Chinese BBQ Pork Buns

After realising that I'd made a mistake in putting all the tangzhong in making the pizza buns from the last post, I made the Chinese BBQ pork buns by putting 1/2 of the tangzhong as required from the original recipe.  It's not so sticky, a little easier to handle and the taste and texture are still the same.  I made six BBQ Pork buns and six buns with lotus seed paste.  You may have seen these little buns selling at the pushing trolly at Yum Cha restaurant.  If you can't find the Chinese BBQ pork, some left-over roast meat with gravy will be as good.

Chinese BBQ Pork Buns and Lotus Seed Paste Buns
(make 12)

Tangzhong: (湯種)

25g bread flour

125ml (1/2 water and 1/2 milk)

Ingredients of bread:

125ml milk

1 egg

1/2 of the Tangzhong

30g butter, cut up

55g caster sugar

5g salt

370g bread flour

5g instant yeast

For the filling of BBQ Pork Buns:

1 cup of Chinese BBQ pork, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon Hoisen Sauce

1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds

dash of sesame oil

garlic

For the filling of Lotus Seed Paste Buns:

Store brought Lotus seed paste 

egg, beaten for glazing

black sesame seeds and sunflower seeds for garnishing

Method:

1. Mix water and milk mixture with the flour to make the tangzhong in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat and stir until it is thickened.  When you see some "lines" appear in the mixture with the stir, it is ready. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.  
2. Transfer the tangzhang into a small bowl, cover and fridge for 3-4 hours.
3. When ready to use the tangzhang, leave it room temperature beforehand.
4. Put the milk, egg and tangzhang into the bread machine, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients  and add the yeast last.  Press the "dough" button.
5. When the dough is done, place the dough into a floured workbench.  Knead with extra flour to form a smooth dough.  Divide into 6 portions onto two paper-lined tray.  Rest the dough at a warm place (a warm oven) for 15 minutes.
6. Divide each portion into two, roll flat a little and fill with the fillings. Turn over and place onto the baking tray.  Repeat for the rest of the dough.  Make 12 buns.  Rest in a warm place for a further 40 minutes.
7. Brush the top with egg and garnish with either sesame seeds or sunflower seeds. Bake for 20 minutes at 180c.

Pizza Buns

Few years ago when I was talking to a lady who had travelled to Hong Kong, she told me that Hong Kong's bread tasted sweeter than the Australian.  To those who are used to the western style bread may not used to the sweeter taste of the bread from Asia.  There are many more Asian bakeries in Brisbane these day selling Hong Kong, Taiwanese or Japanese style bread and it is becoming very popular among the Australian as each bun sell only $2-3 dollars. They have so many varieties and flavours.  We'll grab a few of our favourite choice every time when we go down to Brisbane.  These pizza buns are made by the tandzhong method (湯種法) that produce soft bread like the one selling at the Asian bakery.  It doesn't turn hard or dry the next day.  Once you've learnt this method, you can create different variety of Asian bread.  My kids like this pizza bun the most to pack for lunch at school.     

   

Pizza Buns

(make 10-12)

Tangzhong: (湯種)

50g  25gbread flour

250ml  125g (1/2 water and 1/2 milk)

Ingredients of bread:

125ml milk

1 egg

30g butter, cut up

55g caster sugar

5g salt

370g bread flour

5g instant yeast

For the topping:

tomato paste

1/4 cup onion, cut into small pieces

can of pineapple pieces

chorizo or salami, cut into slices

short cut bacon or ham, cut into small pieces

shredded cheese

egg, beaten (for glazing)

Method:

1. Mix water and milk mixture with the flour to make the tangzhong in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat and stir until it is thickened.  When you see some "lines" appear in the mixture with the stir, it is ready. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.  
2. Transfer the tangzhang into a small bowl, cover and fridge for 3-4 hours.
3. When ready to use the tangzhang, leave it room temperature beforehand.
4. Put the milk, egg and tangzhang into the bread machine, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients  and add the yeast last.  Press the "dough" button.
5. When the dough is done, place the dough into a floured workbench.  Knead with extra flour to form a smooth dough.  Divide into 5-6 portion onto two paper-lined tray.  Rest the dough at a warm place (a warm oven) for 15 minutes.
6. Divide each portion into two, roll flat into long shape.  Roll the two sides toward the middle and tuck both ends inward.  Turn over and place onto the baking tray.  Repeat for the rest of the dough.  Make 10-12 buns.  Rest in a warm place for a further 40 minutes.
7. Spread each buns with tomato paste, topped with onion, bacon, chorizo, pineapple and cheese.  Brush the side with egg.  Bake for 20 minutes at 180c.

Source: adopted and modified from Christine's Recipes

Note: At Christine's Recipes, she uses only 1/2 of the tangzhong for each loaf of bread (or each bread recipe).  I use all so the dough is a bit sticky but it still works.  I have to remember putting 1/2 of the tangzhong next time to see if it works better that way.

Oreo Whoopies

When my son took this whoopie from his lunch box, his friends were saying "that's a giant oreo cookie."  Nobody knows what a whoopie is but they all said it looked yummy!  In fact, I didn't know much about it until I found the "Whoopie Cakes" cookbook from the library.  My son was the only person know about it as he remembered it was cooked in a TV cooking show once.

Food historians believe that whoopie was originated from the medieval Germany and the Amish brought along with them when they settled in Pennsylvania in the 19th century.  Whoopies were sold at places such as farmers' market and road-side stands.  An unproved notion stated that the name of Whoopie came from the shout for joy "Whoopie" from the husband and kids when the Amish women baked leftover cake mixture into pie shape and place them into their lunch boxes.  Mainers and Boston also claim to be the birthplace of Whoopie.  The tradition whoopie is chocolate with marshmallow filling.  Eating a whoopie is quite different to a cup cake.  It is soft and thin with the shape of a cookie and there is no dry bit as you sometimes get from the cake.  After eating one and sure you'll know why it's called "Whoopie"!    


Oreo Whoopies
(make 10-12)

100g milk cooking chocolate
115g butter, softened
165g castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
180g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
225ml milk

For the filling:
3 oreo cookies
55g butter, softened
115g cream cheese
250g icing sugar

Method:

1. Finely grated the chocolate and set aside.  Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg.  
2. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the mixing bowl with the butter mixture.  Add in chocolate and milk and stir until just combined.
3. Use an 2 inch ice-cream scoop to scoop up the mixture onto 4 baking paper lined trays with 6 in each tray.  
4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190c (170c fan) for 10-12 minuted or until firm to touch.  transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before filling with icing.
5. For the icing: Put the cookies into a zip bag. and crush with a rolling pin to form fine crumbs.  Beat butter and cream cheese till light and fluffy.  Sift in icing sugar and add in crumbs.
6. Fill the whoopies by piping the icing onto the cake or spread with a knife to form a sandwich.  Store the whoopies with a layer of baking paper in between to prevent sticking.  

Source: adopted and modified from the cookbook :Whoopie Cake" - the cakey cookie taking the world by storm by Susanna Tee.

Chocolate Heart with Ice Cream

When I went to the shopping centre this morning, I saw many young teenage crowding around the florist buying roses for their Valentine.  It is sweet to feel the love in the air!  My husband and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day too much these days as it was just after our wedding anniversary.  But I want to make something for him this year.  As the weather has been very hot, I got the ideas of making this heart shaped ice-cream.  We sit down at the coffee table to share the ice-cream after lunch, and I can feel the romance that is still running in our heart!  He has been my love, my friend and my supporter when I needed him most.  He is the person that care me most and I just can't imagine a day without him!  Happy Valentine's Day and I hope you have found your love!

Heart Shaped Ice Cream with Mixed Berries Sauce


Dark cooking chocolate or chocolate of your choice
Vanilla Ice cream or ice cream of your choice

For the sauce:
70g frozen mixed berries
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 teaspoon cornflour
1/4 teaspoon Kirsch

To make the heart shape mould:
cardboard
foil
bull clip

Method:

1. Cut out the cardboard into a long strip about 3 cm wide, fold into half.  Use the stapler to staple the middle to form the curve of a heart shape. Leave the end open.  Wrap around the cardboard with foil with a smooth interior. 
2. Line a small baking tray with a piece of foil.  Place the heart shaped cardboard in the tray and fill up with ice-cream.  Freeze until ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, gently cook the berries with water, sugar and cornflour until it becomes a thick sauce. Leave cool.
4. Melt chocolate in microwave under medium heat until the chocolate is ready to use.  Fill the chocolate into a zip bag.
5. Unclip the mould and gently pull the mould apart.  Turn the ice-cream over with the smooth top facing up, trim edges if needed.  Cut a tiny bit from the corner of the zip bag. Decorate the ice-cream with chocolate and use the left-over chocolate to decorate the plate.  
6. Spoon the berries sauce over the plate and share it with you sweet heart!

Cinnamon Sugar Braid

In my first attempt to make this bread, I forgot to put cinnamon to make the dough and I didn't shape it very well as I was in a hurry to finish it and went to pick up the kids at school.  So I delicate last Sunday to try it again.  The aroma of the bread lead my daughter from her room to the kitchen wondering what I had been making.  It smelled so delicious and we all cut a fat slice of bread.  It was so satisfying for a Sunday treat.

I found this recipe from the library cookbook "The complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking" by Better Homes and Garden.  If you've followed me long enough, you'd know that my weakness is to knead perfect dough by hand.  This book is like a treasure to me and I give my bread machine another hug and kiss!

Cinnamon Sugar Braid


3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, cut into small cube
1 egg, beaten
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast

For the topping:

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoon brown sugar

For the glazing:
1 egg, beaten
6 tablespoons icing sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon milk

Method:

1. Follow the sequence to put the 1st nine ingredients into the bread machine. (Always put wet ingredients first, then dry ingredients and yeast last) Select dough button. 
2. When the cycle complete, remove dough from the machine. Punch down, cover and rest 10 minutes.  (I didn't punch down but leave it in the machine for 10 mins before shaping)
3. Divide dough into thirds.  On a lightly floured workbench, roll each portions into an 18 inch long rope.  Put two ropes across at the top end and then lay the third one in between, tuck the top bits under.  
4. Sprinkle a little of cinnamon sugar onto a paper lined baking tray.  Braid the ropes into a neat shape, sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar onto the ropes during braiding and tuck the end bits under. 
5. Leave it in a warm place for 45 minutes or until nearly double in size. (I leave it in a preheated warm oven)  
6. Brush the bread with beaten egg, sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.  Bake in a 180c oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with the milk to make icing.
7. When the bread is cool a bit, drizzle with the icing.  Enjoy the nice and warm bread!

Source: adopted and modified from the cookbook "The complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking" by Better Homes and Garden.

Sushi with Cheese x 2

We are sushi lovers and I even dream of having a sushi restaurant sometimes. (Too much of a dream!) You don't really need to have raw fish for sushi if that's not your kind of food.  When I take my kids to the sushi bar, we are usually the one with the tallest stack of plates.  It's low fat (some) and gluten free and once you have tried to make one, you will just keep making more.

I had the prawns and cheese sushi in Hong Kong and I tried to recreate it here.  I brought the sushi mould from the Japanese bargain store in Brisbane. The moulded cheese sushi is great for making bento.  My kids love to have sushi to pack for their lunch for school as they are sick of having bread sometimes.

Prawn & Cheese Sushi


cooked butterfly prawns
cooked sushi rice
salt
sugar
rice vinegar
processed cheese
sweet chilli sauce
seasoned flying fish roes
wasabi (optional)

Method:
Mix 1 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar into 1/3 cup vinegar, warm in the microwave for 30s, season with the rice and leave cool a little.  Wet your hands so the rice won't stick to your hand. Shape rice into 4cmx2cm  rectangular shape, dab a little wasabi onto the top if you like.  Then top with a piece of prawn and half piece of cheese.  Use a blow torch to brown the surface.  Then spoon in some fish roes and pour in some chilli sauce.

Kids Cheese Sushi


cooked sushi rice
salt
vinegar
dried sushi seaweed
processed cheese
tomato skin

Method:
Seasoned rice as above. Shape the sushi with the mould.  Use the other mould to make shape for the cheese.  Cut the shape for the bear's nose with cheese, shape for the eyes and ears, and love heart with seaweed and cut a tiny month with tomato skin for the bear's mouth. Serve with some salad and meat for the bento box.  You can replace ham for the cheese, too!

sushi mould

Kids Bento that my kids enjoy!