Assorted mini buns, using milk roux method

Cranberry cream cheese buns in sentry position

3 little pigs go to sea ; pork floss and seaweed

Coconut bun flanked by cranberry cream cheese buns on both sides

Cashew nuts on peanut buns dropped off , making it indistinguishable from red bean buns, had it not been for the seseame seeds at close range.

Singaporeans love choices. This is evident by the very long outside 4-leaves bakery in Bishan's Junction 8 food basement. When 3  different mini buns goes for  less than $2, what's not to like. Queuing is a fixed 'overhead' to these customers, and one might as well load as many as the tray can hold to make the waiting worth the while.

I bulked at the snaking queue and after enough 'tsk-tsk', knew what my immediate task will be. My own mini buns, as small as my fat fingers can handle, will satiate my hunger for bread. The very thought that I can consume my new packet of pork floss was enough to fire my zeal.

On a side note, creating something edible for the family is a tremendously enjoyable and satisfying process. When the bread craze grips me so much that it takes precedence over my morning runs, I am very motivated to clock my personal best so as to be ready after the first fermentation. Experience dictates that a walk in the park will result in monster dough overflowing from my bread machine.

With these personal indulgences made possible , I conclude I am a very, very lucky woman indeed.

18 mini buns invaded the living room

Ingredients :

350g Bread Flour

6g Instant Dry Yeast

50g caster sugar

1/4 Teaspoon salt

1 Egg, lightly beaten

120g milk roux, room temperature

125ml low fat milk

30g heavy whipped cream

20g milk powder

Milk roux :

20g bread flour

105g low fat milk

Lots of steel cut rolled oats for dusting

Mini buns combo :

( Chill the semi solid ingredients for easy handling )

3 portions of pork floss + 3 nori / seaweed squares

3 portions of red bean paste ( chilled ) + 3 portions of toasted sesame seeds

3 portions of cranberry + 3 portions of cream cheese ( chilled )

3 portions of peanut butter + 3 cashew nuts, crushed

3 portions chocolate chips + 3 toasted walnuts, crushed

3 portions desiccated coconut mixed with kaya

Choices,choices,choices!

Note : each portion is about half a thumb sized to be encased / rolled in the bun.

Method :

Whisk flour into milk and cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture reaches 65C.

The mixture gelatinizes at this stage and you should be able to be streaky lines made by the whisk.

Remove the roux from the heat and cover to prevent skinning.

Bread :

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients : flour, salt, yeast, sugar

In a separate bowl, combine milk, cream and egg. Pour in the milk roux and combine well.

Now add the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. I use a bread machine for this job, 'dough mode'.

Leave the dough in a well oiled container, covered to rise for at least  1 - 1.5 hours, until it doubles in bulk.

( at this point, I went for a 5 km jog knowing pretty well how many buns I will be 'taste testing' later.  I made it back just before the first fermentation - dough cycle  is completed. Whew ! )

Proportions :

On a worktop dusted with rolled oats, divide the dough into 18 portions, 40g each.

Work the dough according to the first in , first out system. This allows you to work on the dough that is most 'rested'  while you measure off the later buns.

Shaping :

Stretch each little dough mound into a 'tongue shape'. Roll into a tight roll - twice. You may need a little rolling pin to help you along , since the 'footprint' of the dough is very small.

At this juncture, preheat oven to 180C.

Assembly of assorted buns ( Make 18 mini buns with 6 different flavors )

Pork floss and seaweed nori :

Roll mini dough out into a 'tongue'.

Sprinkle the dough tongue with floss. Roll up to encase the ingredients.

Place bun, seam side down.

Paste nori on bun surface.

Coconut :

Roll mini dough out into a 'tongue'.

Spread the dough with  coconut kaya mix. Roll up to encase the ingredients.

Place bun, seam side down.

Use a pair of scissors and made 3 mini cuts to reveal the coconut.

Chocolate and walnut :

Roll mini dough out into a 'tongue'.

Sprinkle the dough tongue  walnut and chocolate. Roll up to encase the ingredients.

Place bun, seam side down.

Stud bun surface with some chocolate.

Cranberry + cream cheese bun :

Flatten mini dough into a disc.

Spread the dough with  cream cheese.

Encase the ingredients and seal dough.

Place bun, seam side down.

Stud cranberry on bun surface.

Peanut butter and cashew :

Flatten  mini dough out into a disc.

Spread the dough with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter.

Encase peanut butter  and seal dough.

Place bun, seam side down.  Roll slightly to enlongate the dough.

Push  a split cashew nut onto  bun surface.

Red bean and sesame seeds :

Flatten roll to a disc.

Encase red bean paste and seal dough.

Place  bun, seam side down.

Roll bun in sesame seeds.

Mist spray  the batch of buns that is ready first, with milk or water.

Bake  at 170C for 15 minutes. No proofing is required.

Cool on a rack completely before keeping.

Mini buns are big in this household. Cross section of peanut butter bun

Almond, cranberry and pineapple sourdough

My sourdough has been used for savory sandwiches so often that it is in the danger of being  stereotyped . Since my starter dough is  like a tamaguchi which  needs its weekly feed, I thought it would be a good opportunity to use any leftovers for a breakfast edition.

Against 'tradition', the fruity sourdough even pairs  well with cream cheese and smoked salmon so much so that I am expecting an encore baking in the not too distant future.

Back to the tamaguchi starter : I brought the starter, hibernating in the fridge, back  to room temperature by leaving it on the counter overnight, then fed it 1 part sour,2 parts cold water and 3 parts bread flour.

200 g of this refreshed starter I put it back to the fridge immediately  and the rest was left  to ferment overnight on the counter top, covered. Yes, you counted right - that's 2 nights in a row, even before the sourdough is baked. This fermented portion, which is a good 175 g, was part of the component of the fruity bread, originally meant for breakfast.

I used candied pineapple, which is what I have at hand. If some zing is what you prefer, used orange peel instead.

Makes 1 big loaf of fruity bread

296 g water ,room temperature

175 g Starter sour, feed and fermenting at room temperature

3 g malt sugar

306 g bread flour

135 g whole wheat

12 g salt

96 g chopped almonds

58 g cranberries

120 g chopped candied pineapple

2 T whole wheat flour, for tossing

In bowl A, mix bread and whole wheat flour.

In bowl B, toss  fruits and nuts with 2 T of whole wheat flour to prevent sticking.

In a mixing bowl, break up sour starter in water and malt sugar  with  a whisk.

Add flour and mix until water and flour is combined. Rest 15 minutes.

Add salt into dough. Mix until the dough is elastic, about 5 minutes.

Add nuts-fruits and mix for 1 minute, until condiments are well distributed in the dough.

Let dough ferment on a floured container for 60 minutes or until dough springs back halfway when poked.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch dough and fold in thirds, as like a letter. Let it rest for another 60 minutes.

Grease and flour a big bread container. Transfer dough to the container and let it ferment until double in size, covered. For maximum flavor, leave  it to ferment in the fridge overnight, covered.

If it was chilled overnight, bring dough to room temperature, 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 250 C, with a  tray of water under a baking rack.

Mist spray the dough while the oven is preheating.

Just before baking, score the surface of the dough with a very sharp knife and mist spray one last time.

Transfer dough with the container into the oven and adjust the temperature to 230 C. bake for 30 minutes.

Remove bread from the container and cool on a cooling rack before slicing. Great for breakfast or with savory smoked salmon or smoked meats.

Inspired by 'Artisan Breads' by Eric W Kastel