Swirls and Twirls

Yes, I am back to bread making...only after a few days break! I made a plain loaf on Sunday and a batch of chocolate sweet buns this morning. I am really mad over bread making lately...thanks to my bread machine...I have been thinking nothing but making bread, bread, bread!

I used to wonder how bakers made those slits in between the buns. Thanks to a Chinese Cookbook "Bread Magic" which I bought many months ago, I am able to make this roll myself! There are many useful step-by-step photos in this cookbook, great for understanding how different bun shapes are formed. I used the bread machine to knead the sweet bun dough and made the chocolate paste from the Chocolate Swirl Bread recipe. This time round, I made sure the chocolate paste was really thick before removing it from the heat. As a result, the chocolate paste didn't ooze out when I tried to roll the dough.


This roll was made by filling a dough with chocolate paste, shape it into a ball, then flatten & roll into a long rectangular shape. Make several slits length-wise on the dough and roll up. I was rather happy with the effect...not too bad considering it was my first attempt :D



I like how a danish bread looks when it is plaited into a big loaf. Since I have yet to venture into danish breads, I tried my hand in plaiting a small bun instead. After filling a piece of dough with the chocolate, I rolled it into a rectangular shape and cut into 3 strips. After plaiting the 3 strips, tuck in the two ends underneath. Now, I could imagine how my "future" danish loaf would look like.


I made these mini-buns by following this method. The effect is quite nice and I think it will look good on a big loaf.


I borrowed this half eaten bun from my little one to get a photo of the inside;D

We have promised the boys we will catch the Spiderman 3 movie once the school exams is over...and here's my prelude to the movie...spidy buns!



Ingredients:
(makes around ten 50g portions)

chocolate paste
20g cake flour
50g sugar
1 egg white (reserve egg yolk to be used as egg wash)
80ml milk (warmed)
18g cocoa powder
10g butter

bread dough
150g bread flour
150g cake flour
5g active dry yeast
3g salt
125ml milk
1 egg
60g caster sugar
50g butter

Method:

chocolate paste

1. Mix sugar and cake flour into the egg white until smooth.
2. Place milk in a saucepan and heat till just simmering.
3. Add coca powder into the milk and sitr till cocoa powder is incorporated into milk.
4. Add egg white mixture into the cocoa mixture and stir over low fire till mixture thickens.
5. Add in butter and stir till incorporated.
6. Leave chocolate paste to cool. Keep refrigerated before use.

bread dough

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add in milk and egg. Mix into a dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until the gluten is fully developed and the dough is elastic, smooth and non-sticky. It will take about 25 mins to knead the dough by hand. Initially the dough will stick on to the work surface. This step can be done by bread machine by selecting the Dough function and stop the machine after the kneading cycle is completed (20 mins).
2. Place the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap to seal in the moisture. Allow the dough to proof until double in bulk.
3. Take out the dough and punch out the gas produced. Divide the dough into 50g portions. Shape into rounds and let rest for about 10 mins.
4. Flatten rounds and add fillings as desired. Shape as desired. Arrange dough in a greased or lined pan. Let rest for about another 30 mins. Brush the top with egg wash (mixture of egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water). Bake for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degC.