CHICKY BUNS

I had intended to make Chicky Buns yesterday but life threw a passion fruit seed at me. It hit me hard. 

Still, the pain didn’t stop me from putting together the chicken filling last evening. I also prepared an Old Dough and left it to ferment overnight in the fridge. 

Today, after lunch, I mixed and kneaded the dough.  Then I attended an hour of Pilates.

When I got back about 90 minutes later the dough had finished its first proof.  It was wise use of my time.

*****

Makes 7 (after holding back 115 grams of dough to act as starter for my next batch of bread) 

Bread dough: 17 grams caster sugar, 1 packet (5 grams) Shirakami Kodama Koubo, 5 grams salt, 250 grams Reve de Lapin flour, 30 grams low fat milk, 160 grams water, 10 grams butter (softened), 115 grams Starter 

Pâte fermentée (old dough): 125 grams bread flour, 75 grams water, 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Placed in a lightly oiled plastic bag to rest overnight in the fridge 

Brine for the chicken thighs: 150ml apple cider, 300ml water, 20 grams salt 

Marinated for 5 hours 

Filling: 2 (should’ve bought 3) boneless chicken thighs (roasted and diced), 1 tablespoon dried cranberries, shredded cheese 

Topping: milk, dried rosemary 

Proofing: 90 minutes + 15 minutes + 75 minutes 

Baking: 200 degrees C, middle rack, 17 min

K.O.

Lost a perfectly good tooth to a darn passion fruit seed. Every Dental Health Association around the world should issue an official warning about the danger of the passion fruit seed. 

Had the day all planned out - go to the wet market, come home to prepare a Starter for my bread, go to the gym, lunch with my mother, then spend the afternoon making bread. Didn't happen.  Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. In my case, it is a passion fruit seed. 

Didn't see that one coming. 

#passionfruitphobia #passionfruitissoevil

ALL ZEST UP TUNA BUNS

Made it to the gym at 6:30am thrice in 6 days. Feeling super good about myself.

Today is Deepavali holiday.  I made Tuna Buns.  Spiking the tuna with lime zest and chilli flakes was a real brainwave!

On a trip to Taipei in September, I managed to lay my hands on a pack of Hokkaido bread flour named “The bunny that loves to dream” (爱作梦的小兔子). It came with a recipe. 

I don’t read Japanese so I asked the very nice Aiko from our Tokyo office to translate the names of the ingredients for me. If you're interested, here is what she came back with: 

17 grams sugar
3 grams dried yeast
5 grams salt
6 grams skimmed milk (I’m assuming it’s milk powder)
250 grams flour
180 grams water
10 grams butter, softened

A staff in Champion Hands recommended an instant yeast - Shirakami Kodama Koubo (白神酵母) - suitable for bread machine dough. She suggested 1 packet (5 grams) of said Koubo (yeast) for every 250 grams of flour. 

I kneaded my bread dough by hand using the technique which I learnt at Brettschneider's.

*****

Makes 6

Bread dough: 17 grams caster sugar, 1 packet (5 grams) Shirakami Kodama yeast, 5 grams salt, 250 grams Reve de Lapin flour, 45 grams low fat milk, 135 grams water, 10 grams butter (softened)

Filling: 2 x 150 grams tuna flakes in sunflower oil, 1 small red onion (finely chopped), 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, a pinch of sea salt

Topping: shredded cheese, dried Italian herbs

Proofing: 60 minutes + 15 minutes + 60 minutes

Baking: 200 degrees C, middle rack, 17 minutes