cover the bowl and let the poolish ferment at room temperature for about 6 hours. The poolish is ready to use when the surface is creased, and pebbled with bubbles.

2.In a large bowl, combine flour,salt. Add the water and sour dough starter, and using a spatula, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 10 to 18 hours (24 hours if temperature is cold.)

3. On the floured counter, fold the dough over itself three times and gently shape it into a flattened ball. Brush the surface of the dough with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt (which will gradually dissolve on the surface).

4. Gently place the dough into a oil-sprayed large bowl, and cover bowl with a towel. Place in a warm place to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger, it should hold the impression. If it springs back, let it rise for another 30 minutes.

5. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, pre-heat the oven at 250℃. Oil a 13″ x 18″ x 1″ baking sheet.

6. Cut the dough into quarters. Gently stretch each piece evenly into a long, thin, baguette shape approximately the length of the pan. Place on the pan, leaving about 1 inch between the loaves. Embed the garlic cloves, olives or cherry tomatoes into the loaves.

 Brush olive oil on each loaf. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over each loaf, but dont put too much salt on the olive loaf because the olives are salty.

7. Bake For 15 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Cool on a pan for five minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the baguette to a rack to cool them down.

Chocolate Buns & Custard Buns

Today, I made sweet bread with chocolate and custard cream inside.
Soft and sweet like brioche, contained milk, butter and sugar.
I should have apply egg wash!! I forgot about that!
And, don't bake too much, otherwise cream is comming out.

At first, make custard cream and chocolate cream. Add lots of vanila beans  to custard cream.
Good for coffee and breakfast.
My Sunday breakfast!!

Chocolate Bunss & Custard Buns
Chocolate Cream
100g Dark chocolate(chopped)
100ml Fresh cream
Dark Ram (optional)

1.  Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
2. When it gets cool down, place it into fridge to make it cooler.

Custard Cream
2 Egg yolks
45g Sugar
3 Table spoon of Cornstarch
200cc Milk
Vanila beans or extract

1. Heat milk in a sauce pan.
2. In a bowl, whiten egg yolks and sugar. Add heated milk in the bowl gradually as stiring.
3. Filter the mixture, put it back to the saoce pan. Add vanila beans (or extract)
4. Cook it over low heat stiring constantly.
5. Remove from fire, add cornstarch, stir until thick constantly.
6. Cool it down.

Sweet bread dough
200g High grade flour
100g Plain flour
5g Instant dry yeast
30g Sugar
5g Salt
40g Unsalted Butter
1 Egg + Water (lukewarm) totaly 120g

Egg wash
Egg + milk

1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.


2. In another large bowl, flour, sugar, salt, egg and mixture of water, stir well to combine. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add softened butter into the dough, knead it untill smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.(Add more flour if it is too sticky.)

3. Put the dough into a bowl with cover, place it warm place (35℃) till it becomes double size, 1-1.5hour.

4. Pour the dough onto the floured counter, then deflate it, knead it briefly, divide it to 50g  pieces. Make them rough ball, and set the dough with cover for 20minutes.

5. Punch the dough, make a roundl shape with a roll pin. Put the custard filling or chocolate filling on the dough. Seal the dough tightly, try not to put air in.

6. Place them into the warm place(40℃) for 30 minutes. Apply the egg wash. Preheat the oven at 200 ℃。
7. Bake them at 190℃ for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

8. Cool them down on a wire lack. Decolate melted chocolate if you need.