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Friday, March 4, 2011

My First Try In Making Bread

I don't say this batch of bread is such a failed project til nobody couldn't eat them
The taste is perfect but the texture is way from satisfactory
It's not soft and fluffy enough - it's so dense that one can feel the weight when lifting up the bread and eating one can make you feel so stuffed huuuuuu......

I followed the recipe to the dot - from Vivian Pang Kitchen - I supposed for first timer like me, this easy recipe for bread is the best choice and the best part is she always gives very detailed step by step tutorial which is great!
I dunno what's wrong, hers turned out perfectly fine...some of my friends said it's the quality of the yeast, some said it's the way I kneaded the dough, some said I overbaked them...not too sure....
Well, thinking at the brighter side, the texture reminded me of baguette hehe....

Anyway, this doesn't make me giving up in making bread - instead, I am getting more curious, and will try again!!! I can do it!!! :P
















What you need:

2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp yeast
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg (lightly beaten)
100ml milk
10g butter

Put flour, baking powder, yeast, salt, sugar inside a pan
Follow by egg and milk
Using a pair of chopstick, mixing by stirring in circle motion
Keep stirring till all flour coated with the liquid 
As you stir the dry and wet ingredients will come together
Put in the butter
Stir again to incorporate butter into the dough
Once the butter incorporated into the dough, start knead with hand . Kneading with lifting and folding motion
Press down with the heel of your hand. The dough should be soft and easy to work with. Do add some flour if sticky
Stop kneading once all the ingredients incorporated
The kneading process should be done within 5 mins
Cover the dough and rest for 15 mins
Place the rested dough on lightly floured surface
Press down to form a flat circle
Divide the circle into 8 portions, mould all the portions into balls
I gave 3 different kind of fillings - chocolate, cheese and pineapple jam
I shaped all 8 into oval
Place onto the greased pan and leave to prove for 45 mins in warm place
After the proving, brush the top with lightly beaten egg and topped with grated cheddar cheese. Brushing the top with egg will give more brown colur once baked
Bake at 180C for 10-12mins, and allow to cool on wire rack

Notes:
1. Mixing dry and wet ingredients with chopstick is to prevent hands from sticking. It is a lot easier to form well incorporated dough without much kneading
2. As I mentioned no serious kneading is needed. The dough is ready once all ingredients are well combined and the surface is about smooth. Let the yeast and baking powder do the work!
3. This bread goes stale faster. It is best to eat on the same day

7 comments:

  1. I saw your post via Chunky Cooky. My sisiter facing the same problem too during her 1st trial. The 2nd time she success! So don't give up. Happy baking!

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  2. hi Vivian,
    thks - will definitely try again :)
    thks for visiting - i love ur wonderful blog :)

    hi Jess,
    thks - jia you Alice!!! :P

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hardly ever bake my own bread, so I cannot really tell you why. But as long as we're able to eat the bread and it still tastes nice, I don't think that it's so bad...! To me, the buns look totally fine :).

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  4. Hi CG,
    yes actually this bread has nice taste, problem is the texture, too dense to enjoy heheheh....
    thks :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. From the texture I suspect you have under kneaded your dough. The dough must be elastic and reach the gluten stage, ie when stretched, the dough doesn't break easily.

    ReplyDelete
  6. hi Blessed Homemaker,
    thks for ur advice - perhaps thats the case
    will definitely try your recipes too - ur bread are all looking so yummy :P

    ReplyDelete