Sourdough Discard Loaf Bread

Sourdough discard is just unfed sourdough starter. It can be turned into pancakes, crackers, waffles, pizza, muffins and more. However, I usually use it to bake sandwich bread by adding some yeast to the dough. This is because I want to bake the dough within a few hours of mixing and kneading the ingredients. The bread always turn out soft, fluffy and tasty. However, if you are prepared to wait for a longer fermentation period with the bread having a more tangy taste, you need not add the yeast. Just let the bacteria do their work and fermentation will take longer.

I usually bake 2 loaves of bread to last a week for my family. After the bread has cooled down completely, I will slice them up and store them either in my storage box or zip lock bag and put them into the freezer. The next day, I will just remove the number of slices that I need, let them thaw at room temperature on my kitchen counter. They will be then be soft for consumption. I will sometimes steam them or toast them.

Ingredients: (Makes 2 loaves)

• 200 g sourdough discard
• 500 g warm water
• 40 g sugar (or more if you prefer a sweeter bread)
• 10 g yeast
• 100 g melted butter
• 1000 g bread flour
• 10 g salt

Method:

• Prepare 2 baking pans 9 inch x 5 inch x 5 inch; line and grease with parchment paper.

• Add all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer.

• Mix all the ingredients till no flour can be seen and a smooth dough is formed.

• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a wet towel.

• Let the dough rise till it doubles in size.

• Transfer dough onto the counter which has been lightly floured.

• Divide the dough into 2.

• Gently spread out one of the dough into a rectangle, the length according to the length of your pan.

• Roll up the dough, pinch the edges and place it into your pan.

• Repeat for the other dough.

• Let them rise again till they are about 1 inch over the top of the pan.

• Bake it at 175 deg C for 40 minutes.

• Once baked, remove the bread from the pan immediately and let it cool down completely on a metal rack.

• Slice and serve.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Double chocolate banana bread is a quick bread; instead of yeast, it uses baking powder and baking soda as rising agents. There is no fermentation; the ingredients are mixed and baked. The whole process takes about one and one-quarter of an hour to bake. I use overripe bananas (pisang berangan) to create an extra moist, fudge-like bread. The bread is very fragrant as a result of the combination of cocoa powder, chocolate chips and the overripe bananas. It can be served during breakfast or teatime. 

Ingredients:

• 120 g flour
• 45 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 250 g mashed bananas
• 110 g melted butter
• 1 egg
• 80 g sugar
• 75 g chocolate chips or more

Instructions:

• Grease and line your baking tray (8 inch x 4 inch x 4 inch) with parchment paper.

• Sieve flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into bowl. Add salt and mix. Set the bowl aside.

• Add mashed bananas and melted butter into a bowl. Whisk to ensure they are well mixed.

• Add egg and whisk it to mix with the mashed bananas and melted butter.

• Add sugar and whisk till the sugar is dissolved.

• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.

• Mix till they are incorporated.

• You may add the chocolate chips into the batter. (However, if you do not wish to, then proceed to the next step.)

• Pour the mixture into your baking tray.

• Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter to cover it.

• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 40 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the bread comes out clean.

• Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a metal rack.

• Slice and serve.

Focaccia Filled with Parmesan Cheese, Garlic, Green Onion and Black Pepper

Focaccia is a type of Italian flatbread which is soft and slightly chewy and is usually baked in a pan with lots of olive oil. Think of it a something between a pizza dough and bread. It is often thick, airy and has little dimples pressed into the surface with your fingers before baking.

What makes focaccia special is firstly, it is an olive oil-rich dough. The olive oil gives it a golden crispy outside and soft inside. Secondly, it has a dimpled top which helps to hold oil and whatever toppings you want to put on top. Finally, it is made from simple ingredients - flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil. Some of the common toppings are rosemary and coarse salt, cherry tomatoes, olives and caramelised onions

Focaccia is usually eaten as a side with meals. Some people cut it open for sandwiches. It can also be a snack on its own. It is one of those breads that is simple but really satisfying with crispy edges and fluffy middle and full of flavour from olive oil.

I have made lots of focaccia but with different toppings and inclusions.

Ingredients:

• 410 g warm water
• 7 g yeast
• 5 g honey
• 15 g extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 10 g sea salt
• 500 g bread flour
• 50 g peeled garlic - sliced or chopped
• Cooking oil or melted butter (enough to cover the sliced garlic to prepare garlic confit) 
• 40 g green onions
• 45 g shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp-heap black pepper

Method:

• Prepare the garlic confit. Add sliced or chopped garlic into a sauce pan. Add enough cooking oil or melted butter to cover the garlic. Turn on the fire and slowly cook the garlic using the lowest flame. (We just want to soften and not brown the garlic.)

• Once the garlic has softened, let it cool down completely.

• Add warm water, yeast, honey, EVOO and sea salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix them all up.

• Weigh and add the bread flour to the bowl.

•  Mix the flour with the liquid ingredients till no flour can be seen.

• Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

• Perform the first set of stretch and fold. 
• Wet your hand.
• Grab one corner of the dough (call it the North corner), stretch it and fold it over onto itself.
• Give the bowl a quarter turn, grab another corner (the West corner), stretch it and fold it onto itself.
• Repeat by giving the bowl another quarter turn, grab the corner (the South corner), stretch it and fold it onto the dough itself.
• Finally, give the bowl another quarter turn, grab another corner (the East corner),  stretch it and fold it onto the dough itself.

• Cover the bowl with the towel.

• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

• Perform the second set of stretch and fold. Repeat the steps under the first set of stretch and fold.

• Cover the bowl with the towel and let the dough rest for one-and-half hour (or until it doubles in size.

• Prepare a 10 inch x 15 inch pan with non-stick parchment paper. Grease it with some EVOO.

• Tip the dough onto the pan.

• Gently spread out the dough on the pan.

• Spread the garlic on the dough, followed by the green onion, black pepper and shredded cheese.

• Take the shorter length and fold it into a third of the dough.

• Take the bottom third and it over the 1st third.

• Slide the dough lengthwise.

• Turn over the dough so that the smooth side is up.

• Cover the dough and let it proof for one-and-half-hour or until it doubles in size.

• Add some EVOO on the dough and dimple it.

• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top

• Bake the dough at 220 degrees C for 25 minutes.

Wholemeal Bread - Yudane Method

The Yudane Method is a Japanese method for making bread that is very soft and fluffy. It involves pouring boiling water onto flour (at a ratio of 1 to 1) and mixed, resulting in a thick, sticky and glue-like paste. This paste is then refrigerated for 3-12 hours before being added to the dough. The purpose of mixing hot water and flour is to gelatinise the starch in the flour; water is absorbed by the starch in the flour making it swell up. Thus, hydration of the dough increases, resulting in a springier texture that stays fresh and soft longer than in conventionally baked bread. Usually the paste used is 10-25 % of the total flour weight in a recipe.

Ingredients:

• Making the yudane:
• 80 g bread flour
• 80 g boiling water

• Bread Dough
• 425 g bread flour
• 100 g wholemeal flour, hydrated with 100 g water
• 200 g water
• 40 g sugar
• 7 g yeast
• 7 g salt
• 50 g butter

Method:

• Add bread flour and boiling water in a bowl.
• Mixed them into a paste.
• Cover the bowl.
• Let the paste sit for 3 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

• Prepare the baking pan:
• Size - 9 inch x 5 inch x 4 inch
•  Grease and line it with parchment paper
• Add water, sugar and yeast into the bowl of a mixer.
• Once the water is frothy, add bread flour, hydrated wholemeal flour, salt and all of the yudane to the bowl.
• Knead till the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a ball.
• Add butter and continue kneading till window pane is achieved.
• Grease a bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap.
• Let the dough rise till double in size.
• Once it has doubled, punch down the dough to release the air in it. Round up the dough again.
• Shape the dough and place it into the prepared pan.
• Let the dough rise till it reaches the brim of the pan.
• Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 175 degrees for about 35 minutes.
• Once baked remove the bread from the pan and let it cool down on a metal rack.
• Slice and enjoy.

Twisted Ring Bread

I have been baking a lot of sourdough bread and only once a while have I gone to bake yeasted bread. Twisted Ring Bead is a yeasted bread. It is so pretty but more important it is delicious. This bread may be done plain or added with inclusions such as chocolate chips, chocolate buttons, chocolate rice or any dried fruits like cranberries, raisins and what have you. The way the inclusions are arrange is up to one's imagination. This recipe is a big one, yielding 2 loaves. I baked such a large recipe as I wanted to gift one away to a nephew-in-law who came a calling with his family. However, if you are baking just for a small family, you may half the recipe except the yeast. Use only 7 g instead of 10.

Ingredients:

• 180 - 200 ml warm water
• 60 g sugar
• 10 g yeast

• 725 g bread flour
• 25 g milk powder
• 1 tsp salt

• 2 eggs
• 240 ml milk

• 45 g butter

• Inclusions - either chocolate chips, chocolate buttons, chocolate rice or any dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, etc) - as much as you like

• Egg wash - egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk.

Instructions:

• Line a baking tray with greased parchment paper.

• Activate the yeast - add sugar to warm water (start with 180 ml first), stir to dissolve the sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

• Once the yeast has been activated (there are bubbles in the yeast mixture), pour it into the bowl of the stand mixer.

•  Add the eggs and milk to the bowl.

• Add the bread flour, milk powder and salt into the yeast mixture.

• Start kneading the mixture on a low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Then increase the speed to medium high.

• When the dough has formed into a ball, add butter to it.

• Continue to knead the dough till it is smooth and elastic. Then transfer it to an oiled bowl.

• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put a damp towel over it.

• Let the dough proof in a warm place till it has doubled in size.

• Lightly flour or grease your table top.

• Punch out the air from the dough. Then remove the dough from the bowl onto the floured / oiled surface.

• Roll the dough into a rectangle.

• Spread the inclusions on the rectangular dough.

• Then, roll it up into a ball.

• Use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle.

• Cut the dough into 2, lengthwise.

• Take 1 dough. Fold one side onto a third. Then, take the other side and fold it over the 1st third.

• Start to twist the dough from one end and form a ring by letting the 2 ends meet. Overlap the ends and seal them.

• Place the twisted ring onto the prepared baking tray.

• Repeat the same with the other dough. Then place it by the side of the first twisted ring.

• Let the twisted rings proof until they have doubled in size.

• Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C.

• Egg wash the rings.

• Bake the dough for 30 minutes until the rings are golden brown.

• Let them cool down on a metal rack.

• Enjoy.

Black Sesame Seed Burger Buns

     

     

Baking bread is my passion. But my breads are only for our own consumption. Experimenting with the amount and types of ingredients to give different end results makes baking bread an exciting adventure for me in my kitchen. This round I ground the black sesame seeds and mix them into my dough. The result is yummy buns which can be eaten by themselves without any spread nor fillings. 

Ingredients:

• 600 g bread flour (makes 13 buns of about 95 g each)
• 7 g yeast
• 80 g sugar (can be slightly less or more)
• 60 g black sesame seeds, toasted and grind
• 400 ml warm milk
• 1 egg (Grade A)
• 40 g butter
• 1/2 tsp salt (if butter is unsalted)

Method:

• Activate the yeast - add sugar to warm milk, stir to dissolve the sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

• Once the yeast has been activated (there are bubbles in the yeast mixture), pour it into the bowl of the stand mixer.

• Add egg to the bowl.

• Add the bread flour, ground black sesame seeds and salt into the yeast mixture.

• Start the mixture on a low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Then increase the speed to medium high.

• When the dough has formed into a ball, add butter to it.

• Continue to knead the dough till it is smooth and elastic. Then transfer it to an oiled bowl.

• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put a damp towel over it.

• Let the dough proof in a warm place till it has doubled in size.

• Lightly flour or grease your table top.

• Remove the dough from the bowl onto the floured / oiled surface.

• Punch out the air from the dough and knead it for about 5 minutes.

• Divide the dough into smaller pieces of dough of 95 g each.

• Roll each dough into a ball and place it onto a flattened cake liner.

• Let the dough balls proof until they have doubled in size.

• Pre-heat the oven at 175 degrees C.

• Eggwash (just egg yolk with some water) the dough and sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top before baking.

• Bake the dough for 28 minutes until the buns are golden brown.

• Let them cool down on a metal rack.

• Enjoy.

Butter Bread

Butter Bread, as the name suggests, has butter as its main ingredient. Butter gives the bread a rich flavour. We usually eat it on its own i.e. there is no requirement of a spread. Other ingredients include milk, sugar and egg. Depending on one's preference, butter bread can be shaped in a number of ways, the simplest being to just roll up the dough and place into a loaf pan to be baked. Or, the dough can be rolled up, sliced and the sliced dough arranged in a loaf pane or a round pan as described below.

Ingredients:

• 160 ml warm milk
• 40 g sugar
• 7 g yeast
• 50 ml melted butter
• 1 egg
• 400 g bread flour
• 5 g salt
• 40 ml melted butter (for brushing on dough)
• 1 egg yoke (for brushing on dough before baking)

Instructions:

• Activate the yeast:
• Add warm milk to the bowl of a mixer.
• Add the sugar and yeast to the bowl.
• Stir and wait for 5-10 minutes for bubbles to be formed.

• Once the yeast has been activated, add melted butter and egg white to the yeast mixture.

• Then add the bread flour and salt to it.

• Knead till window pane is achieved.

• Rest the dough till it doubles in size.

• Punch down the dough to de-gas.

• Flour your counter top.

• Transfer the dough onto it and shape it into a ball.

• Roll out the dough to a rectangle, 20 inches x 12 inches. (If you do not have a big counter space, you may divide the dough into 2.

• Spread melted butter onto it.

• Roll up the dough (from the longer side up).

• Now you would have a long roll.

• Slice the dough into the number of pieces you want.

• Place them in an overlapping manner into a round baking pan which is lined with greased parchment paper. (My pan is 8 inches in diameter.)

• Let it proof till double in size.

• Brush the dough with egg yoke.

• Bake the dough in a pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 35 minutes.

• Remove the bread from the baking pan and let it cool on a metal rack.

Raisin Buns

 

Raisins are dried grapes. I love eating raisins as snacks due to their natural sweetness. They are also delicious, moist and rich in nutrients especially potassium which has many important functions. According to healthdirect.gov.au, potassium allows the nerves to respond to stimulation and muscles to contract including those in the heart. It reduces the effect of sodium (present in table salt) on blood pressure. It helps move nutrients into cells and wast products out of cells. Besides eating raisins raw, I also use them in cooking and baking.

Ingredients:

• 350 g bread flour
• 200 g warm milk
• 7 g yeast
• 40 g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 40 g butter
• 180 g raisins

Method:

• Activate the yeast:
• Add warm milk to a bowl of a mixer.
• Add sugar to the bowl.
• Add yeast to the bowl.
• Stir and wait for 5-10 minutes for bubbles to be formed.


Once the yeast has been activated, add bread flour and salt to the bowl.

Knead till a ball is formed.

Add butter.

Continue to knead till window pane is achieved.

• Grease a clean bowl and transfer the dough to it.

• Cover the bowl with a cling wrap.

• Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to your counter top.

• Punch down the dough to Degas.

• Form the dough into a ball.

• Divide it into 12 pieces, rolling each piece into a small ball.

• Take 1 piece of dough ball, flatten it and roll it out into a long rectangle of about 7 cm wide.

• Spread 15 g of raisins on the dough, taking care to leave a gap (free of raisins) along the middle.

• Roll up the dough.

• Cut the rolled up dough into 2. Place each into a cake liner with the cut part down.

• Repeat till all the dough balls have been shaped.

• Cover the shaped dough and let them double in size.

• Pre-heat your oven to 175 deg C.

• Once the dough has doubled in size, egg wash them.

• Bake them for 20 minutes.

• Cool them down on a metal rack once done.

• Enjoy.

Sweet, Soft and Fluffy Pandan Sandwich Loaf

I have lots of pandan plants at home. So, what better way than to make use of them to bake my bread. They give a very aromatic smell and the colour of the green is so sweet that it was a joy eating them. I used many pandan leaves in this bread; in fact 30 leaves in all. Though the juice is dark green, after mixing it with milk, the colour turned pastel thereby giving the bread a pastel green.

Ingredients

• 500 g bread flour
• 100 g castor sugar or you may reduce the amount slightly. (You may use brown sugar.)
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 tbsp milk powder
• 2 tsp yeast
• 100 ml pandan juice (from juicing 30 pandan leaves with some water)
• 170 - 180 ml lukewarm milk
• 2 eggs at room temperature, 1 for the dough and the other for brushing the dough balls before baking.
• 50 g butter at room temperature

Method

• Makes 2 loaves; one 450 g and the other 700 g.

• Prepare the pans. Grease the pans (8 inch x 4 inch x 4 inch and 9 inch x 4 inch x 4 inch) and line my pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the baked loaves.)

• First of all, activate the yeast - add a bit of the sugar to some of the lukewarm milk, stir the milk to dissolve the sugar and then sprinkle the yeast onto it. Stir.

• Once bubbles have formed (after approximately 10 minutes), the yeast mixture is ready for you to start making the loaves. 

• Pour about 90% of the lukewarm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add more of the milk if the dough is hard.

• Pour in the pandan juice.

• Pour the yeast mixture into the mixing bowl.

• Break the egg into the mixing bowl.

• Add the rest of the sugar.

• Add the salt.

• Pour in the flour.

• Add the milk powder.

• Start kneading until a dough ball is formed. Once that is achieved, add the butter.

• Continue to knead until the butter is incorporated into the dough.

• Continue to knead until the dough passes the window pane test.

• Oil a bowl.

• Transfer the dough into the oiled bowl, cover the bowl with a cling wrap and put a wet towel over the cling wrap. Let the dough proof until it is double in size.

• Slightly flour the table top. (I like to oil my table top.)

• Transfer the dough onto the table top. Punch down the dough.

• Roll the dough out into a long rectangular shape (horizontally).

• Cut the dough into 2 pieces, 1 of 450 g and the other 700 g.

• Shape them into balls.

• Take 1 dough ball. Press it down and spread out into a rectangle; the length according to the length of your pan.

• Roll up the dough and place it into your pan. Repeat the same with the other dough.

• Cover the pan with a cling wrap and let the doughs proof until double in size.

• Break an egg into a bowl and add a tablespoon of milk to it. Mix.

• Brush the doughs with the egg mixture just before baking.

• Bake the doughs in a pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 30 minutes.

• Remove the loaves from the pan immediately after baking and let them cool down on a wire rack.