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.

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

Challah bread dough

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.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

This receipe was adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.   By looking at the receipe, I know it is a good one...who does not like cinnamon and sugar?  Your house will be filled with the aroma of cinnamon when you are baking it.  The top crust is very very crispy and the inside is extremely soft!  Note that this receipe called for the butter to be melted till brown.  You must really do so, as the butter will be very fragrant and smells like caramel....hmmmm......

 

I am falling in love with this bread and my kids can't stop eating them!  This is an extremely delicious and simple receipe which you really must try!!

Roll the dough into a long rectangle, then spread with melted butter and cinnamon sugar

Cut the dough into 6 pieces lengthwise, stack them up

Cut the stacked dough into another 6 pieces

 

Arrange into a loaf pan

A close up of the bread...doesn't it look delicious...?

Dough :
330g        All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp      All Purpose Flour
50g          Sugar
2¼ tsp     Active Dry Yeast
½ tsp       Salt
57g          Butter
⅓ cup      Milk
¼ cup      Water
2              Eggs
1 tsp        Vanilla Extract

Filling :

120g        Sugar
1 tbsp      Ground Cinnamon
57g          Butter, melted till browned

Directions :

1. In a large mixing bowl whisk together 250g of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
2. Whisk eggs. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, warm milk and butter till butter melts.  Remove from heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  Keep stirring till the mixture comes together. Add the remaining 80g of flour and stir with spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky.
5. Place the dough is a large, greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 57g of butter in a saucepan until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.  Set aside.
7. Deflate the risen dough and knead the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour into it.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be around 12 inches in width and 20 inches in length. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
8. Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices again.  Layer the sliced doughs in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 170°C. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked.

 

Candy Cane Cookies

You better watch out...you better not cry....better not pout, I'm telling you why...Santa Claus is coming to town......

 

Wow!!!!!  xmas is just round the corner!!!  I chanced upon a cute candy cane cookie receipe in Taste of Home magazine and thought I should try it.  Oh my....these cookies are really delicious and buttery!!!!

 

Do note that the dough for this cookie is very very soft and difficult to handle.  Do not be tempted to add more flour...you would not want your cookie to taste floury and tough.  The receipe stated to refrigerate 1-2 hours.  However, the dough still remains too soft for me to roll into a candy cane.  In the end, I freeze the doughs for around 15 mins and they were easier to handle.

 

The divided doughs

 

Candy Cane Cookies

 

Ingredients

225g     Unsalted Butter, softened

180g     Sugar

1            Egg

2 tsp     Mint Extract

½ tsp    Vanilla Extract

330g     Plain Flour

½ tsp    Salt

Red Food Colouring

Green Food Colouring

 

Directions

1. Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in egg and extracts.
3. Combine flour and salt, gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
4. Set aside half the dough.  Divide remaining dough in half.  Add green food colouring to one portion and red food colouring to the other.  Wrap the doughs separately in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until easy to handle.  I freeze the doughs for around 15 mins.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C .
7. Divide green and red dough into 20 portions each.  Divide plain dough into 40 portions.  Roll each into a rope.  Place each coloured rope next to the plain rope.  Press together gently and twist.  Repeat with remaining ropes.  Place 2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.  Cool 2 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Herbs Dinner Roll

This herb dinner roll taste really delicious and fragrant with the herbs!  Even my kids love them!

Herbs Dinner Roll

Ingredients

1 cup    Water, warmed

2¼ tsp   Active dry yeast

350g     Bread flour

30g       Butter, melted
1            Egg
56g       Sugar
1 tsp     Salt
½ tsp    Dried basil, crushed

½ tsp     Dried Oregano, crushed

½ tsp     Dried Thyme, crushed

½ tsp     Dried Rosemary, crushed

Additional butter, melted

Directions

1. Mix sugar and yeast in warm water till the yeast bubbles, around 5 mins.
2. Put the yeast mixture into a standing mixer and add melted butter and egg, mix well.
3. Mix the crushed basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary and salt in the flour and mix into the yeast mixture.
4. Using the dough hook, mix till it forms a dough that is not sticky and it pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl.  Be careful not to add too much flour else the bread will be tough.  If the dough is sticky, add a tsp of flour at a time.
5. Proof the dough in an oiled bowl for at least 1 hour, cover with cling wrap or damp cloth.
6. Punch the dough down and separate the dough into small portions.  I measure 30g each and I have around 24 pcs of bread.
7. Roll the dough to form a ball and place them on a buttered baking sheet pan.
8. Let the doughs proof for another 45 mins to 1 hour, cover with cling wrap or damp cloth.
9. Bake the breads at 170°C.
10. Once done, brush the breads with butter.

Challah Bread (Egg Bread)

Challah is a traditional special Jewish braided bread eaten on Sabbath and Jewish holidays.  This bread was originally called hallah in Hebrew, since it was baked in the form of a round loaf.  It is usually braided, and has several eggs in it (hence it's nickname Egg Bread).  Challah can be in loaf form or braided, and may contain raisins and/or saffron.  Poppy seeds, sesame seeds and anise may be sprinkled on top of the bread.

You must try this bread as it is really soft and divine....

 

Challah Bread (Egg Bread)

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup      Water

1 tbsp     Instant Yeast

80g         Sugar    

3              Eggs

540g       Plain Flour

1 tsp        Salt

110g        Butter, softened

20g          Raisins (optional)

1 egg for glazing

 

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water and add all the remaining ingredients.
2. Knead with the dough hook for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable and comes off the sides of the bowl.
3. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. About 1.5 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
4. Punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal parts.
5. Roll each part into a log the length of your sheet pan.
6. Squeeze the top ends together.  Start braiding by taking the log closest to you Under Over and Under the other logs.  Click here for tutorial.
7. When you are done braiding, squeeze the ends together, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until you see tiny pockets of air, about 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
9. Crack 1 egg in a small bowl and whisk well.  Gently brush the challah with the egg glaze, careful not to deflate the bread.
10. Bake for around 30 mins until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.

Bread Dough Shaping Technique - How to Do 4-Braiding

4 Braiding is as easy as 3 braiding.  However, the braided bread looks nicer (and seems more complicated!) than 3 braiding.  Don't be intimidated by the complicated look!

You may noticed that my dough does not seem smooth.  Reason being I avoid using too much flour when rolling the logs as it will cause the texture of the bread to be tougher.  I prefer soft textured breads... ;)

Step 1 : Roll out 4 same weight dough into a long rope with same length.

Step 2 : Line up the ropes and pinch the top of the dough together.

 

 Step 3 : Take the log from the left side and cross over the 2nd left log.

 

 Step 3 : Take the 2nd log from right, cross over the 1st left log.

Step 4 : Take the 1st left log, cross over the right log.

Repeat steps 1 to 4 till you finish braiding the dough.  Once done, tuck the remaining dough underneath the dough and form a nice finished 4 braid dough!
 

Cinnamon Bread

Recently, I am starting to have festive moods.  Shopping malls in Singapore have started to put up xmas tress.  Looking at these, how can I not be in festive mood??  Haha!

The 1st thing that came into my mind is cinnamon bread.  This is something that I had wanted to bake for many years but did not get a chance.  ok..ok...I am just giving excuses...I have been baking and why did I not have a chance to bake cinnamon bread??

You must try this cinnamon bread as it is soft and fluffy.  The aroma of cinnamon during baking is just awesome.  As I do not like things that are too sweet, I used cream cheese on the cinnamon breads instead of the usual sugar icing.  They were just divine....

Cinnamon Bread

Dough

1 cup       Whole Milk
135g        Sugar
14g          Active Dry Yeast
115g        Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
2              Eggs
½ tsp       Salt
550g       Plain Flour

Filling

90g         Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
100g       Sugar
1 tbsp     Ground Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

56g        Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
20g        Icing Sugar
3 tbsp    Milk
½ tsp     Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until lukewarm.   Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.  With a spoon, manually stir in the sugar and yeast. Cover with a towel and let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5-10 minutes.   On low speed, beat in the softened butter until it is slightly broken up.   Next add the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt.  The butter won't really be mixing into the mixture, so don't be alarmed if it stays in pieces.  On low speed, gradually add the flour.  Once it is all added, beat on medium speed until a soft dough forms.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 6 minutes longer.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for 1 minute.   Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl.   Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
3. Butter/grease/spray with nonstick spray the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, then line with parchment paper.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll into a 13x18 inch rectangle.
4. Spread the softened butter all over the dough.   In a small bowl, toss the cinnamon and sugar together until combined and then sprinkle evenly over the dough.  Tightly roll up the dough to form a log.  Cut into 18 even rolls. Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up. Let the cut rolls proof for around 1 hour. 
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Bake for about 25 minutes, until they are golden brown.
6. Make The Icing : In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.  Using a knife, spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

Butter Cake

This butter cake receipe will yield a very soft texture and it melts in your mouth.  Remember to beat the batter longer to incorporate enough air into it.  Butter cake is best eaten the next day as the flavour needs time to seep through the cake.

Butter Cake



Ingredients

250g           Butter
250g           Self-Raising Flour
220g           Sugar
4                  Eggs
5 tbsp         Milk
1 tsp            Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Prepare a lined 9" or 10" square pan.
3. Sift the flour, and add in salt.  Set aside.
4. In an mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
5. Scrape the mixing bowl, add in the 1st egg and beat till sugar has totally melted.
6. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating thoroughly and scraping the mixing bowl in between till all eggs have been added.
7. Mix in the flour in 3 portions.
8. Add in the milk, and finally the vanilla extract.
9. Bake in the oven for approximately 15-20 mins.

3D Clutch Cake

This is the 2nd 3D cake I have made - a clutch.  The 1st one was a 3D Barbie doll princess cake for my little princess.

 

I have been wanting to make this clutch cake since 9 months ago....ya...it was that long!  I had been thinking what I should use to make the ball clasp and silver frame as I don't like the taste of fondant.  Finally I decided to make my own marshmallow fondant to replace the normal fondant.

 

I used 2 cake batter to make 4 cakes using bread loaf tins in order to make this 3D clutch cake.  I used a bit of red colouring for the 2nd cake batter.  You can see from the below photo, I alternate the colours of the cake.  For the internal frosting, I alternate the layers with swiss meringue buttercream and homemade strawberry sauce.  For the external frosting, I used swiss meringue buttercream.

This is an extremely pretty and delicious cake!

 

 

  

Slice the 4 edges of the top of the cake at 45° angle
 

Top view of the cake

 

Side view of the cake

 

3D Clutch Cake

Ingredients
 

Vanilla Cake

(A)

4         Egg Yolks

75g     Melted Butter

60g     Milk

30g     Sugar

¼ tsp  Salt

½ tsp  Vanilla Extract

(B)

120g    Cake Flour

¼ tsp  Baking Powder

(C)

4          Egg Whites

70g      Sugar

¼ tsp  Cream of Tartar

Frosting

Homemade strawberry sauce / strawberry jam
Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Red colouring

Decoration

Fondant / Homemade marshmallow fondant (tinted in grey)

Wilton Silver Pearl Dust

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Line 2 bread loaf tins with parchment paper.
3. Use a whisk to mix ingredients (A).
4. Sieve ingredients (B) and mix into (A).  Set aside.
5. Use a stand mixer to whisk the egg whites till stiff peak.
6. Fold in ¼ of the meringue into the egg yolk batter.
7. Then fold in the rest of the meringue.
8. Pour the batter into the bread loaf tins and bake for 25mins.
9. Allow the cakes to cool and remove from pan.
10. Slice each loaf into 2 horizontally.
11. Bake another cake as above and add in a bit of red colouring.  Slice each loaf into 2 horizontally.
12. You should have 8 slices of cakes in total.
13. Put a layer of uncoloured cake on the bottom.  Cover it with buttercream.
14. Put a layer of red colour cake on top and cover with strawberry sauce.
15. Alternate the uncoloured and coloured cakes on top of each other with frostings till you have 6 layers.  You may keep or eat up the other 2 slices of cakes.
16. Cover the entire cake with buttercream and put in the fridge for 15 mins.
17. Slice the top 4 edges of the cakes at 45° angle.
18. Cover the sliced edges with buttercream.
19. Tint ¾ of the remaining buttercream with a bit of red colouring.
20. Pipe rosettes around the cake.  Leave the top unpiped.
21. Use the remaining ¼ buttercream and pipe the rosettes on top.
22. Put the cake in the fridge for 30 mins.
23. Roll out the marshmallow fondant and cut 2 long rectangles for the silver frame.  Stick both the rectangles together.
24. Make 2 balls for the clasps.
25. Brush the silver pearl dust on the balls and silver frame to give the shiny look.
26. Line the silver frame on top of the cake, and stick the 2 balls on top of it.





Rainbow Butter Cupcake

This cupcake uses the basic butter cake receipe from Agnes Chang's Baking Made Easy, but as usual, I tweaked the receipe slightly.  It is important to beat the batter for a longer period of time in order to yield an extremely soft butter cake.

Consistency of the final batter - very light and fluffy

 

I uses 3 colours for this rainbow butter cupcake

 

Can you see how soft this cupcake is?

 

My batch of rainbow butter cupcake on cooling rack

  

Rainbow Butter Cupcake 



Ingredients
250g           Butter
250g           Self-Raising Flour
220g           Sugar
4                  Eggs
5 tbsp         Milk
1 tsp           Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Sift the flour, set aside.
3. In an mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
4. Scrape the mixing bowl, add in the 1st egg and beat till sugar has totally melted.
5. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating thoroughly and scraping the mixing bowl in between till all eggs have been added.
6. Mix in the flour in 3 portions.
7. Add in the milk, and finally the vanilla extract.
8. Separate the batter into 3 bowls and add different colours in each bowl.
9. Use a teaspoon, scoop a heaping teaspoon of each colour into the cupcake liner.
10. Continue till all batter are finished - makes around 24 cupcakes.
11. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 mins.

Gula Melaka Huat Kueh （椰糖发糕）

Gula Melaka, as we Singaporeans and Malaysians call it, is also called coconut sugar.  It is widely used in the South-East Asia region, mainly in desserts as it has a strong coconut and caramel taste.

 

Huat Kueh (发糕）is a type of traditional steamed Chinese cake, was primarily used for paying respects to the Chinese deities during the festive seasons, as it symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

 

The huat kueh sold in stores are normally with added preservatives, tough and has a strong gluten smell.  This receipe will give you a soft huat kueh without any preservatives nor gluten smell.  After trying this, you will not want to buy huat kueh from stores.  :)

 

Gula Melaka Huat Kueh （椰糖发糕）

 

Ingredients

200g          Self-Rising Flour

200ml       Coconut Milk

140g          Gula Melaka

75ml          Water

1 tsp           Baking Powder

4-5 strips  Pandan Leaves

 

Directions

1. Add the pandan leaves, coconut milk, water and gula melaka in a pan and cook with low heat till gula melaka dissolves.
2. Stir continuously during cooking to prevent the sugar from burning.
3. Preheat a large wok for steaming.
4. Sift the self-rising flour and baking powder.  Add the gula melaka mixture and stir to combine.
5. Line muffin tray with liners and fill them 90% with batter.
6. Steam for about 25 mins with sufficient water.
7. Leave in the steamer for another 1 min before removing the huat kueh.

 

 

Cat Paw Marshmallow

Homemade marshmallows are very soft, like clouds, and melt in your mouth.  Instead of making the squarish marshmallows, tried the famed cat paw marshmallows....they are so cute!! :)  Children were crazy over this cutie pie candy!

 

Packed as gifts

 

Cat Paw Marshmallows

 

Ingredients

5g           Gelatine

30g         Ice Cold water

30g         Water

75g         Sugar

50g         Light Corn Syrup

1 Tbsp    Lemon Juice (optional)
A bit of Red colouring

1 cup      Corn Starch
1 cup      Powdered Sugar
 

Directions

 

1. Mix the corn starch and powdered sugar and pour into a pan and cover the pan entirely with the mixture.
2. Use a spoon to press round indentations onto the mixture.  Set aside.
3. Bloom gelatine in a bowl with the ice cold water.  Set aside.
4. Mix water, sugar and light corn syrup in a saucepan.  Boil till soft ball stage (approx. 120°C).
5. Pour the boiled sugar syrup into the bloomed gelatine and use a hand mixer and mix on high speed, till the mixture thickens.
6. Add the lemon juice and continue to mix for around 30 seconds.
7. Scoop out around 2 tbsp of the white mixture and add a bit of red colouring, then put into piping bag.
8. Pour the rest of the white mixture into another piping bag.
9. Pipe the white mixture into the round indentations to make round marshmallows.
10. Using the pink coloured mixture, pipe the paws onto the white marshmallows.
11. Sift corn starch and powdered sugar mixture onto the marshmallows.
12. Leave them to air dry for around 15 mins.

 

 

 

 

 





Marble Butter Cake

This marble cake uses the basic butter cake receipe from Agnes Chang's Baking Made Easy, but as usual, I tweaked the receipe slightly.  It is important to beat the batter for a longer period of time in order to yield an extremely soft cake.

Marble Butter Cake



Ingredients

250g           Butter
250g           Self-Raising Flour
220g           Sugar
4                  Eggs
5 tbsp         Milk
1 tsp            Vanilla Extract
1 tsp            Cocoa Powder
2 tsp            Hot Water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Prepare a lined 9" or 10" square pan.
3. Sift the flour, set aside.
4. In an mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
5. Scrape the mixing bowl, add in the 1st egg and beat till sugar has totally melted.
6. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating thoroughly and scraping the mixing bowl in between till all eggs have been added.
7. Mix in the flour in 3 portions.
8. Add in the milk, and finally the vanilla extract.
9. Mix the cocoa powder and hot water till all cocoa powder dissolves.
10. Add in 3 tbsp of the cake batter into the cocoa powder paste.
11. Pour in half the cake batter, followed by drizzling half of the cocoa batter.
12. Pour in the rest of the cake batter and cocoa batter.
13. Use a chopstick to mix both the batters slightly.
14. Bake in the oven for approximately 15-20 mins.

100% Wholemeal Mantou (100%全麦馒头）

For those who prefer a healthier option of Mantou, you may use wholemeal flour instead of plain flour to make mantou.  There is a new type of flour sold by Prima Flour - superfine wholegrain flour.  As this flour is really fine, I use 100% of it to make my wholemeal mantou.  Taste good!

 

 

This is the texture of the mantou.  The layers you see is the result of the foldings in my instructions below.

100% Wholemeal Mantou (100%全麦馒头）

230-240g    Prima Superfine Wholegrain Flour
¾ cup          Warm Milk
80g               Sugar
1 tsp              Baking Powder
2 tsp             Instant Yeast
¼ cup            Oil                       

Directions

1. Mix the warm milk, sugar and yeast in a bowl and let the yeast blooms, around 5-10 mins
2. Sift the flour together with the baking powder.
3. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients (milk mixture and oil) and form a soft dough.
4. Knead the dough till smooth, around 5 mins. 
5. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with clean moist towel or cling wrap and let it rise till double - around 1½ hours.
6. Punch down the dough to remove any air bubbles.
7. Knead the dough for another 10 mins till smooth.  You may add food colourings at this point when you are kneading.
8. Roll the dough out into rectangle.  Fold the top and bottom into the centre.  Turn another direction, roll the dough into a rectangle again.  Fold the top and bottom into the centre.
9. Roll the final dough into a log and cut into even pieces.
10. Cover your final product with clean mist towel or cling wrap and let them rise again for around 20-30 mins.
11. Prepare your steamer and bring the water to a boil.  To prevent the buns from sticking, line it with parchment paper or cheese cloth.
12. Steam the buns on medium heat for 15 mins.  Open the lid slightly for 5 mins before removing the buns from the steamer.