Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Ensaymada- Filipino Sweet Brioche Buns

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I am really excited to make this post as Ensaymada is something is close to my heart as it really reminds me of my childhood.

My Mum would visit one of her Filipino friends Lucy and borrow Filipino movies.. I would LOVE to come, as every time we would visit I would get some Ensaymada.

Cheesy, sugary, buttery buns.. I haven't eaten them in years as I could never remember the name of them.. I had found this recipe by Burnt Lumpia on http://www.foodgawker.com/.. and all I can say is THANK YOU!!

Even though I don't really like to make bread as I don't have the patience for it and it is SUPER high carb.. I HAD to make it. I have never been THAT excited to make something.. I stayed up sooo late watching my dough rise.. I really felt like a baker :D

As a surprise, I'm also posting some to my Mum back at home. I know that she loves them too and I can imagine the look on her face when she opens up the parcel :)

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Surprise Mumma!



Makes: 12 sweet brioche rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

2 envelopes active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk, warmed (105 degrees F--110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon, plus 4 tablespoons sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups bread flour
4 teaspoons salt
3 whole eggs
9 egg yolks
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened at room temperature


Filling (all are optional):

Grated Edam cheese (I'd used this filling in 4 buns)
Cinnamon and brown sugar
Macapuno (coconut strings)


Topping:
(Do not skimp on these as they are the highlight of the buns)

Milk: for brushing on top before baking
Softened butter: for brushing on top after baking
Sugar: for sprinkling
Grated Edam cheese: for sprinkling


Method:

Day #1

In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the yeast, warmed milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Stir with a spoon to combine and let sit for 3-5 minutes until mixture is foamy.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar, all-purpose flour, bread flour, and salt. Stir to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and beat with the paddle attachment of your mixer for 2-3 minutes. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks together.

Add the eggs to the dough and continue mixing on medium speed for 3-5 minutes more, until dough just comes together (you may have to scrape down the sides of your bowl and your paddle a couple of times before everything is combined).

At this point, the dough is pretty tough, but your mixer can handle it. (mine did.. just)

After the dough just comes together, remove it from the stand mixer and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick.

Place half of the butter in the middle of the dough, then fold 1/3 of the dough onto the butter towards the centre. Place the other half of the butter onto the middle of the dough, then fold over the other 1/3 of the dough onto the butter making a parcel.

Fold the dough into a little package or ball shape, and place back into the work bowl of the stand mixer. (This way of incorporating the butter ensures that it actually gets into the dough. If you just added the butter a tablespoon at a time to a running mixer, most of the butter ends up on the walls of the work bowl and on the outside of the dough, rather than on the inside. I learned this tip from Alton Brown's brioche recipe.)

Exchange the paddle for the dough hook on your stand mixer, and knead the dough and butter for 10-15 minutes on medium speed until butter is well incorporated and the dough becomes glossy and elastic--you may have to scrape down the bowl and hook a few times. (you will notice that it will begin to pull away from the sides)

Remove the dough from the work bowl and roll into uniform ball. Add the dough, seam side down, to another large bowl that has been lightly greased. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume, 1-3 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. (Mine rested for 1.5 hours and it was HUGE!

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, roll it into a ball again, then place back into the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the covered bowl into the refrigerator overnight.

Day #2

The next day, pinch off 24 balls from the dough, each about 2-inches in diameter. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough balls to rise again for another hour.

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Roll out a ball of dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is about 12x4 inches. Sprinkle your filling of choice (cheese, cinnamon and sugar, macapuno) in the center of the rolled out dough.

Roll the dough over the filling lengthwise into a rope shape about 14-inches long. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls until you have 24 ropes.

Take two of the ropes and twist them around each other to braid them. Repeat with the other ropes until you have 12 sets of braids. Then form each of the braids into a spiral shape, making sure to tuck in each of the ends.

(I only filled 4 with cheese and used the rope method.. I gave up and ended up making the rest in spiral shapes with no filling). Place each spiral into a greased fluted brioche mold, or into a greased 4-5 inch tart ring. I'd used just a plain baking sheet. I like the rustic look

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 Celsius). Brush the top of each of the Ensaymada rolls with some milk, then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Bake until the rolls are golden brown on top (you can leave them in there for longer if you want them a deeper brown).

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Fresh from the oven...

Remove the buns from the oven and let cool slightly. Brush the warm buns generously with melted butter butter, then sprinkle on as much sugar and cheese as you'd like.



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Enjoy the AWESOME!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Heart Shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

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Sooo, I was thinking about the upcoming Valentines day..


Sometimes I wonder if Valentines Day is just a holiday made up by Hallmark or Florists to try and boost sales.. But even if you do think that, I know that everyone still is secretly hoping that someone will be their Valentine.


So, I was trying to think of those who wont get anything- As I have been one of those people many times in the past, I wanted to try and make some goodies to give away before Valentines day.


Instantly cupcakes came to mind.. but I always do cupcakes- Mainly because they already come in individual servings and does'nt require cutlery of any descripton.. but screw cupcakes! I am sick to death of always being the person at work who brings in cupcakes. "Great pattycakes.", "Cupcakes were yum.", "Can you give me the recipe for those cupcakes you brought in the other day?" "Cupcakes, cupcakes, CUPCAKES!"


I want something wayyyyyy better to make those super ronery people feel better about themselves :D


When I think of St Valentines, I think: Hearts, chocolates, cards, LOTS of the colour red.. and not forgetting your unmentionables ;). I thought cake pops, but I am sick to death of seeing them everywhere aswell! And like a light to moths, I was instantly drawn to Red Velvet Whoopie Pies!


Moist, soft, delicious, filled with decadant cream cheese frosting, and not to forget red.. But, I didn't want them to be in just 'flat cupcake form', and also wanted to incorporate a few more aspects of Valentines day into it. So I decided to make them heart shaped! :D




Red Velvet Whoopie Pies



2 Cups of general purpose flour
1 Tsp of salt
1 Tsp of baking powder
2 Tbs of unsweetened coco powder
1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 Cup of unsalted butter (softened)
1 Large egg
1/4 Cup of sour cream (room temperature)
1/4 Cup of milk (room temperature)
1 Tsp of vanilla extract
1 Bottle of pillar box red food colouring



Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (approx 160g) Packet of creamed cheese (room temperature)

160 Grams of unsalted butter (room temperature)
400 Grams of powdered sugar
1 Tsp of vanilla extract


Preheat your oven to 160 degrees and line 2x baking trays with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla in a jug, set aside.

In a seperate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.

Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then add 1/2 of the wet, repeat again until you end with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients until just blended, do not overbeat.

Spoon batter into a piping bag (I used a disposable one as I assumed that the batter may stain my good piping bag (as it did my bench top and my hands :D)

I piped my batter into heart shapes, but you can do whatever shape comes to mind.

Bake for 6-9 mintues or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean, being careful to watch the pies as they will cook quickly. Allow them to cool completely on baking trays.

For cream cheese frosting, use an electric mixer to beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla and start adding powdered sugar a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It's not necessary to use all of it, whatever you feel is right.

To assemble your pies: Once cooled, match your pies up (so that both sides are the same size, as mine ranged in sizes), pipe your cream cheese frosting into the inner flat side of one pie, and attach other side. Repeat until all are done.


You can be patient and wait until they are refridgerated, but I ate mine straight away.


Enjoy!



Don't forget to tell me how your Valentines Day goes!