Mille Feuille 千层酥皮

I'm about to make a Napoleon Roll (拿破仑蛋糕卷) which would be published on the next chapter. First of all, I made this thousand flakes pastry called "Mille Feuille" by French which is kind of puff pastry. Somehow, this method had a bit different as it will produce a very flaky and crispy texture. I followed the method from my first recipe book "西点学习大百科". It's my first ever best recipe book that had help me start my baking journey years ago. I've got this website defined the Napoleon Pie.

Sometimes I bought a ready made puff pastry to make the cake but sometimes it's a joyful thing when you've got everything homemade. Once you've got this pastry done, you would be able to make many desserts. Custard, whipping cream, fresh berries, swissroll sponge etc.. they're all best friends with this pastry. Just like the picture above. The base and the edges is the Mille Feuille cover with sponge, strawberry, custard and whipped cream. This might take some efforts but worth it :)

I've problem in describing the process but please let me know if you need further clarification.

Ingredients: 120g unsalted butter (melted) 70g plain flour 60g high purpose flour (bread flour) 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp sugar 70ml cold water Extra high purpose flour for dusting How I made it:

1. Mix water, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Shift in 1/3 of the plain flour and 1/3 of the high purpose flour until everything well combine. Gradually add in melted butter and mix thoroughly. Mix in all the remaining flour and use a scraper to mix until everything combine. Pour the mixture out on a floured work surface and knead. You might need to flour your hand and the surface while working out. The texture will become smooth and just a bit sticky then stop the kneading process and cling wrap the dough. Place it in the fridge for overnight.
2. On a floured knife and work surface, cut a cross mark on the dough as four portions.(picture 2)
3. Roll out each portion. (picture 3)
4. Place a 1.5cm thick butter at the center of the pastry. (picture 4)
5. Fold the edges together. (picture 5)
6. Cling wrap the pastry and place it in the fridge for 1/2 hour before the next step.
7. Roll out the pastry at 60cm longish shape. (picture 7)
8. Fold into three layers (picture 8). Roll out and fold in again. Put it back to the fridge if you feel the pastry become sticky. Continue when it firm up again.
9. Make a mark on the pastry with your finger to remember the numbers of roll out process (picture 9).
10. I've rolled out and folded in for 6 times.
11. Cling wrap the dough and place in the fridge until firm and ready to use (picture 11). The pastry could be stored in the fridge for 1 to 2 days or freeze for a week.
12. Preheat the oven to 200'C. Roll out the pastry at a floured work surface and place on the back of a baking tray. Prick the pastry with a fork to make holes. (picture 12)
13. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then place a wire rack of the of the pastry and press down gently (picture 13) on the pastry and continue the baking for 10 - 15 minutes at 180'C until golden brown.
14. Cool on a wire rack (picture 14)
15. The pastry is ready to be used.

Hotdog Bun & English Chips

I came across a website with a very good bun recipe. The dough can be used for burger bun or hotdog bun. I'm quite happy with the result as the buns are very soft and tender. I followed exactly the recipe but without adding the bread improver. Anyway, the texture as good as the one selling in the supermarket. The bun store very well in the freezer as long as its covered tightly with cling wrap and another layer of aluminium foil. It can be thawed at room temperature until it's softened.

I made three sets of hotdog bun for lunch and some English Chips.

I would like to introduce this baked chips which is a recipe from Jamie Oliver. If you've came across English chips before, you might know there are quite thick and fatty chips. This version is slightly different as it's baked in the oven rather than deep fry. So, if you are thinking to reduce the fat and calories, this might be suitable for you and it taste great!

Recipe for 5 hotdog bun or burger buns:

Bread flour 160g / plain flour 28g / Sugar 15g / Milk powder 8g / Salt 2.82g / Water 109g / Eggs 15g / Yeast 2.5g / Butter 15g

Method:

1. Knead all the ingredients with a dough hook for 15 minutes. Proof for 90 minutes then portions it into five buns. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
2. Then shape it into longish shape for hotdog bun or round shape for burger bun. Proof for another 60 minutes or double in bulk.
3. Bake in a 180'C preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Recipe for Jamie's Baked Chips:

1. Put a large flat baking tray in the oven and turn the heat to 230'C. Cut the potatoes into chips about 1/2 inch thick. Parboil the chip for about 10 minutes in salted boiling water and drain in a colander.
2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, smash the garlic bulb up and chuck in the cloves, then add the chips. Toss in the oil and season with ground black pepper and salt.
3. Trnasfer the contents of the pan to the preheated tray and cook for 20 t0 25 minutes until crisp and golden.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pear Cakes

I like this simple recipe as it takes no time to make and serve straight after a main course. I made everything in advance then store in the fridge and bake it while I was having my meal. It's nice to be served warm with a dollop of ice cream and some hot chocolate sauce. Yummy!!

Recipe from BBC Olive Magazine

Ingredients:

4 ripe baby pears, peeled

4 cubes dark chocolate

1/2 lemon juiced

125g unsalted butter, softened

150g light muscovado sugar (I reduced it to 80g)

2 beaten eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

125g self-raising flour

1 tbsp strong espresso, dissolved with 1 tbsp warm water

Chocolate sauce or ice cream

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180'C. Butter four 300ml ovenproof teacups or ramekins and line the bases with circles of baking parchment.
2. Cut a sliver off the pear bases and keep. Use a small knife to hollow out the cores. Place a chunk of chocolate inside each pear and replace the bases. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice to stop them browning while you make the cake mixture.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg then sift the cocoa, baking powder and flour over. Fold in the espresso. Divide the cake mix between the cups and push a pear into each so they sit upright in the mixture. There should be about a 2cm gap between the top of the cups and the top of the cake mix. Sprinkle the pears with the remaining sugar.
4. Cook in the centre of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until well risen and springy. Leave for 5 minutes then run a sharp knife around the edges to release them and leave on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Unmould (or serve in their cups if you like) and serve with chocolate sauce or ice cream.

Muffins

I was rushing to make some refreshment for a cell group meeting few days ago and I think muffins would be a fast and easier refreshment to be ready in a short time. I don't have special ingredients with me so I used whatever ingredients left in my cupboard. Finally came out with two different type of muffins which are Banana Walnut Muffins and Chocolate Walnut Muffins. The texture moist but not wet, dry but not overcooked. I used the previous Banana walnut cake recipe for banana walnut muffins whereas the recipe of chocolate walnut muffin is stated below. Recipe for Chocolate Walnut Muffins: (Make 6 cups) Unsalted butter 50g Caster sugar 70g Egg 1 Plain flour 85g (top flour) Cocoa powder 15g Baking powder 1 tsp Pinch of salt Milk 60g Walnut 60g (toasted and chopped) Method:

1. Beat the butter with sugar until light and pale in color.
2. Add in the egg then pinch of salt, beat until well combine.
3. Add 1/2 of the milk and half of the flour (flour should be shifted with cocoa powder and baking powder before adding into the mixture). Using a hand whisk mix until well combine.
4. Add in remaining milk and flour and mix well.
5. Combine walnut with the mixture then fill the muffins cups and bake at 170'C preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Blueberry Bagel

Here is my second attempts on bagel. The recipe had a bit different from the previous bagel I've made. Not only its blueberry flavour but it's made by milk to produce a different texture. I made big bagel this time and used it for our main course sandwich. I blended some fresh blueberry into paste to produce a blueberry flavor bagel. It smell very blueberry and soft yet chewy. But I still have problem shaping it into a perfect round shape. I heard a guru said those commercial bagel was form by a round mould but for homemade we've got to use our fingers to make it. Anyway, I don't mind the rustic one but still trying the best to make as round as I can. Recipe makes four big bagels: Bread flour 250g Caster sugar 20g Salt 1/4 teaspoon Yeast 3g Milk 95g Blueberry paste 50g Unsalted butter 5g Method:

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer combine all the ingredients. knead dough with the dough hook until elastic, about 10 minutes on a low speed.
2. Divide the dough into 4 portions and shape each piece into a tight balls. When all the balls are shaped, place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 40 minutes.
3. Get ready a large bowl of 1L hot water with 5g sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of syrup. Preheat the oven to 180'C.
4. Once dough balls have rested, poke a hole through the center of each dough ball with your fingers. Stretch out the dough into a ring and make sure the hole is slightly larger than you want the finished bagel to have, as the bagel will expanding during the baking process. Let bagels proof for about 30 minutes.
5. Drop the bagels into the boiling water at about 90'C. Boil for 10 second at each side then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until golden brown.