Creamy Broccoli Soup with Croutons

Ingredients:

Croutons

6 cup Baguette/hard bread, cubed
4 clove garlic, mashed
pinch of salt
2 tbsp chopped/dried parsley
1/3 cup olive oil

Soup

1 large head broccoli, washed, stem removed & roughly cut
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, roughly sliced
2 cup water/stock
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
150 ml heavy cream
150 ml milk

Garnish

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 handful broccoli
some water for sprinkling
pinch salt
dash black pepper

Method:

To prepare the croutons:

Preheat oven to 200 °C.

In a large mixing bowl, mix bread cubes with all the ingredients and stir well to coat homogeneously.

Spoon onto a baking tray and spread out evenly into single layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes and stir occasionally about two times during baking.

Remove from oven and set aside.

To prepare the soup:

In a pot, melt butter in 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat, saute onion until softened with occasional stirring.

Add-in half of broccoli, and stir for short while.

Pour-in stock and bring to boil.

Reduce heat, cover and let simmer until broccoli is tender.

Add-in the remaining broccoli, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend it into smooth puree in several batches (depending on the size of your blender).

Transfer into saucepan/pot, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then stir in cream and milk over low heat right before serving.

Garnish with sauteed broccoli and serve with croutons.

To prepare the garnish:

In a saucepan, heat oil over moderate high heat and stir-fry broccoli for shot while.

Sprinkle-on some water, reduce heat and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Cook the broccoli accordingly with occasional stirring.

Polo Buns (菠萝包)

Ingredients:

Bread Dough

240 ml plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
30 ml sugar
1 tbsp beaten egg
1 tsp dried instant yeast
70 ml milk
1 tbsp butter

Polo Pastry

2 tbsp butter
25 ml powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp beaten egg
95 ml plain flour

Filling (optional)

2 ½ tbsp butter
1 ¾ tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Method:

To prepare the bread dough:

In a large mixing bowl, add-in all the dough ingredients and mix with fingertips to combine and detach from side wall of bowl.

Knead generously for about 15-20 minutes or till form smooth and soft skin dough.

Set aside covered with wet kitchen towel to proof for 1 ½ hours or till double in size.

Punch down proofed dough to release entrapped gas, divide dough into 4 portions and set aside to rest for 15 minutes or till use.

To prepare the polo pastry:

In a bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt still pale and fluffy.

Beat-in egg till fully incorporated and grassy.

Fold-in flour and mix well with fingertips.

Divide into 4 portions and set aside till use.

To prepare the filing:

In another bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt till incorporated fully.

Chill in fridge till firm then divide into 4 portions and chill in fridge again till use.

To assembly:

Flatten one portion of bread dough and fill-in a portion of filling.

Wrap up, twist edges firmly to seal and ground the sealing tip onto the dough.

With both hands, shape the dough into proper dough ball, set aside.

Flatten one portion of polo pastry.

Gently lift up the flattened pastry and transfer onto the center of hand palm.

Place-on a filled dough and press the dough toward pastry till all the side walls of the dough being covered by the pastry (filling seal side down).

With both hands, shape the entire bun into ball.

With sharp knife, draw chequer pattern on the pastry surface and set aside to proof for about 1 hour or till double in size.

Brush-on egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes or till golden.

Best serves fresh or reheat it in oven for few minutes on the next day before serving.

French Crepes

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 tsp sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 ⅓ tbsp butter, melted

Sweet Filling Options:

Jam/Apple butter/Nutella/Chestnut cream/Butter and sugar/Sliced bananas with chocolate sauce and whipped cream or ice-cream/Fresh berries marinated with sugar and grand marnier/crepes suzette

Savory Filling Options:

Grated cheese/Sliced ham/Egg freshly cooked on crepe/Sauteed spinach/Sauteed mushroom in cream sauce/Mushroom and chicken in cream sauce/Shrimp and shelled mussels in cream sauce/Ratatouille/Cooked sausage/Green salad with vinaigrette

Method:

In a large bowl, beat eggs with salt and sugar till dissolved.

Add-in milk and mix thoroughly.

Gradually, add the batter to flour and beat to eliminate lumps.

Pour-in butter and beat to incorporate.

Place the batter into fridge for at least 40 minutes.

Heat a 18 cm frying pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat and grease it lightly with butter (about 5 g each).

Pour-in 1/3 of the batter to the preheated pan and swirl it quickly to coat on the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes or till the crepe light golden brown on the bottom.

Flip it over to brown the other side.

Meanwhile, fill-in with a preference filling and fold accordingly.

Transfer the crepe to a serving plate with the seams on the bottom side.

Repeat for the remaining batter.

Best serve immediately.

Yield 3 crepes.

Yeast Doughnuts

Ingredients:

1 ½ tsp dry instant yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/6 cup shortening or butter
3 cup all purpose flour
oil for deep-frying

enough fine sugar for coating

Method:

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water, leave for 8 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, combine milk, sugar, salt, egg, shortening and half of flour.

Pour-in yeast solution and stir well for few minutes.

Gradually, add-in the remaining flour till non-sticky dough form.

Knead dough well for about 8-10 minutes till smooth and elastic.

Transfer dough into a greased bowl and set aside at warm corner to rise covered with plastic wrapper till double in size.

Over large floured surface, flatten dough and roll out gently to the thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Cut into doughnut rings with floured doughnut cutter or simply with opening part of glass.

Let doughnut rings sit out to rise covered loosely with cloth till double in size again.

Heat oil over high heat or to 175 °C.

Carefully slide doughnuts into the hot oil by the help of wide spatula and fry doughnut till both sides are golden brown (doughnuts are turn-able once it floated).

Remove from oil and drain well on wire rack or absorbent papers.

Dip warm doughnuts into a bowl of sugar to coat.

Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional)
1/8 cup lard/vegetable shortening
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup warm water

Method:

In a bowl, combine flours, salt and baking powder.

Cut-in lard and mix with hand till the mixture resembles meal.

Drizzle-in oil and water, mix to form dough.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough till smooth and elastic with floured hand.

Form dough into a ball and set aside to rest for 1 hour covered with plastic wrapper.

Divide dough into 3 portions.

Over a lightly floured surface, flatten dough balls and roll out each thin to about 18 cm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness with floured rolling pin.

Lightly greased a hot non-stick skillet with oiled paper towel.

Cook tortilla once at a time till bubble, puff and bottom with brown spots.

Flip it over and cook the other side in the same way.

Transfer tortilla to a kitchen towel, stack and cover tortillas as cooked.

French Baguettes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp dry active yeast

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup lukewarm water

Method:

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water, leave for 8 minutes or till foamy.

In a bowl, combine flour and salt.

In another large bowl, combine yeast solution with 1/2 of the flour mixture and the remaining water, stir and mix to form a dough; set aside covered to rise for 3 hours or till triple in size.

Gradually, incorporate-in the remaining flour mixture and knead for 10 minutes or till smooth, supple and elastic.

Transfer dough into a greased bowl and set aside to rise covered for at least 1 hour or till double in size.

Knead lightly and divide dough into 2 portions.

Preheat oven to 230 °C.

Shape each portion into a long baguette, place on a baking sheet and set aside at dry corner covered loosely for at least 30 minutes or till double in size.

As soon as the baguettes have been slashed, moisten the surface either by painting with a soft brush dipped in cold water or with spray.

Place a bowl of boiling water into the oven (for obtaining light baguettes with crusty brown skin and soft internal).

Alternatively, rapidly brush baguettes surface with cold water or spray after every 3 minutes of baking for 3 times.

Bake baguettes for about 25 minutes or till golden brown and give a hollow sound once is thumped (Remove the water after 15 minutes of baking).

For shining crust, brush baguettes surface lightly with cold water as soon as it fresh out from the oven.

Cinnamon Buns (Sticky Bread)

Ingredients:

Bread:

200 mL lukewarm milk
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp butter (30g) butter
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder

Surface Brushing:

3 tbsp apricot preserves/jam (I use cherry preserves), melted or softened

Glaze:

1/2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp milk

Method:

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk, leave for 8 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar till creamy, pale and glossy.

Add-in yolk and salt, mix to homogeneous mixture.

Pour-in yeast solution, stir to incorporate.

Gradually, add-in flour and combine till soft dough.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured working surface, knead dough till smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

Transfer dough into a lightly oiled container and turn the dough to coat lightly with oil; set aside covered to rise until doubled in volume (about 2 hours).

Lightly grease a 18 cm springform cake pan; set aside.

With oily hand, punch down the dough and leave to rest for another 5 minutes.

With a well-floured rolling pin and working surface, roll out dough flat into about 36 x 18 cm rectangle with the thickness of 0.5 cm.

Spread-on cinnamon-sugar mixture and leaving a 1 cm border.

Roll up dough sheet tightly (like assembly sushi or swiss roll).

Press roll firmly to eliminate internal air trap.

Pinch seams and ends to seal.

Cut dough roll into 8 pieces, transfer to the prepared pan with cut side up and set aside covered to rise till double in volume for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 °C.

Bake cinnamon rolls for 35 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Remove buns from oven, and leave to cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Remove from pan onto wire rack, brush-on apricot preserves and leave to cool completely.

Spread-on glaze mixture.

Cracker/Crispy Thin Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup warm water

1 cup all-purpose flour (Tipo O)
2/3 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
cornmeal for dusting

Basic Toppings (A Must):

1/2 cup tomato puree
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2/3 tsp salt
150 g mozzarella cheese (best serve: hot/warm) or stracchino cheese (can be served at room temperature), shredded

Alternative Toppings:

cheese: mozzarella, stracchino, fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan and/or grana
vegetable/herb: onion, garlic, spinach, mushroom, artichokes, asparagus, eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, corn, peas, olive, rucola, zuccini, capers, oregano and/or chili
poultry: egg and/or cooked chicken
meat: bacon, sausage, ham, salami and/or bresaola
fish: tuna and/or anchovies

Method:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oil, and salt.

Make a hole in the center of flour mixture, pour-in slowly the yeast solution, gradually add-in the remaining water alternate cover-in with the surrounding dry flour.

Knead the mixture from outside-in to form smooth and elastic dough.

Form dough into ball, lightly coat dough ball with olive oil, transfer into a lightly greased large container, let the dough rise covered for at least 24 hours in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

In a bowl, combine tomato puree, oil and salt; set aside.

Punch down the risen dough, form into dough ball again, turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper (28 cm in diameter and so) dusted with plenty of cornmeal.

Flatten the dough, use a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a very thin crust circle (if the dough springs back, let it rest a minute or two, or chill it in the fridge, and continue to work it out again).

Dock dough sheet well with fork or dough docker and bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 4 minutes.

Remove the crust from oven and pop off any large air pockets.

Pour the prepared tomato puree mixture onto the center of the pre-baked crust and spread-out the liquid mixture evenly via spoon (limit the liquid mixture spreading for about 1 inch apart from outer edges).

Arrange-on any favorite toppings (normally up to 4 choices), sprinkle-on cheeses, return pizza into the oven and continue baking for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted with few brown spots (rotate occasionally for an even baking).

Remove pizza from oven, and transfer onto wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Roti Maryam

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
2 cups bread flour (I used 1 cup all purpose flour mixed with 1 cup bread flour)
1 tbsp (15 g) butter
1/2 cup lukewarm water
butter for brushing (about 3 g or more for each roti)
vegetable oil for pan-frying

Method:

In a bowl, beat egg and egg yolk together with salt; set aside.

In a separate bowl, add-in flour and make a hole in center of the flour pile.

Pour-in eggs mixture, gradually covered with side flour and stir to incorporate.

Add-in butter and knead to mix fully.

Gradually, pour-in water, knead to smooth and non-sticky dough.

Lightly coat dough with oil and set aside covered to rest for about 3 hours.

Divide dough into 8 portions.

Over a lightly oiled flat surface, via rolling pin roll out each portions covered with lightly greased plastic to very thin and transparent oval sheets.

Brush-on butter all over on the exposing surface.

Gently, pick-up two ends, twist ends in co-current(opposite) direction into a thin log and form to spiral shape on greased working surface (overlap a bit while spiraling to prevent holey roti).

Covered with lightly greased plastic again and flatted spiral doughs with rolling pin to about 0.2 cm thick.

Carefully, transfer sheeted doughs onto a preheated flat pan (over medium flame)/griddle, pan-fry/grill till both surfaces are golden brown (flip occasionally for even browning).

Remove from griddle/heat, brush-on some butter and best serve with curries.

Cheese Filled Naans

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lukewarm water/milk
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp vegetable oil/butter
1/3 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup butter/ghee for surface brushing

Filling:

50 g cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, leave for 8 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder.

Pour-in yeast solution into flour mixture, stir to mix.

Add-in yogurt, oil and gradually pour-in water while kneading until dough becomes smooth and soft (about 10 minutes).

Transfer dough into a lightly oiled container and turn the dough to coat lightly with oil; set aside covered to rise until doubled in volume (about 1 ½ hours).

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

In a bowl, mix together cheese and salt, divide into 4 portions; set aside.

With oily hand, punch down the dough.

Divide dough into 4 balls (I divided it into 2 portions, yield to very heavy naans, sure cure empty stomachs for quite sometime, hahaha!).

Flatten each dough balls, fill-in 1 portion of cheese mixture into the center, twist together edges to seal and shape up nicely into balls again.

Dust work surface with flour.

With a well-floured rolling pin, roll out dough balls flat into 1/4" thick

Wet both hands with water, transfer filled naans onto a lightly greased baking tray.

Bake naans for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Remove naans from oven and brush each naans with butter/ghee.

Golden Mantou/Baozi/Pau/Buns with Curry Mussel Filling

Ingredients:

Filling:

Dry Curry Mussels

Pastry:

5 tbsp warm water
2/3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dry instant yeast

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp wheat starch
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp water
1/2 tsp baking powder

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water, set aside for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix flour, starch and salt.

Pour-in yeast solution, knead to mix.

Add-in oil and coconut milk, knead to mix again.

Gradually, pour-in water and knead till smooth, soft and elastic dough form.

Transfer dough into a lightly greased container, turn dough to evenly coated with oil, set aside covered to rise till double volume (about 2 hours).

Dissolves baking powder in 1/4 tsp water; set aside.

Punch down the dough, add-in baking powder solution, knead till well-blended.

Roll-up dough into cylinder shape, cut into 8 pieces and shape to balls.

Flatten each piece roundly into 1/2 cm thick, fill-in the prepared filling in the center, twist to seal the top and roll up nicely into balls again.

Place the filled buns on individual parchment papers, cover with kitchen towel or in a covered container and leave to rise for another 20 minutes (not to over rise).

Steam buns covered over high heat for about 15 minutes.

Remove from steamer (best serve warm immediately if prefer soft skin buns).

Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat, deep fry buns till golden brown (turn buns continuously for even browning).

Drain buns on paper towels and set aside to room temperature.

Pandolce Genovese (Genoese Sweet Christmas Bread)

Pandolce Genovese is a Genoese sweet bread, very similar to Panettone Milanese but heavier, denser, not as risen and circular in shape while Panettone is very well-known of it fluffy lightness texture and tall dome in shape, in which it dough raised three times over a twenty-hours period or more. Like Panettone, Pandolce is a traditional Christmas dessert.



















Thanks to Diego and Moreno for this cute Christmas reindeer soft toy that bought from Finland. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp dry instant yeast or 15 g fresh yeast
60 g butter
1 egg (additional 3 egg yolks will soften the bread texture and reduce the dryness)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon zest
2 cups all purpose flour (tipo o)
1/4 cup cake flour
8 tbsp raisin, soaked
4 tbsp diced dried mango (original recipe calls for citron and candied orange)
4 tbsp diced dried plums
20 g pine nuts

Method:

Grease a cake pan (18 cm in diameter) with butter; set aside (for hemisphere shape Pandolce, simply use smaller cake pan or double up the recipe).

Dissolve yeast in warm milk, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar, salt and lemon zest till pale, thick and glossy.

Add-in egg and whisk till completely incorporated.

In another large bowl, mix together flours, make a hole in the center of flours mixture, pour-in slowly the yeast solution, gradually add-in the butter mixture.

Knead the mixture for 10 minutes to form a homogeneous dough.

Add-in raisins, dried mango, dried plums and nuts, gently knead the dough to well-spread the fillers.

Transfer dough to the prepared pan, form dough into circular shape and leave dough at warm corner covered to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 200 °C.

With a knife, make a triangle cut on top of dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven, and set aside to cool completely.

Spicy Fragrant Crostini with Cheese Topping

Ingredients:

2 Italian bread, sliced to 1/4 inch thickness
45 g butter, melted
1 ½ tbsp tomato puree
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/3 tsp salt
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese for topping

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 °C.

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together butter, tomato puree, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper powder and salt.

Stir well to incorporate the ingredients to give a homogeneous batter.

With a spatula, spoon or knife, spread enough batter onto a side of each bread slices.

Line stuffed bread slices onto the prepared tray.

Sprinkle-on cheese and broil in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or till fragrant and toasted.

Remove from oven and ready to serve alone or along with porridge or soup.

Basic Thin Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup warm water

1 cup all-purpose flour (Tipo O)
2/3 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
cornmeal for dusting

Basic Toppings (A Must):

1/2 cup tomato puree
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2/3 tsp salt
150 g mozzarella cheese (best serve: hot/warm) or stracchino cheese (can be served at room temperature), shredded

Choice of Toppings:

cheese: mozzarella, stracchino, fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan and/or grana
vegetable/herb: onion, garlic, spinach, mushroom, artichokes, asparagus, eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, corn, peas, olive, rucola, zuccini, capers, oregano and/or chili
poultry: egg and/or cooked chicken
meat: bacon, sausage, ham, salami and/or bresaola
fish: tuna and/or anchovies

Method:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oil, and salt.

Make a hole in the center of flour mixture, pour-in slowly the yeast solution, gradually add-in the remaining water alternate cover-in with the surrounding dry flour.

Knead the mixture from outside-in to form smooth and elastic dough.

Leave dough at warm corner covered to rise for 1 1/2 hours or till double in size.

Grease a pan (28 cm in diameter) with extra virgin olive oil ; set aside.

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

In a bowl, combine tomato puree, oil and salt; set aside.

Punch down the risen dough, form into dough ball, turn the dough out onto a large working surface dusted with plenty of cornmeal.

Flatten the dough, hold it vertically at one edge and rotate, allowing gravity to stretch it, lay the stretched pizza base onto the prepared pan, press the dough outward very thin from the center to form large pizza base circle, sprinkle-on cornmeal all the way around the edge (if desired, fold-in about 1/2 inch of all side dough and pinch it up to yield a raised or rim before sprinkling-on cornmeal).

Alternatively, use a floured rolling pin and roll out the dough into thin crust circle (if the dough springs back, let it rest a minute or two, or chill it in the fridge, and continue to work it out again) before laying onto the prepared pan.

Pour the tomato puree mixture onto the center of the prepared pizza crust, spread-out the liquid mixture evenly via spoon (limit the liquid mixture spreading for about 1 inch apart from outer edge).

Arrange-on the favorite toppings (normally up to 4 choices).

Bake pizza on the lowest oven rack in a preheated hot oven.

Occasionally, check the underneath of pizza by lifting up the crust, rotate it during halfway baking for an even cooking (If the bottom is still pale while the top seems almost done, turn the oven temperature down and leave the pizza in longer).

Once the crust is lightly browned (about 8 minutes), sprinkle-on cheeses, continue bake the pizza for an additional 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and start to be bubbly.

Remove pizza from oven, and slide out onto wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Sweet Buns with Feta Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
30 mL warm water

2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup (7 tbsp) sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk powder (optional if using milk)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp bread improver (optional)

80 mL milk/water
45 g (3 tbsp) butter

8 slices feta cheese, crushed individually
extra butter for surface brushing

Method:

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water, leave for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, egg, salt, milk powder, cocoa powder and bread improver.

Pour yeast solution into the flours mixture.

Gradually pour-in milk and knead to form smooth and soft dough.

Knead-in butter till soft and elastic dough.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces.

On floured hands, flatten dough ball with two palms, fill-in a crushed feta cheese in center, twist all edges together to completely seal and roll this filled dough into smooth ball.

Place the filled buns on parchment paper and leave to rise till double in size covered for about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the proved filled buns together with parchment paper onto a baking tray and bake buns in preheated oven at 180 °C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove buns from oven, brush buns' exposure surface immediately with melted butter.

Chapati (Indian Roti)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (extra flour for coating and rolling)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
120 mL water
oil for coating

Method:

In a bowl, mix flour and salt.

Gradually pour-in water, knead till smooth dough (the more it is kneaded, the lighter the bread will be).

Lightly oil both hand palms, form dough into ball, set aside for an hour or more (if left overnight, the chapatis will be lighter and tender; wrap dough with plastic wrap for that).

Flours working surface and rolling pin.

Lightly oil both hand palms, knead dough again for another 2 minutes.

Shape dough into smaller ball about the size of 3 cm in diameter (the size depends on the size of griddle and personal preference) .

Flatten dough ball with hand palms, pick another smaller piece of dough, coat all surface with oil, place it into the center of flattened dough, wrap-up to seal, reform to ball again, repeat the filling and shaping steps for the remaining dough.

Heat-on griddle or high heat resistance frying pan till very hot.

Flatten dough balls with hand palms, smear dough around with flour to coat.

Plate on floured working surface, roll out dough to a circular shape with the thickness of about 2 mm.

Flip thin chapati around both hand palms for few times and lastly flip it on griddle.

Cooks chapati till proof-up small air-trapped bubbles, lightly spread-on some oil or ghee on both sides with spoon.

Flip chapati around continuously till brown spots formed at both sides (occasionally press lightly for a second interval around the surface of chapati with kitchen towel to encourage bubbles to form and thus yield lighter chapati; punch-down large air-trapped bubbles with spoon for even griddling).

Serve immediately with butter or dry curries.

Yield 12 chapati with 12 cm in diameter.

Focaccia Cipolle (Onion Topping Flatbread)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast (or 15 g fresh yeast)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water

Topping:

4 yellow onion, sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt for sprinkling
1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

Method:

In a heavy non-stick pan, heat 6 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir-fry till sweet and golden yellow (about 12 minutes). Let cool to room temperature.

Dissolve yeast and salt in 1/4 water, leave for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oil and salt.

Pour yeast solution into the center of the flour mixture, mix-well and gradually pour-in the remaining water to form dough.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough until becomes smooth and soft (about 8-10 minutes).

Transfer dough into a lightly oiled container, turn the dough to coat lightly with oil, cover and leave aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1.5 hours).

Lightly grease an 8 inch pan.

Place dough in the prepared pan and gently stretch it toward edges from center to achieve an even thickness.

Cover with kitchen towel and let rise till almost double in bulk, soft and puffy (about 45 minutes).

Preheat oven to 240 °C.

Using fingertips, dimple the dough evenly to leave indentations for about 1/2 inch deep.

Cover dough with towel and let to rise again for another 20 minutes.

Arrange cooked onion evenly over the risen dough, drizzle the top with olive oil.

Bake focaccia in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or till golden yellow.

Remove from oven, transfer the pan to a rack and let stand till the focaccia is barely warm (about 10 minutes) before cut to serve.

Espresso Soft Loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
2 cups bread flour (Manitoba Tipo O)
1 egg
1/4 cup espresso
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup butter for surface brushing
Cornmeal for topping (optional)

Egg Glaze:

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Dissolve yeast in milk, leave for few minutes.

In a large bowl, mix flour, egg, espresso, sugar and salt.

Pour yeast solution into flour mixture and mix to form dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, knead to form smooth and soft dough (about 5 minutes).

Add-in butter and knead again until dough is soft and elastic (about 15 minutes).

Transfer dough into a container, cover and leave to rise till double in size (about 1 hour).

Punch down the dough and shape accordingly.

Place dough into a lightly greased loaf pan, leave to proof for another 1 hour or until double in volume again.

Brush loaf surface with egg glaze and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Bake loaf in preheated oven at 190 °C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove loaf from oven, unmould immediately and brush loaf with butter.

Let cool completely.

Naan Breads

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp oil
2 1/2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter/ghee for surface brushing

Method:

Dissolve yeast in water, leave for few minutes.

In a large bowl, mix flour, oil, yogurt, sugar, salt and baking soda.

Pour yeast solution into flour mixture to form dough.

Knead dough until becomes smooth and soft (about 5 minutes).

Transfer dough into a lightly oiled container and turn the dough to coat lightly with oil.

Flatten the dough and leave covered to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (about 3-4 hours).

Preheat oven to 250 °C.

With oily hand, divide dough into 8 balls.

Dust work surface with flour, roll each balls out into 1/4" thick.

Wet both hands with water, flips the individual doughs among two hands few times and transfer onto a baking tray.

Bake naans for 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove naans from oven and brush each naans with butter/ghee.

Cool on a wire rack.

Chinese Steamed Filled Buns

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 cup pork (not too lean), finely chopped
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper

Pastry:

1/2 cup warm water
3.5 g active dry yeast
2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3/4 tsp salt

Method:

Filling:

In a bowl, mix pork and onion.

Add-in the rest of ingredients and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

In a wok or non-stick pan, stir-fry the mixture till cooked through, set aside.

Pastry:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

Stir-in half cup of flour, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

In a wok or non-stick pan, mix sugar, oil and 1/4 cup water, bring to boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from heat, leave to cool and mix with yeast dough.

Add-in the remaining flour, knead till soft and smooth.

Lightly greased a container, place-in the dough, cover and let rise till doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).

Punch down the dough, knead again for another 2 minutes.

Roll-up dough into cylinder shape, cut and roll into 12 balls.

Flatten each piece roundly into 1/2 cm thick, fill-in the prepared filling in the center, twist to seal the top.

Place the filled buns on parchment paper, cover with kitchen towel and leave to rise till doubled in size.

Steam buns covered over high heat for about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve hot.