Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Japanese Steam Cake (Mushi-Pan)


This Japanese Steam Cake receipe is directly from Just One Cookbook.  The cake is soft when it is hot and not too hard when it is cold.  If you prefer, you could steam it again when turns cold.

Japanese Steam Cake (Mushi-Pan)

Ingredients

60g         All Purpose Flour
1 tsp       Baking Powder
1              Egg
2 tbsp     Milk
2 tbsp     Sugar
1 tbsp      Vegetable Oil
 
Directions :
 
1.     In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder
2.     Whisk them about 20 times (This is a shortcut method for sifting).
3.     In a small bowl, whisk egg, milk, sugar, and vegetable oil together until combined.
4.     Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
5.     Steam over high heat for 20 mins.

Thursday, 28 January 2016

Babka -- Bread with Chocolate Filling


Who can resist chocolates?  Chocolates in bread?  Hmmm......
 
This Babka bread is filled with chocolate filling.  This is the Jewsish version of Babka which is made from a doubled and twisted length of yeast dough and typically baked in a high loaf pan.  It contains cinnamon and/or chocolate.  The other is the Christian version which is a spongy cake.


I wanted to try the Jewish version as the chocolates are irresistible....this bread is really delicious...is there anything filled with chocolates that are not delicious?
 
I use Challah bread dough as the base receipe.  The receipe for the filling is from Alexandra's Kitchen.
 
The rolled out dough covered with chocolate spread
 
Cover the rolled doughs in parchment paper
 
The rolled dough cut in half
 
Twisted dough.  Please twist more!
 
The doughs that were cut from the ends of the rolled dough...put them into the small loaf pan
 
The baked products!
 
Close up view of the small loaf

Close up view of the big loaf
Babka Bread

Ingredients

Filling :
130g      Dark Chocolate Chips or Chopped Dark Chocolate
110g      Butter
50g         Powdered Sugar
30g         Cocoa Powder

Directions :
  1. Prepare the challah bread dough.
  2. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together over a pan of simmering water.  You could melt them using a microwave oven.
  3. Stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder till smooth.  Set aside.
  4. Once the bread dough has been proofed and risen, split the dough into 2.
  5. Roll out the dough into a rectangle - around 10-11" in width and 14-16" in length.
  6. Spread half the filling onto the dough and roll it up from the short end.  Do the same with the other dough.  Cover the rolls in parchment paper and freeze them for around 15 mins.  I only freeze around 5 mins as I was impatient.  ;P
  7. Butter 2 loaf pans and spread them with parchment paper.
  8. Take the rolled doughs out from the freezer.  Cut the ends of the rolls and set aside.  Cut each dough log into 2, lengthwise.
  9. Twist the cut dough logs together and put them into the loaf pan.  Make a few twist so that the baked bread will look nicer.  Do the same for the other dough.
  10. As for the doughs that were cut from the ends of the rolled doughs, cut them into half again and place them into smaller loaf pans - I use 2 small aluminium loaf pans.
  11. Let the dough rise till double in size, around 1 hour.
  12. Bake in a 170°C preheated oven for about 20 mins.
  13. Once done, spread the top of the breads with butter immediately.