Buns

We learned to make bread from scratch last week and this week, we used the bread machine to make buns. It’s so much easier. Chef Wai taught us the rolling, folding, twisting and cutting dough techniques. He’s so fast! I wasn’t able to capture any photos of the techniques. Anyway, there are various ways of doing it depending on how you want the shape of your buns to be. All of us made 4 buns each; coconut bun, sausage bun, mayonnaise bun and mexico bun. Let me show you what I’ve made.

This is my coconut bun. The shape is not suppose to be like this. I have cut it at the wrong side but I still find it cute. Haha.

It’s suppose to be like this (Cher Wai’s version)

My good-try-cutting-and-twisting sausage bun. I only managed to make 4 holes instead of 6 and the sausage sank inward.

Chef Wai’s where the sausage is evenly divided.

Now, this is my mayonnaise bun. I’ve rolled the dough to long and as a result…

Chef Wai’s version again. Look more presentable and appetizing.

Lastly, our perfect Mexico bun! Haha.

Roasting

Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat. This is another healthy cooking method apart from steaming because it requires very little oil. Slow roasting (200 degrees C) is the best to retain the moisture and the tenderness of the meat. During roasting, meats and vegetables are usually covered with butter or oil to reduce the loss of moisture by evaporation.

French roast chicken with roasted squash & potatoes

Tandoori chicken

Chinese roast chicken

Salad

Chinese Roast Chicken Recipe

1 chicken drumstick

1 tsp 5-spice-powder

1/2 tsp sugar

A pinch of salt

Method

1. Wash chicken drumstick.

2. Pat dry with kitchen towel.

3. Make a few slits on the chicken surface.

4. Marinate it with 5-spice-powder, sugar and salt.

5. Leave it over night in the fridge.

6. Place aluminum foil on a tray and put chicken on the aluminum foil.

7. Roast at 200 degrees C for 25 minutes.

*The time varies depending on the size of the meat.

Mini Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are made from choux pastry recipe. It is easy to make and it does not require a lot of tools. My mini cream puffs are really mini. I expected it to be slightly bigger but anyway, minis are cute, aren’t they? Just one bite and it’s gone. Haha. I am glad Papa likes it. I will try to make bigger ones next time and perhaps with different flavours too.

My one-bite-size cream puff

Custard filling

We Love Pastries

Bread

I like bread. It’s my staple food instead of rice. Years back, Mommy used to make bread at home but I wasn’t interested in it. I knew she put all the ingredients into the bread maker and after a while, it formed a dough. Then we have to wait for the dough to prove. It makes me feel that making bread is complicated.

Anyway, I was indeed grateful that Bruce thought us how to make white loaf and wholemeal bread today. We did everything with our bare hands and frankly, it was a tedious job! Kneading is the hard part in making bread. A good judgement is required to know when dough is sufficiently kneaded. That is why a bread maker comes in handy if you like making bread.

Wholemeal & Cheese Buns

White loaf

Wholemeal bread

Sirloin Steak With Mushroom Sauce

Sirloin steak with mushroom sauce

Puff Pastry Variations

From the basic puff pastry recipe, you can make chicken pie, curry puffs, matchsticks, cream horn, custard slice and many more depending on your creativity.

Chicken pie

Mini chicken pie

Cream horn

Curry puff

Custard slice

The custard filling is too watery

Matchsticks

Chicken Chop and Boxing Chicken

Today’s lesson is about deep-fat-frying. We had chicken chop with mashed potato and salad and boxing chicken. It was good but a little bit too saltish.

Chicken Chop

Boxing Chicken

Grape Tarts and Ginger Cookies

Baking at home is fun. You get to experience doing everything on your own and this is where you learn. Before I entered culinary school, I was quite afraid to bake because whenever I attempt to do something, the thing ruins either in the midst or at the end result. But for now, I guess no matter what the outcome is, I just want to continue doing it till I achieve it. Patience is the key to success and never ever give up!

This week, I made ginger cookies and fruit tart. I was keen in making egg tart actually but I ended up with grape tarts coz I saw some leftover grapes in the fridge. And seriously, the ginger cookies are made from a ginger cake recipe but I don’t know why it’s crispy and it’s more like a cookie. So, I might as well call them cookies. Haha.

Grape tarts

Ginger cookies

Crispy texture

Guess Who?