Chocolate Bread

I have fallen in love with making bread lately as my friend had given me some great yeast to motivate me. I always had this impression that bread making is not easy with the kneading method. Since I have my bread hook, this was no longer an issue. The only thing is the time taken for it to rise but good food deserves waiting. I had great satisfaction when my bread came out from the oven with the strong aroma that filled my house and the soft texture of the bread that goes so yummy with butter. I am so motivated to try baking different flavours of bread!

Modifcations

Ingredients

450g warm water
2.5 tsp yeast
1/2 tbsp sugar
55g butter (melted)
1 tsp salt
57g sugar
120g evaporated milk
900g bread flour
50g cocoa powder

Melted butter for brushing
Oil to grease mixing bowl

Directions

1. Place yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Pour the warm water over the yeast mixture and let it sit for 15-20 mins.
2. Combine melted butter, sugar, evaporated milk and salt into a large mixing bowl. When your yeast is ready, added them together and mix.
3. Pour in 450g of flour and mix with bread hook. Then add 150g of  flour at a time and cocoa powder and mix till the dough is no longer sticking to the sides. It will be ready when your fingers no longer stick to the dough.
4. Take out the dough and grease the mixing bowl with oil. Put the dough into the bowl and cover with warm towel. Let it to rise for 1.5 hours.
5. Punch it down and place on a floured surface. Knead for 2-3 mins.
6. Cut dough into desired shape and place into greased bread pans.
7. Cover with warm towel and let it rise again. Bake at 190 Deg C for 25mins. Brush the op with melted butter and place on a cooling rack.

Coffee Cupcakes

It was a great Sunday morning and I woke up early to get my hands on making these Coffee Cupcakes for breakfast. Cupcakes have never been a difficult bake for me but making the buttercream was a challenge and having coffee flavour in it will be even tougher. Though the buttercream was kind of too sweet for me, the final product was satisfying in look and taste! I am now motivated to move on to the next challenge of making other flavors soon.

Ingredients

120g Vegetable oil
225g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
2. tbsp instant coffee
3 tsp water
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
225g plain flour

Buttercream
225g butter
3 tbsp instant coffee
3 tsp water
345g icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

Chocolate Balls

Directions

1. Preheat oven 180 Deg C. Place cupcake fillers in baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add in vegetable oil and sugar. Mix well.
3. Add in vanilla and eggs into sugar mixture. Mix till eggs become pale (about 1 min).
4. In a small bowl, add instant coffee and water. Stir until dissolved and add into the large bowl.
5. Add in baking powder, salt and flour and mix till incorporated.
6. Scoop batter into prepared cup fillers and bake for 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
7. Buttercream : In a large mixing bowl, add in butter and mix till blended. In a small bowl, add the instant coffee and water until dissolved. Add the coffee mixture and powdered sugar into the butter mixture, mix well. Add in milk and continue to mix for about 2 mins. The buttercream will be light and fluffy. Place buttercream in piping bag with a straight tip. Pipe swirls on top of cupcakes and top with a chocolate balls.

Mini Egg Cupcakes

My favourite Egg Cupcakes and this recipe is so easy and no fussy method. A must keep recipe!

Ingredients

4 large eggs
180g sugar
A pinch of salt
180g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
35g oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven 180 Deg C. Place cupcake fillers in baking pan.
2. Whisk eggs sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
3. Fold in sifted flour, baking powder with a spatula until well combined.
4. Add oil and mix well.
5. Pour into cup fillers slightly more than half cup and bake fro 20 mins till golden brown.

Homemade Bread

Another attempt using the Bread In A Bag recipe but this time, I used the Bread Hook to help me knead the dough instead in a bag. The result was equally satisfactory. 

Brownie Butter Cake

I had a craving for butter cake but I wanted something different from the usual butter cake. I came across this recipe from Rasa Malaysia and the combination with Brownie was indeed something unique which I have not tried before. The texture was the  same as the butter cake I used to make but it blended so well with the bottom layer of brownie. I felt the brownie portion was not enough to make up half of the proportion so I have modified the recipe to double the quantity for the brownie. Will give it a try again.

Modifications

Ingredients

Brownie:
280g chocolate
100g butter
100g brown sugar
2 eggs
70g plain flour

Butter cake:
120g butter
100g sugar
2 eggs
120g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
50g fresh milk

Directions

1. Grease and line a loaf pan. Preheat oven 180 Deg C.
2. Brownie : Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Remove and leave to cool slightly and stir in brown sugar to mix. Pour mixture in a larger mixing bow, add in eggs and mix well. Fold in flour until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Baked in preheated oven for 15 mins.
3. Butter cake : Beat butter with sugar until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder, alternately add in fresh milk, mix to form batter. Spread the batter over brownie and bake at 190 Deg C for 25-30 mins.