Cinnamon buns. Different take.

Its worth the wait! 

These cinnamon buns took almost 5 hours to make. I started midday and didn't even taste a chuck of these sweet fluffy goodness until late afternoon. But its definitely worth the wait.

I have tried three(3) cinnamon bun recipes so far, and this is my favourite thus far.

However a caveat amongst soft pillowy buns is that you cant manoeuvre the dough at first because its quite sticky. Let alone not having the chance to knead it manually because the dough is quite pliable at the same time. 

Be that as it may, you rather want the dough sticky and pliable. The proof is in the pudding - the buns came out so soft, fluffy and pillowy of goodness. Such a perfect treat for coffee break or tea time.

I got the recipe from Bread Expectations blogspot by Denise Fletcher and the buns are called snail buns, obviously for the reason that they resemble a snail - the spiral shape is a give away.  I had a trouble of shaping them into a snail form because I rolled my dough up loose - and I don't want them loose. An epiphany came over me, and after cutting the rolled up dough into 17 pieces (recipe - 15 rolls), I twirled the buns making their edges meet, thus my buns ended up looking like flowers instead.  Lol! What Im trying to say is that there are no hard and fast rules when making these buns. Once you followed the measurement to the letter, you can create shapes to your own liking.

These are the rules of engagement when you decide to take the plunge into making these buns;

• Have a sturdy stand mixer. I used my mixer with a dough hook and mixed it for 8 minutes - until the dough became so soft, smooth and pliable. I couldn't knead it with my hands because it was extremely sticky. If you opted to knead it manually make sure that your hands are oily.
• Use a pair of scissors when you cut the dough into 15 pieces (or more. I was able to come up with 17 pieces) per recipe instructions. Trust me its easier.
• Have a dose of patience and a dollop of practice, if you got it right the first time then you are brilliant! Hehehe. Otherwise, practice through testing easier bread recipes first. Once you have the confidence then a marching order is in the offing for you to try these cinnamon buns. Once you baked them, you will come out a changed person. Cinnamon buns become you. :)

*Inspired by Cinnamon Snail Buns by Denise Fletcher

Prep 4 hrs  Cook 25 mins Makes 15 rolls

350 g (3 1/2 level  teacups) bread flour

150 g (1 1/2 level teacups) plain or all purpose flour

350 ml (1 3/4 teacups) milk ( I used soy milk - lovely flavour and aroma)

2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

2 level tsp sugar

3 Tbsp water

1 1/2 level tsp fine sea salt

4 Tbsp soft butter or 5 Tbsp light vegetable oil

Filling

100 g (2/3 teacup) soft butter 

100 g (3/4 teacup) soft brown sugar

2 - 3 tsp ground cinnamon (I used 3 tsp)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional but recommended)

Icing

50 g (1/2 teacup lightly packed) icing or confectioner's sugar

1 Tbsp water

In bowl of standmixer, combine flours and milk and mix on low speed (2) for about 2 minutes or just long enough to moisten all the flour and obtain a shaggy dough. Scrape down hook and bowl, cover bowl and leave dough to rest 20 - 30 minutes. This is the autolysing part.

While dough is mixing, combine yeast, sugar and water in a separate small bowl and stir and break up yeast with spoon until mixture is smooth and creamy and sugar and yeast have dissolved. Set aside for 20 minutes or so. Mixture should be foamy and slightly risen.

Add the salt and butter or oil to the dough in the mixer bowl and mix on speed 2 until salt and butter are incorporated (about 2 minutes). Pour in the yeast mixture and continue to mix (or knead) for 8 - 10 minutes.

Scrape dough out of bowl onto a lightly oiled clean surface and lightly grease hands. Grease inside of mixer bowl. Form dough into a neat and smooth ball and put seam side down into bowl. Cover and leave to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until slightly more than doubled.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Turn dough out of bowl onto lightly oiled surface. Dough will deflate by itself, there's no need to "knock down". Gently stretch and pat into a more or less even rectangle of 40 cm (16 in) by 30 cm (12 in) and allow dough to rest briefly while you prepare filling.

Combine the filling ingredients in a roomy bowl and stir only until smooth and well combined. Spread mixture evenly over dough right up to the edges. Beginning at longer edge closer to you, roll up dough as for a Swiss (jelly) roll. If you like neat, flat spirals, roll loosely. If you like upward spiralling centres (like mine) which resemble snail shells, roll up more tightly.

Pinch seam to seal and roll until seam is down. Gently neaten roll so it is evenly thick from end to end, bearing in mind to keep roll loose if you want flat spirals. Slice with a sharp serrated knife, sharp scissors (my choice) or unused, unflavoured dental floss into 15 even slices.

Gently lift and arrange slices cut side up and close together, on baking tray. Cover tray loosely with a clean napkin or large sheet of plastic. Leave to proof until there are no longer spaces between the rolls and they have risen slightly above the rim of tray (about 30 minutes)

Preheat oven at 190 C (375 F) 10 minutes into proofing so oven has 20 minutes to warm up).

Bake rolls for 25 minutes or until golden. If your oven heats unevenly (mine does) gently turn tray around 15 minutes into baking. Remove from oven when done and transfer rolls to a cooling rack. When rolls are no longer warm, stir together icing ingredients and drizzle across rolls. Allow icing to set before pulling off rolls.

Regular Method

Combine flours, salt and sugar in mixer bowl and stir well.

Add (dry) instant yeast to flour mixture and stir through. Omit the 3 Tbsp water for dissolving yeast in autolyse method.

Pour in milk and mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape dough down hook and book and cover bowl. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Add butter or oil to bowl and knead on low speed for 10 minutes. Scrape dough out onto lighly greased surface, lightly grease hands and inside of bowl. Form dough into a tight, smooth ball and put seam side down in bowl. Cover and leave to rest for 1 1/2 hours or until volume increases about 2 1/2 times.

Proceed according to recipe given for autolyse method, from here on. 

If you wanted to check out another cinnamon buns recipe, click here.

Almond Donut

I thought the sun's not going to come out today...I woke up late and the first thing I saw across our terrace was the city all fogged out. What to do during a day so bleak? Arm with my kitchen gadgets, I gather my acts together, and started kneading my dough away...

And just when I was starting to fry my donuts, I slowly felt the warmth of the sun on my right cheek and sun rays streaming down through our glass door at the terrace...

And as happy as I am how my donuts came out, the sun was blaring its gladness, and quite noticeably now, warm and mighty albeit not scorching hot.

The day ended beautifully after all.

---------

I am writing this post with Ate Zaidia in mind as well - good friend (her sister Jiji and I were good friends back in high school), globe trotter, and one who encouraged me to start a blog of my own. 

Thank you. Like my donuts and the sun today, you are beautiful...

*Snagged from www.bisousatoi.com

What's good with these donuts is that it does not require baking.

Ingredients

(A)

500g high protein flour - bread flour

100g sugar

11g instant yeast

4 egg yolks

200 ml water

(B)

100g butter / margarine

1 tsp salt

200g White Cooking Chocolate - melted

100g Almond Slice - roastrd

Method:

Stir ingredients A, knead until lumpy, add ingredients B, continue to knead until smooth elastic.

Rest dough for 10 minutes.. divide dough into several balls weighing 40g each.

Rest for a further 20 minutes.

Punch a hole through the middle, then fry until cooked. Drain. Chill.

Dip one side surface of the donut in the melted chocolate, sprinkle almond.

Place donut in fridge to harden chocolate..

Sicilian Orange Mini Bundt Cake

"HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE"

Sicilian Orange yet again, mini-bundt cake this time

Click here for the recipe.

Home-made Thin-crust Proscuitto rocket alla marinara Pizza

My darling little boy has been harping on making pizzas at home for a long time, Oh, let me re-phrase that: My darling little boy has been sending innuendos for me to cook some home-made pizzas for him.

Get the drift? :))

His eyes lit up when I told him that I have a surprise for him; showed him my recent purchase of a pizza stone that was on sale. And this simply converts to home-made pizza night for us.

I should have taken some photos of my little boy during our pizza night together as he had me in stitches; he was so excited, babbling away with the thought of doing his own pizza (this means I prepare the dough and tomato sauce of course,  and bake the whole pizza while he does the toppings...only)  and giddy that simply melt my heart away.

(Note: Pizza with toppings made by my darling little boy (read: husband) will be featured in the next blog entry)

A mere smile from my little boy makes me spring high, sends me springing to stratosphere and thugs my heart strings. So what more of a pizza night with 3 different flavors in tow? Im a breathless! 

It is LOVE.

:))

For recipe of pizza dough and tomato sauce, please click here

Ingredients:
1 Quantity basic pizza dough
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
55 g/2 oz capers
100g/ 3 1/2 oz black olives
200g/7 oz Bel Paese cheese, grated (I opted to use mozzarella cheese instead)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil to drizzle
3-4 slices of proscuitto
Handful of rocket leaves

Preheat the over to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
Distribute the tomatoes over the dough. Season with the garlic, oregano and salt and pepper. Scatter over the capers and olives and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Drizzle over the oil, then bake in the preheated over for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven, put some slices of proscuitto and a handful of rocket

Pan-fried salmon with herbs lemon dressing

I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday at lunchtime hoping to catch its Thursday mass. I know it was like hoping against hope because usually during lenten season the masses are set on a different time. While praying and still hoping for the usual daily 1pm mass, a lady guard quietly approached me and whispered that the church will be closed at 1pm, and so with after I-should-have-known-better moment, I said my thanks giving to the good God and hurriedly ushered myself out of the church, On my way out, as I was about to do my one last glance and prayers towards the altar, I saw a lone person in the corner, the last person left in one of the pews still praying, with his shoulder slumped onwards and quietly praying with his hands clasped together and crying his heart out....His quandary seems to echo within the hallow corners of the majestic Cathedral. The scene has affected me a great deal and as I write this, I can feel my eyes welling up once more. With prayers for my own needs easily discarded, I offered my prayers for that lone person I saw yesterday instead. Where ever he is, whoever he is, may he find peace in his heart and our prayers heard by heavens above.  

There are events, and/or people that affect us in many ways than one in our lives. People come and go in our lives for a reason.  And in many ways than one, we learn from our experiences, they either bring joy  or  sorrow but..."the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return", (Toulouse-Lautrec, Moulin Rouge). 

So, I lay my head back down

And I lift my hands and pray

To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours

I know now you're my only hope.

*Snagged and tweaked from Guy Grossi's Family Feaster for Good Friday (which I cut out from Woolworth's grocery junk mail)

Ingredients

1 tbsp chopped oregano

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped marjoram

1 clove garlic, chopped

Finely grated rind & juice of 1 lemon

100 ml olive oil (extra for cooking, approx 2-3 tbsps)

8X100-150g salmon fillets, or 4 large 200g portions sliced in half

Pinch of salt and twist of ground pepper

Lemon wedges to serve

Method

1. In a small bowl or food processor, whisk together the chopped herbs, garlic, zest, juice and oil. Season to taste.

2. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat, add some oil. Season salmon, cook one side for 2 minutes. Turn salmon over, cook for a further 2 minutes or until cooked to your liking (Oh yes, since I love my salmon crispy and crunchy, I cooked them longer)

3. Drizzle dressing over and serve with lemon wedges.

Home-made Thin crust Vegetarian Pizza

This home-made pizza made my little boy announce that from this day forward we are no longer allowed to order pizza for delivery...And my only response to that is, "Amen".

Basic Pizza dough

*Can make 4 quantities of pizza dough

2 sachets easy blend dried yeast

1/2 tsp caster sugar

125 ml/4 fl oz lukewarm water

425 g/15 oz plain flour plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

5-7 tbsp water

Crumble the yeast into a small bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Add the water, then stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Cover with a clean tea towel and prove in a warm spot for 30 minutes (In my case, I usually use the oven, don't turn it on though).

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a hollow in the centre and pour the yeast mixture, salt,, olive oil and the water into it.

Knead everything into a smooth, silky dough, then shape it into a ball. Dust the ball with a little flour, cover and set aside in a warm place to rise for a further hour, or until doubled in volume.

Basic tomato sauce

* Amount is adequate for 4 pizzas

4 tbsp of olive oil

2 small onions

400 g/ 14 oz canned diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the canned tomatoes and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for about 30 minutes in medium-low heat.

100 g (or more) Mozzarella cheese

1 grilled bell pepper/capsicum

10 slices (or more) sun-dried tomatoes

a few basil leaves

a sprinkle of oregano

salt and pepper to season

Olive oil

Preheat the overn to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7 and grease four round pizza tins.

*I always use fan-force oven hence I lower the oven temperature by 20 degrees. I also use pizza stone because accordingly the stone spreads the temperature evenly and makes your crust crispy which is my personal preference by the way. Pizza stone is a commercially made round brink much akin to the traditionally made stone grill or wood stove preferred by Italians. I know that this is debatable as nothing is  more beautifully made than by making your pizza through stone grill or wood stove. But in the interest of home quick meal (although kneading and proofing for almost 2 hours is not quickie at all) and home-made goodies, a pizza stone is the closest to getting the real McCoy. 

Distribute the tomato sauce. Season with dried oregano, then sprinkle with mozarella cheese. You must control yourself putting tomato sauce and cheese though, too much will make your pizza soggy. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

*After 10 minutes, remove the pizza from oven, add and spread your bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes then sprinkle again with mozarella cheese, bake your pizza with the remaining 5 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven and stone, then sprinkle with basil leaves.

Peanut Butter Crunch Brownie Bars

I am back to where I belong - my kitchen and baking; I have found my place under the sun; I haven't lost my mojo...I hope! :)

And while work occupies my 8 to 5, and continuously poses a challenge to my otherwise mundane life (mundane is good after all. I have realised the beauty of it when I started working again. Oooh to go back to being a plain housewife again, is all but a dream now. Lol! ), "I am a home maker".  Therefore I am. :))

Snagged from http://www.browneyedbaker.com/

Yield: 24 brownies

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes

1 batch of your favourite brownie recipe for a 9×13-inch pan (Chewy brownies recipe below)

½ cup salted peanuts

8 Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped (I used Reese's 1/2 cup peanut butter chips instead)

1½ cups milk chocolate chips

1½ cups creamy peanut butter

½ tablespoon unsalted butter

1½ cups Rice Krispies cereal (I used Kellog's corn cereal instead)

1. Prepare the brownies according to the directions and bake for about 5 minutes less than the recipe states. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups. Return to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.

2. While they are finishing baking, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cereal to evenly coat. Remove the brownies from the oven and evenly pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over top. Spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Chewy Brownies

Yield: 24 brownies

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

1½ teaspoons instant espresso (optional)

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2½ cups (17½ ounces) sugar

1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.

4. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.