Bread Recipes

When I'm in the mood, I make breads :) I love how the smell of fresh breads perfumes the entire kitchen!

In this webpage, you can find recipes for:

- Dutch oven oat bread

- French baguette

- Whole wheat French baguette

- Amish Friendship bread

- Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

- Baked Ham Chi Peng with homemade red bean filling

French Baguette

I stumbled across this youtube video and was impressed by his technique. He didn't include his recipe online. So, I tweaked and tried his recipe. The baguettes turned out great. Enjoy my modified version of this popular French bread!

Ingredients: (Yields 2 loaves)

1 packet of active dry yeast (0.25 oz), 4 cups all-purpose flour, 3.5 cups warm water (~100F), 1 tbs salt and 1 tbs corn meal flour

Preparation Time: 15- 20 mins for mixing, 3.5 hours for dough rising and 35 mins for baking

Procedures:

1. Proof yeast by following the instructions on the back of the packet. This is to ensure the yeast is alive. If there is no instruction, then add 1 packet of active dry yeast to half a cup of warm water. Stir and let it sit for a few minutes. If you see bubbles, the yeast is alive and ready to be used

2. Add flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well

3. Mix the yeast mixture with dry ingredients

4. Pour a cup of warm water into the flour mixture and mix. Continue to add the remaining warm water while mixing until flour is removed from the sides of the bowl

5. On a clean, flat kitchen surface, sprinkle some flour. Remove dough onto the surface and knead. Use the knead-rotate 90 degrees clockwise-repeat technique until a consistent, smooth ball is formed (~ 5 mins)

6. Let it sit while you rinse off the large bowl with warm water. The warmth of the bowl would help the bread to rise as it sits. Place the dough into the bowl and cover it with a clean plastic bag or a plastic wrap. Let it rest for 2 hours. The dough will double its size after sitting for 2 hours

7. Grease a heavy baking sheet and sprinkle corn flour all over the sheet. The corn flour gives an extra crunch

8. Remove the dough and place it on a floured kneading surface. Knead using the knead-rotate-repeat technique for 1 min. The ball is now silky smooth and tougher to knead

9. Using a sharp knife, cut the ball into halves. Knead a couple of times to two smaller balls

10. Shape the dough into a long loaf shape by first creating/ chopping a valley right in the middle and rolling one end towards the other end (Julia Child's method). Slightly pull the dough and repeat the shaping method. Repeat with the other smaller ball

11. Create a valley and pinch the middle together to give the French baguette look

12. Roll the dough out to slightly shorter than the length of the baking sheet. Repeat step (11)

13. Place the long doughs onto the baking sheet, giving enough space for the doughs to rise. Slice 3 equally spaced, diagonal cuts on the surface of the doughs with a sharp knife. Let the doughs rise for 1.5 hour. The loaves will double the size

14. Preheat the oven to 350F

15. Toss in a cup of water, immediately place the baking sheet in the oven and close the oven door. The water creates steam and this helps to form a crust. Bake for 35 mins or until the baguettes are golden brown in color and internal temperature is registered 190F to 200 F

16. Remove the baguettes and let them cool. Serve Bon appétit!

For other French bread recipe, check out Emeril's recipe!


Baked Ham Chi Peng with homemade red bean filling

Ham chi peng is a Cantonese pastry that I grew up eating for breakfast and snack time. It is traditionally made by deep frying dough stuffed with mashed and sweetened red adzuki beans.

I was craving for ham chi peng and tweaked the recipe to keep it healthy. I made my own red bean paste using an Instant Pot pressure cooker.

This recipe is unlike the traditional one- it lacks the chewiness of the dough and greasy feel of the deep fry. I hope you like this healthier version. Feel free to experiment and adjust the sweetness of the paste and chewiness of the dough!

Ingredients (Yields 20 pieces):

2 to 2.5 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tbs active yeast, 1.75 cups warm water, 0.25 tsp white sugar, 10 oz dried red adzuki beans, 3 cups water, 2 tbs brown sugar and pinches of salt to taste. 2 tbs vegetable oil for brushing. Toasted sesame seeds for decor

Preparation Time: 15- 20 mins for mixing and kneading the dough. 1 hour for first dough rising and 10 to 15 mins for second dough rising. 20 mins for baking

Procedures:

1. Proof yeast by following the instructions on the back of the packet. Alternatively, stir yeast and sugar in 1.75 cups of water and let it sit for 10 mins or until you see bubbles forming

2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Once all is incorporated, knead for 10 mins or until the surface of the bread is smooth. If the dough is too wet, add a tbs of flour at a time. Once a dough ball is formed, cover and set aside for an hour until it doubles in size

3. Wash the red adzuki beans, discarding any pebble and debris. Place it in the pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes (on High under Manual setting using Instant Pot). Let the steam release naturally

4. Once it is safe to open the pressure cooker, mix in brown sugar. Start mashing the red bean (I tried using a food processor but it did not work). If the red bean paste is dry, add a tbs hot water until balls can be formed. Once all the beans are mashed, set aside to let it cool. Divide and form the red bean paste into 20 balls

5. Knead the risen dough for 5 mins. Divide and form into 20 balls

6. Lightly grease two to three baking sheets

7. Flatten a dough ball to about 4-inch round. Place a red bean paste ball in the center of dough round. Bring the ends of the dough together, pinch and twist close. Shape it into a ball, ensuring the filling does not spill out of the dough. Place it on the greased baking sheet. Repeat until all 20 filled dough are formed, giving ample space so the dough pieces do not touch each other

8. Preheat oven to 325 degF or 165 degC

9. Gently flatten each filled dough to disc shapes. Cover and set aside to let them rise for 10 to 15 mins

10. Brush the dough pieces with some vegetable oil. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the dough pieces

11. Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown

12. Let it cool before serving with your favorite hot beverage

Whole Wheat French Baguette

I modified the recipe above by incorporating whole wheat flour.

Ingredients (Yields 3 loaves):

2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups warm water, 1 tbs active dry yeast and 1 tbs corn meal flour


Preparation Time: 15- 20 mins for mixing, 3.5 hours for dough rising and 35 mins for baking


Procedures:

1. Proof yeast by adding active dry yeast to half a cup of warm water. Stir and let it sit for a few minutes. If you see bubbles, the yeast is alive and ready to be used. If not, repeat with new yeast

2. Mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl

3. Mix the yeast mixture with dry ingredients

4. Pour a cup of warm water into the flour mixture and mix. Continue to add the remaining warm water while mixing until flour is removed from the sides of the bowl

5. On a clean, flat kitchen surface, sprinkle some all-purpose flour. Remove dough onto the surface and knead. Use the knead-rotate 90 degrees clockwise-repeat technique until a consistent, smooth ball is formed (~ 5 mins)

6. Let it sit while you rinse off the large bowl with warm water. The warmth of the bowl would help the bread to rise as it sits. Place the dough into the bowl and cover it with a clean plastic bag or a plastic wrap. Let it rest for 1.5 to 2 hours. The dough will double its size after sitting for a few hours

7. Grease a heavy baking sheet and sprinkle corn flour all over the sheet. The corn flour gives an extra crunch

8. Remove the dough and place it on a floured kneading surface. Knead using the knead-rotate-repeat technique for 1 min. The ball is now silky smooth and tougher to knead

9. Using a sharp knife, cut the ball into halves. Knead a couple of times to three smaller balls

10. Shape the dough into a long loaf shape by first creating/ chopping a valley right in the middle and rolling one end towards the other end (Julia Child's method). Slightly pull the dough and repeat the shaping method. Repeat with the other smaller ball

11. Create a valley and pinch the middle together to give the French baguette look

12. Roll the dough out to slightly shorter than the length of the baking sheet. Repeat step (11)

13. Place the long doughs onto the baking sheet, giving enough space for the doughs to rise. Slice 3 equally spaced, diagonal cuts on the surface of the doughs with a sharp knife. Let the doughs rise for 1.5 to 2 hours. The loaves will double the size

14. Preheat the oven to 350F

15. Toss in a cup of water, immediately place the baking sheet in the oven and close the oven door. The water creates steam and this helps to form a crust. Bake for 35 mins or until the baguettes are golden brown in color and internal temperature is registered 190 degF to 200 degF

16. Remove the baguettes and let them cool. Serve Bon appétit!


Dutch Oven Oat Bread

I created this recipe for a healthier version. I used a 5qt size cast iron Dutch oven.

Ingredients (1 large loaf):

2 cups raw oats, 1.25 cups flour, 1 cup water, 1 tsp white sugar, 2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 1 tbs olive oil and 1 pinch of sea salt


Preparation Time: 15 minutes for blitzing the raw oats and kneading, 1 hour for rising, and 45 minutes to 1 hour for baking. 30 minutes to preheat Dutch oven


Procedures:

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir yeast in sugar and water

  2. In a food processor, blitz 2 cups of raw oats and sea salt until they turn to fine powder or flour-like. Mix with flour

  3. Mix the dry ingredient in yeast mixture and olive oil. Once incorporated, knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough ball becomes smooth

  4. Coat the base of your bowl with some oil and place the dough ball to rest. Cover with a damp cloth and set it aside in a warm place to let it rise until doubles its size (1 hour or more depending on your room temperature)

  5. About 30 minutes into the rise time, preheat Dutch oven and its lid at 450 degF

  6. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that will fit the base of the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with some flour or raw oats on the surface

  7. Place the dough ball on the paper. Cut some pretty slits or nautilus design on the surface of the dough

  8. Carefully remove the Dutch oven to a temperature-safe surface

  9. Lift the paper with dough and place in the Dutch oven. Cover with lid

  10. Bake the bread in the Dutch oven in the oven for 45 minutes or more. Check to see if the top of the bread is nicely browned and crusty before taking it out the oven. Let the bread cool

  11. Serve warm with your favorite accompaniments and toppings


Tips: I store half of my loaf in the freezer. I usually leave my bread in the kitchen for 2 days and then store in the fridge.

Suggestion: I have a slice of toasted bread with avocado for breakfast. It is a very hearty dish to set my morning right :)

Amish Friendship Bread

My coworker gave me a bread starter one day. The starter takes 10 days to develop before it splits to 4 starters. This bread is really a cake-bread because it needs no rising or yeast. You can add almost anything in the basic recipe below. The original bread recipe is sweet so I would recommend reducing the amount of sugar to your desire.

If you want a bread starter, do contact me! I can mail it to you.

Preparations:

Do not refrigerate or use metal kitchen equipment when preparing this bread recipe.

With 1 cup live yeast starter in an airtight plastic bag:

Day 1: Do nothing with the starter.

Days 2 to 5: Stir with a wooden spoon or mash the bag once a day.

Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir with a wooden spoon or mash the bag once a day.

Days 7 to 9: Stir with a wooden spoon or mash the bag once a day.

Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir or mash the bad. Pour 1 cup mixture into into three separate plastic bags or clean jars. Date the bag or jar, give one cup and a copy of this recipe to three friends. To the balance (a little over one cup) of the batter, add the following ingredients and mix well.

Ingredients:

Bread starter, 3 eggs- beaten, 1 cup oil, 0.5 cup milk, 2 cups flour, 0.5 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp vanilla essence, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 0.5 tsp salt and 1 box of instant pudding of your choice (lemon, vanilla, etc)

Optional: Nuts, raisins, bananas, etc

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degF

2. Grease 2 loaf pans

3. Mix wet ingredients, except vanilla essence, in a large bowl

4. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl

5. Blend dry ingredients in wet ingredients. Add vanilla essence and optional ingredients

6. Sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar mixture in the loaf pans

7. Pour batter in the loaf pans. Sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the batter

8. Bake for an hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean

9. Cool for 10 mins before cutting and eating it

Tip: If you don't have instant pudding at hand, don't fret. Substitute it with 0.5 cup powdered sugar and 1 egg yolk


Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

What's not to like about whole wheat bread? It's healthy and good for you. I revised this King Arthur's recipe because I didn't have maple sugar. It turned out great- moist, sweet and hearty. Enjoy!

Ingredients (Yields 2 loaves):

2 packets or 1 tbs active dry yeast, 1.75 cups water, 1 tsp sugar, 1 cup and 1 tsp instant oats, 0.5 cup maple syrup, 1 tbs honey, 0.25 cup butter, 1 tbs salt, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1.5 cups 100% whole wheat flour, 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 1 tsp olive oil.

Preparation Time: 15- 20 mins for mixing and kneading, 3 hours for dough rising and 38 mins for baking

Procedures:

1. Proof yeast by soaking dry yeast in 1 cup of warm water and sugar. Stir and set it aside for 5 mins. The yeast is alive when it doubles in size

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 0.75 cup hot water, 1 cup of oats, maple syrup, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon powder. Let it cool to lukewarm

3. Divide yeast and flours to two parts and add them alternately while mixing to form a rough dough

4. On a clean kneading surface dusted with some flour, place rough dough and knead using hands for 10 mins. Use the knead-rotate 90 degrees clockwise-repeat technique until a consistent, smooth ball is formed

5. Transfer dough to a lightly greased and slightly warm bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for an hour or until dough doubles its size

6. Divide the dough into half. Shape each half into a loaf

7. Place the shaped dough into 2 lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans and cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wraps. Let the dough rise till they crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pans (~2 hours)

8. With a kitchen brush, spread olive oil on both loaves' surfaces. Sprinkle 1 tsp oats on the loaves

9. Bake the loaves in a preheated 360 degF oven for 35 to 4o mins or until they turn golden brown and the interior registers 190 degF

10. Let them cool before slicing and serving!

Nothing beats a homemade sandwich :)

Tips: If your dough refuses to rise on a winter day, then pop your dough (bowl and wrap too) in a preheated 100 degF oven for a few mins. Remove heat and let the dough rise in the oven