Raya Reunion & Orange Rolls

Hellooo all!

I trust you've all had a decent raya, if not a blastful one. Mine was so-so, the usual. Balik kampung hubby, then meredah traffic jam balik my kampung pulak. Perjalanan yang biasanya mengambil masa 4 jam, dah jadi 8 jam! And that was still ok compared to last year, 10 jam. So, can't complain there.

I don't have many raya tales to tell cause you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun. Tak sempat pun nak document dalam kepala otak kejadian2 sepanjang cuti raya kali ni. And quite frankly, malas nak perah otak mem-flaskback kejadian yang dah hampir 2 minggu berlalu.

So, right now, right at this very moment, saya baru saja selesai memasak juadah berbuka puasa untuk Mr. Hubby yang sedang berpuasa sunat. Sepatutnya nak keluar sekejap lagi ni ambil kereta kat workshop, but he's showering, so sementara menunggu.... here I am.

Most recent "happening" event post raya was yesterday's supposedly mini-reunion among kawan2 "Maresem" saya. Apa yg asalnya cuma perancangan spontan nak berjumpa dengan kawan2 yang based overseas tetapi sedang bercuti di tanahair, akhirnya menjadi event ala2 jom heboh. Asalnya nak gathering kecil2an saja, memandangkan hari yang dipilih adalah hari bekerja. Venue pun asalnya nak jumpa di IOI City mall je pun. Tapi bila makin ramai plak yang boleh attend, maka venue berubah ke rumah kawan yang sudi pinjamkan ruang. Long story short, akhirnya berapa ramai yang datang? 43-46 orang! I lost count sebab ada yang kensel last minit.

There were lots of picture takings, asyik bergambaaarr je makcik2 ni. Unlike many of them, saya ni sebenarnya agak camera-shy so tidaklah saya ke hulu, ke hilir bergambar. Saya cuma selit2 je dalam gambar2 diorang pastu suruh diorang share kat whatsapp hahaha! Senang cerita.

Here are what we looked like on said night.

Can you spot me?

These are only 3 out of many. Cukup lah upload 3 ni je sebab gambar2 lain pun lebih-kurang sama je orang dan pose nya. Pi mai, pi mai tang tu. Yang penting, we got to meet up, catch up and reminisce old times. Memang riuh-rendah rumah dengan gurau-senda dan hilai-tawa all these beautiful and bubbly ladies. Selesai majlis, I went home smiling.

Oh by the way, just nak selitkan jugak buah tangan yang saya bawa ke majlis tersebut. I made some orange rolls yang tersangat lah sedap kejadiannya (Maaf, angkat bakul pulak). Buat 2 talam dan ada lah lebih sikit dalam 1 loyang kecil. Saya cuma tinggalkan yg loyang kecil tu je di rumah, selebihnya bawa ke majlis. Masa tengah sibuk2 bersosial, Mr. Hubby yang baru lepas berbuka sms....

Ahahahah! Very the kembang mokcik membaca sms Mr. Hubby. Comel jer cara dia merujuk kepada orange rolls tu sebagai "kuih" hehehe....

Alhamdulillah, kawan2 pun ramai yg cakap sedap dan ramai juga dapat merasa. Bawa 2 talam, tinggal sedikit je lagi untuk tuan rumah pulak nak makan. InsyaAllah, akan saya share resepinya di sini di posting yang akan datang ye. Kalau nak tengok cemana ghopenye... ni ha...

Nampak menyelerakan, bukan?

That's all for now, folks. Until next posting ye... take care.

Rosak program! Burnt and broken.

I've been down with a cold these past few days. Badan sengal-sengal, tekak sakit, kepala pening dan terasa berat and generally, was just feeling miserable. Asyik baring je macam takde tulang belakang. Tapi bila difikir-fikirkan balik, di situlah hikmahnya. Agaknya Allah nak suruh I berehat maka didatangkan demam2 manja gitu. Pegi klinik doc bagi ubat selsema yang mengantuk, so memang tidur je lah sepanjang 2-3 hari ni. Bila dah terlantar macam tu amat terasa nikmat berehat. Dan hikmahnya lagi, bila sakit I dapat berehat tanpa gangguan. En. Suami siap pesan anak-anak jangan kacau mama. Kalau masuk bilik masa I tengah rehat pun senyap-senyap je. Alhamdulillah... kalau tengah sehat memang payah nak dapat masa berehat yang disturbance-free.

Hari ni, walaupun belum 100% recovered, tapi gagahkan juga ke dapur memasak sebab kesian tengok hamba-hamba Allah dalam rumah ni makan tak menentu hahaha! Harap bibik, bibik tau goreng ikan, goreng ayam, goreng telur... semua yang goreng-goreng je lah! Makan lah dengan kicap. I'm pretty sure after 2 days, tekak pun dah takleh nak telan nasi dengan kicap je kan?

I tak taulah pasaipa depa takleh nak kreatif sikit order delivery food panda ke, mr. kabab ke... haish! Semua mama yang kena initiate. Makanya hari ni terisi lah sikit meja makan waktu tengahari tadi dengan lauk-pauk... 3 mata je pun! But still better than telur goreng dengan kicap kan? Kan?

Actually, this post is not about my being sick. Tapi tah cemana termelalut ke situ pulak.

This post is about my oven breaking down.

Petang tadi dengan semangat yang tinggi, I buat sausage rolls sebab tangan macam dah gatal nak menguli tepung. Not my first time making bread dough, but definitely my first time making sausage rolls. Perhhh! Syok rupanya menguli tepung buat panjang-panjang pastu lilit kat daging sosej tu, baru I tau. I find it so therapeutic. No wonder lah some people can't seem to get enough of baking buns and rolls. Ala-ala macam main play-doh. In fact, that was what my 4-year-old daughter said when she saw me gigih menguli tadi. Macam play-doh katanya, disusuli dengan "can I try?". Haaaa.... to this, I replied, "next time lah ye, mama nak cepat." Ye, mama nak cepat-cepat sebab mama tak sabar nak sumbat rolls masuk oven and see them turn into delectable, golden-brown, heavenly looking and mouthwatering rolls.

Dan seperti kebanyakan resam kehidupan, fantasi tak sama dengan realiti.... *kesat airmata dengan hujung lengan baju*

My oven has gone awry.

Tak pernah dibuat sebelum ni baking tak sekata macam ni. Tambah pulak I pakai convection mode, which should ensure even baking.

Tanjat gegurl bila tengok some of my babies turned out burnt, and some undercooked.

Still, it didn't click that there was something wrong with my oven. Maklum, oven baru pakai setahun, tu pun taklah sekerap mana pun I mem-baking.

Mula perasan ada yang tak kena bila I dah turned off all the knobs to zero but 20 minutes later, the oven was still hot and I could still hear the internal fan buzzing.

Camna nak off lagi dah ni? Semua dah off? 

Akhirnya, matikan je lah suis.

After all that, I terus naik atas cari balik warranty card, service center number yada yada yada.

Besok nak call service center. Nak tunggu diorang datang tu mahu makan seminggu dua gak tu, then tunggu repair plak. Entah berapa lama I would have to put off baking. Dah la mood tengah membuak-buak ni... spoil betul!

Yang paling frust, I wanted to make some orange rolls for my friends untuk usrah bulanan kami besok. Last month I bawa cinnamon rolls, they loved them. So this time ingat nak bawak orange rolls pulak, with extra glaze on top. Unfortunately, that is not to be.

Welp! There is a reason for every thing, I guess. Maybe I still need more rest hehehe...

Apa-apa pun, bila turun semula ke bawah, hari berbunga-bunga bila tengok anak-anak chowing down the sausage rolls like there's no tomorrow. More than half of the whole batch gone in less than half an hour!

That's victory in my book.

Life's gooooood....

Cinnamon rolls untuk sahabat

Salam dan selamat hari minggu uols...

It's been awhile since I baked anything. Rasanya sessi terakhir mem-baking was last week, buat bread pudding. And orange cake 3 hari sebelum tu. Okay lah, that wasn't too long ek? Tapi rasa macam lamaaa dah tak bake... gian nak bake lagi hahaha!

Kebetulan semalam sessi usrah bulanan geng2 "maresem" I so I had a very good reason to bake. Usrah pukul 10 pagi, pukul 8 pagi akak baru terhegeh-hegeh nak keluarkan bahan2 sambil berdoa mintak-mintaklah semua bahan cukup untuk buat cinnamon rolls ekekeke! Alhamdulillah, cukup pun. Dalam pada tu, cuak jugak dalam hati, sempat ke nak siap ni memandangkan meroti ni kena tunggu dough naik paling tidak sejam.

Apa-apa pun I redah je lah. Kalau lambat siap, lambatlah I pegi usrah. Venue usrah pun tak jauh, tak sampai 10 minit dari rumah so okay lah tu. Alang-alang dah niat dari semalam nak bagi kawan-kawan merasa cinnamon rolls I yang terulung (yes, my first time!) so I teruskan je lah.

I used my thermomix to prepare the dough sebab menguli dengan thermomix ni bukan saja cepat, tapi senang. Kau humban je semua bahan dalam balang dia, tekan function uli roti, pandai lah dia uli cukup dengan suhu yang ideal untuk adunan yang mengandungi yis. It took me all of 5-7 minutes, dah siap dough.

Disebabkan kesuntukan masa, untuk first rise, I cuma rehatkan dough 15 minit je heeee jangan marah. Then terus canai, letak brown sugar, serbuk kayu manis, gedebuk-gedebak tau-tau dah masuk tray. I rehatkan dough kali kedua ni selama 45 minit.

Dah naik elok, ready nak masuk oven.

I pakai convection oven. Alaahh oven yang ada kipas tu lah. Best oven ni sebab pemanasannya rata dan sekata jadi kek atau roti pun cantik je masaknya. Takde lah hitam sebelah macam oven I yang lama dulu huhuhu... whereby nak elakkan hitam sebelah ni I terpaksa pusingkan tray halfway through cooking time. Ketibas I tau nak mengalih tray dalam oven panas membahang tu! With convection over, tak perlu dah buat semua tu.

Sayugia diingatkan di sini (haaa BM akak...) bahawa kalau pakai convection oven, silalah turunkan suhu dan masa memasak ye. Kalau resepi kata 180ºC, kita cuma set 170-165ºC saja. Dan pendekkan juga waktu memasak. I almost burnt my rolls sebab I set timer 25minit ikut resepi lepas tu dengan keyakinan tinggi terus pegi mandi, bersiap-siap bagai. Nasib baik tergerak nak check at 20min, dah masak rupanya. Itu pun I rasa macam ter-overcook sikit.

Ni ha ghopenye selepas keluar dari oven....

Untuk glaze, instead of using milk and water, I pakai jus oren yang fresh. Jus dari sebiji oren dah cukup untuk secawan gula icing. I buat sikit je glaze sebab tak mau manis sangat. Maklum, yang nak makan tu nanti semua mokcik-mokcik belaka, kena jaga sugar intake memasing kan? But, if you like it extra sweet, simbahlah sebanyak mana glaze korang suka ye?

Senang je buat glaze, gula icing secawan dicampur dengan orange juice. Kacau lah sampai tahap kepekatan yang korang uol suka. I buat cair/nipis je but honestly, kalau buat pekat sikit lagi best. Nanti bila dia sejuk, glaze tu macam berkerak-kerak kat atas rolls tu... yums!

Ini lah hasilnya my cinnamon rolls yang siap dalam masa 1 jam 40 minit.

Nampak sedap kan? Memang sedap! The orange glaze definitely adds the extra oomph. Lain kali kalau ada potluck, this would be my first choice to make.

Bagi yang membaca posting ni semata-mata kerana nak resepi, terima kasih lah kerana sudi membaca mukadimah yang panjang ni sebelum sampai ke resepi. Anda sesungguhnya seorang yang penyabar. I lebiu.

Silakan hadam resepi di bawah:

Resepi asal I ambil di sini. Di bawah ni resepi yang telah di alih bahasa dan di ubah suai mengikut apa yang I buat semalam.

Bahan-bahan

Doh
• 2 1/2 - 3 cawan tepung gandum
• 3 sudu besar gula halus
• 1 sudu teh garam
• 1 bungkus yis mauripan (11g)
• 1/2 cawan air
• 1/4 cawan susu
• 3 sudu besar mentega (lembut, bukan cair)
• 1 biji telur gred A, dipukul sedikit sahaja
Inti
• 3 sudu besar mentega (lembut, bukan cair)
• 4 - 5 sudu besar serbuk kayu manis (sesuaikan ikut selera)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cawan gula perang (soft brown sugar)
Aising/Glaze
• 1 cawan gula aising
• Just dari sebiji oren navel/sunkist

Cara:

Doh
1. *Satukan susu, air dan mentega dan panaskan sedikit sahaja sehingga suam.
2. *Masukkan gula dan yis. Biarkan seketika sehingga yis berbuih.
3. Dalam mangkuk mixer, masukkan adunan yis tadi bersama telur. Kacau sedikit sehingga rata.
4. **Gunakan "dough hook", masukkan 2 setengah cawan tepung dahulu dan uli beberapa minit. Masukkan lebihan tepung sedikit demi sedikit sambil perhatikan konsistensi adunan. Adunan mesti tidak terlalu kering, sedikit melekit.
5. Rehatkan adunan di dalam mangkuk yang dilengser sedikit minyak dan ditutup selama 15 minit.
6. Taburkan sedikit tepung di atas ruang mencanai dan rolling pin agar doh tidak melekat. Canai doh menjadi segiempat tepat selebar lebih kurang 15inci dan setebal lebih-kurang dari 1cm. Kalau nak roll tu bergulung-gulung banyak lapis, canai nipis lagi doh tersebut. Doh akan jadi lebih panjang, tapi kekalkan lebar 15inci.
7. Sapu mentega di atas permukaan doh yang telah dicanai menggunakan pastry brush (or jari, whatever works for you).
8. Taburkan gula perang dan serbuk kayu manis. Ratakan pelan-pelan dengan spatula.
9. Mulakan menggulung dari atas, gulung ke arah anda. Gulung agak-agak padat ye, jangan longgar sangat.
10. Potong gulungan tadi kepada 12 bahagian menggunakan benang atau dental floss. Boleh je pakai pisau atau dough cutter tapi nanti doh tu penyek sikit lah dan kemungkinan isinya akan terkeluar. Hati-hati ye.
11. Susun atas talam berukuran 9x13 inci. Pastikan talam dilengser sedikit mentega dulu.
12. Rehatkan selama 45min hingga sejam.
13. 15 minit sebelum bakar, panaskan dulu oven pada suhu 180ºC dan bakar selama 25 minit. Untuk oven yang ada kipas (convection oven), turunkan suhu kepada 170ºC dan bakar 18-20 minit sahaja.

Apabila sejuk/suam, bolehlah di hias dengan glaze oren.

Nota:

*Boleh abaikan step ni kalau anda yakin yis yang akan digunakan itu masih "hidup". Campur je semua sekali, terus uli.

**Kalau uli dengan stand atau hand mixer, sila uli dalam jangkamasa 7-10 minit. Dengan thermomix, 3-5 minit je cukup =)

Sebagai penutup, kita saksikan penjamah-penjamah cinnamon rolls ye...

Matching pulak tudung I dengan kek.

Kasi chan la mokcik-mokcik pun nak bergumbira.

Ishh... betul ke usrah ni?? Hahaha.

Tu bukan anak I ye... pinjam anak kawan heeee!

Lots of love, Nin

Delicious Milk Bread

So I've recently discovered the joy of baking bread. And ~ also out of necessity ~ within the span of 11 days, have baked 5 loaves of bread! Haven't bought bread from the store since that first loaf. Of course, I'm not going to go to the extreme by declaring never to spend money on store-bought bread ever again. There will be times when buying will be much more convenient than baking, but for now, homemade is oh so satisfying! And I'm sticking to it as long as I can.

Just for the record, this is not a post to promote a kitchen appliance (I use Thermomix). It's just what I have and it's what I use. And it so happens that it has taken away my aversion to breadmaking by simplifying the process. I had a breadmaker I bought some years back but was never taken out of its box because despite having it, the lack of confidence of my ability to handle breadmaking was more overwhelming. I had the mindset that breadmaking was difficult and tedious and someone with my patience, or lack of it, would not be able to handle it well.

Suffice to say, I was wrong about myself. And it took myself to prove to myself how wrong I was. (Vain gile bunyi statement ni hahhaa!). So please forgive me for basking in the glory of my successful breadmaking endeavours because truth be told, I'm still pinching myself. I can't believe that I AM BAKING BREAD!

If you haven't seen the evolution of my breads, you can see them here from the first loaf, to the third. I made my fourth loaf yesterday, thinking that that could be today's  and tomorrow's breakfast. It's a jumbo loaf, it should last. It didn't. Kids couldn't wait to eat them yesterday. 3 of them had 2 slices of toasts each with some cream cheese for their afternoon snacks. My better half had a slice for supper. So did I. And by looking at what was left this morning, I knew I had to make another loaf, or else there won't be enough for everyone for tomorrow's breakfast.

But this time, though I still used the same milk bread recipe, I thought I'd shape it into a braid. Being one who is still very much a novice, I had some difficulty portioning and rolling the dough into logs. Couldn't get them to turn out smooth and even. 

But braid it, I did. 

And here's the final outcome.

Urghh! Unsightly!

Clearly, I need more practise. See how uneven the surface of the crust is? 

And I might have stretched and worked the dough too much while shaping that you can see the 'strain' on the dough. Almost look like that of the human muscles that we usually see in human anatomy pics hehehe!

But thankfully, inside, just as soft and fluffy as it should be...

 And here's to give you an idea of the size of that baby...

I usually bake this bread in a jumbo sized (11" long) bread pan, so I know that it would only rise on top and not expand at the sides. I was quite surprised to see how large it turned out when braided.

Oh well, that only means it'll go further before it runs out. Everybody can have a little more of that yummy bread. And I kid you not, it is yummy. Especially when toasted.

You have to try it for yourself.

MILK BREAD / ROTI SUSU

Ingredients/Bahan-bahan

300ml milk/susu

50g butter/mentega

2 tsp/sdt instant yeast/yis segera

40g sugar/gula

550g bread flour/tepung roti

1 1/2 tsp/sdt salt/garam

Steps

Combine all ingredients together and knead until you get a smooth dough that doesn't stick to the side of the bowl. I kneaded mine in the thermomix for 7min although the recipe calls for 3 minutes only. You might require more time is you're using a stand mixer with a dough hook (probably up to 10min), and longer if kneading by hand (up to 14min).

Form dough into a tight, smooth ball and transfer into a well oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a warm spot for about 45min - 1hr.

After the dough has risen, punch it a few times to release the air bubbles.

Divide dough into 3 equal portions, roll each portion into a long strand of about 14" long and then braid the 3 strands together to form a braided bread loaf.

Transfer onto baking tray lined with baking sheet, cover lightly with cling wrap and leave to rise again for another 30-45mins.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 180ºC.

After 2nd rise, brush the risen loaf with egg wash (1 egg and a little milk mixed together) and bake in oven for 30min.

Cara-cara

Satukan kesemua bahan dan uli sehingga mendapat doh yang lembut dan tidak melekat di sisi mangkuk. Saya cuma uli selama 7min dengan Thermomix tapi jika anda ada stand mixer yang ada cangkuk roti, anda perlu uli lebih lama sedikit untuk dapat doh yang lembut dan licin. Uli dengan tangan pun boleh, cuma tambahkan masa menguli, kemungkinan sehingga 14min. 

Setelah diuli, bentukkan doh menjadi bentuk bola yang padat dan masukkan ke dalam mangkuk besar yang telah disapu minyak. Tutupkan dan biarkan ia mengembang sendiri selama 45min - 1jam.

Setelah doh mengembang selepas jangkamasa yang ditetapkan, tumbuk-tumbukkan doh untuk mengeluarkan udara yang terkumpul di dalam doh.

Bahagikan doh kepada 3 bahagian, dan golek2kan setiap bahagian menjadi seperti tali sepanjang 14". Pintalkan ketiga2 tali seperti mendandan rambut Barbie doll hahaha! (Dah start merapu dah aku...)

Alihkan roti yang telah dibentuk ke atas talam yang telah di alas kertas minyak. Biarkan doh mengembang sekali lagi selama lebih kurang 30-45min.

Sementara itu panaskan ketuhar ke suhu 180ºC.

Setelah doh cukup naik, sapukan doh dengan sedikit campuran telur dan susu sebelum di bakar selama 30minit.

HAPPY BAKING!

Cakoi menjadi, I puas hati!

Pagi tadi bangun tengok-tengok tak ada apa untuk breakfast. Sebenarnya memang sengajalah tak sediakan apa-apa sebab semalam cadangnya nak ajak family breakfast roti canai sedap Saberkas hari ni. But unfortunately, Aisyah demam last night and I didn't get enough rest maka malas lah nak keluar.

Mulalah I gelabah sorang-sorang, nak buat breakfast apa ni weh? Nak buat roti, lama lah lagi nak siap, paham-paham je lah proses nak menaikkan roti tu pun dah berejam. Nak buat nasi goreng, nasi semalam ada seciput je. Kalau nak buat kena masak nasi baru and I don't like nasi goreng with freshly cooked rice. Melekit. Tak best. Dia kena nasi sejuk semalam baru best.

Akhirnya, I thought... apa kata kita buat cakoi? Although masih kena let rise, tapi taklah seteruk roti. Setengah jam ke 45 minit dah cukup. Dah tu sekali je, tak perlu dua kali macam roti. Maka I pun cepat-cepat "selongkar" komputer cari resepi yang I pernah simpan once upon a time.

Inilah hasilnya...

Nampak tak betapa menggiurkan rupanya? Sorry lah angkat bakul sikit, but really, I am so satisfied with the outcome. My first attempt at making cakoi was like 4-5 years ago. Masa tu hasilnya sangat mendukacitakan. Keras kejung! So I shied away from ever attempting another cakoi.

But today, I have renewed confidence after having baked loaf bread successfully 3 times the past 2 weeks. I thought it's time I gave it another shot. Besides, this has been in my mental to-do list for awhile heehehe! And I was not disappointed. They were crispy on the outside, tasted delicious and hollow inside, exactly the way a cakoi should be. And most importantly, tidak keras kejung! Hahaha!

So here's how it's done. I'm going to write down the ingredients in Bahasa Malaysia. If you want the English version, kindly hop to the original blog where I got this recipe from. My sincere thanks to the blog owner of My Kitchen for sharing this recipe.

Senang je nak sediakan doh nya dengan my thermomix. Yang ada stand mixer, boleh je pakai doh hook and knead away. If you don't have any of these kitchen helpers, sweat not. Uli je lah manually. No hal!

Bahan-bahan yang diperlukan ialah:

200ml air/susu (saya pakai susu Dutch Lady UHT)

220gm tepung roti (saya pakai tepung Nona)

1/4 sudu teh yis segera

1 sudu teh gula

1/2 sudu teh serbuk penaik (baking powder)

1 sudu teh garam

1 sudu besar minyak masak

Minyak untuk menggoreng, secukupnya.

Cara mengadun doh:

1. Bubuh semua dalam mangkuk dan uli lebih kurang 5 minit, kalau pakai mesin. Kalau uli dengan tangan, lebihkan lah sikit masa dalam seminit-dua.
2. Setelah di uli, taburkan tepung dalam sukatan yang agak banyak ke atas papan canai dan keluarkan doh atas papan canai. Doh ni sangat melekit dan lembut, sebab itu perlunya banyak tepung. Kalau tidak main tarik-tali lah dengan doh ye?
3. Bahagikan doh kepada dua bahagian, dan golekkan setiap bahagian tu sehingga menjadi satu gulungan dok yang panjang. Saya buat setiap gulungan tu panjangnya lebih kurang 11-12" gitu lah.
4. Tutupkan doh (saya pakai besen besar yang muat untuk tutup kedua2 batang doh) dan biarkan selama 30-45 minit.
5. Setelah cukup masa rehat, tekan-tekankan doh itu sehingga leper lebih kurang 1cm tebal, lebar dalam 3-4". Tarik-tarikkan lah doh tu sehingga agak panjang dan dapat ketebalan dan lebar yang disebutkan.
6. Setelah itu potong-potongkan doh selebar 1" setiap satu.
7. Tindankan doh berpasang-pasangan (letak air sikit bagi lekat) dan tekan tengah-tengah doh dengan chopstick/lidi basah.
8. Panaskan minyak untuk menggoreng.
9. Bila minyak dah cukup panas, angkat satu doh dengan kedua belah tangan, tarikkan doh memanjang dan terus masukkan ke dalam minyak panas.
10. Goreng sampai perang.
11. Angkat dan hidang! Sodap makan ketika masih panas.

Andaikata uols tak paham apa yang saya pok-pekkan di atas itu, sila tengok video ni. Sure paham punya!

Selamat mencuba!

New appliance and the adventures it brings

I recently bought a kitchen gadget, recommended by a friend. As recently as 2 months ago. At first, I wasn't really keen thinking a kitchen gadget is a kitchen gadget lah, just like any other. Kan? Every maker of kitchen appliances will surely make all sorts of claims about their product. Boleh buat itu ini in such amount of time, boleh jimat masa and tenaga so you have extra time to spend with your family, yada yada yada... Heheh!

But anywho, kawan bertuah sorang ni memang bijak. Since she knows my husband too, she promoted the product to him instead, tagging him on FB on every post concerning the gadget complete dengan gambar2 masakan that she herself cooked using the gadget. She kept telling me how much of a help this kitchen appliance would be to me, a full time homemaker to a family of 6. Belilah, kalau sayang bini, katanya...

And she really did cook up a storm in her kitchen with the said gadget to entice us...from all kinds of lauk-pauk, to mouthwatering snacks like chinese steamed buns (I've always known them as "pau"), to homemade chocolate hazelnut spread and sinful dessert like chocolate custard. Yes... I have that image of them chocolate custard in little containers vividly stored in my brain. One day, I too will be making them. Macamlah kalau tak pakai gadget ni takleh buat choc custard kan? Kui kui kui!

Maka suamiku yang vulnerable itu telah termakan promosi kaw-kaw sahabat baikku. I didn't have to mention anything, he himself insisted that I buy the said appliance, "kalau dapat ringankan keje u, I sanggup bayor," katanya. I guess it's true when people say, food is one of the surest ways to a man's heart. Even just pictures of them on FB. Though I have to admit, I did wonder if his insistence was really for my needs, or his. Lol!

And that was how... the Thermomix became a member of my household.

It took some getting used to, some trials and errors... some yays and nays...

I've had my fair share of yays...

To die for milk bread, mee goreng basah, orange cupcakes, heavenly congo bars and mouthwatering pizza.

And an equal share of nays...

...from overbeaten lemon bundt cake, to underbaked bread,  not-so-rolly looking sausage rolls,
messy kaya steamed buns, way below average pizza crust and sigh...
a very watery ayam masak merah. *cry*

But I took it all in my stride. 

Okay, I lied. 

The disappointment from the citrus bundt cake misadventure turned me into a sulky, old hag. But lets not discuss that, shall we? Lol!

Last night, however, was THE moment of sweet triumph for I finally succeeded in baking the best bread I have ever attempted baking.

Prior to TM (that's short for Thermomix), I had never, in my entire life, baked bread. I thought it was something only accomplished bakers dare to try. The thoughts of yeast, proofing, and kneading... all these intimidated me into resigning my fate to eating store bought bread for the rest of my life. After all, getting my favorite "enaknya dimakan begitu saja" loaf of bread was easy.

I even managed to find a close substitute when I moved to Miri more than 5 years ago. So basically, there really was no need to bake my own bread.

Until I gave it a shot and discovered the joy and satisfaction of baking bread!

Why haven't anyone told me this before? Why? Why??

My first loaf was so-so...

Slightly underbaked, didn't taste as good either. 

Then I tried my second loaf using the same recipe but a bigger sized pan...

Looked and tasted better than the first one. I have discovered by now that my oven has some heat distribution issue.

So by my third attempt, I knew that I needed to turn my bread 180 degree to get even baking halfway through baking, and that I needed to extend the cooking time a little bit for it to be thoroughly baked. I switched to a different recipe too. I made milk bread instead of the basic sandwich bread. And what a difference it turned out to be!

See for yourself.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, will be my go-to bread recipe from now on. It's soft and fluffy, and I kid you not, it tastes just like my favorite brand. It fills my requirement that a bread should be "enaknya dimakan begitu saja". For you non-Malay-speaking folks, that means, it's good enough to eat on its own. It really is.

I made this last night. 4 slices were chowed down as soon as it was cool enough to be sliced. We all laki-bini melantak dulu hehehe.... he had his with plain cream cheese, while I had mine with strawberry flavored cream cheese.

I took a quick glance early this morning, only about 1/4 of them left. I haven't had my breakfast yet, so I think I'd better head to the kitchen now.

Takut melepas! Maid akak kuat makan.