Pretzels

This is my third or maybe fourth time making pretzels. First was a total failure, I can't shape the dough, it is too sticky and the yeast didn't rise too. Second time around, I think I soak it in the wrong solution... hehehe... and finally the third is a success. At this last round, I had used bread flour instead of plain flour and the texture is more chewy and the dough is much easier to work with. So if you prefer it softer, plain flour and if you prefer it chewy, the bread flour.

Ingredients:

• 500g flour or bread flour
• 8g yeast
• 28g sugar
• 1.5 cups of warm water
• 5g salt
• 1 cup water for the soda bath
• 2 tablespoon of baking soda for the soda bath
• 3 tablespoon of melted butter for coating
• seasalt for sprinkling

Steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the last 4 items into the mixer and knead them till smooth and form a nice dough. Leave it to rise for about 30mins (make sure you oil the container before putting in the dough and cover the container).
2. Just 2 mins before  you are ready to shape the dough, prepare the soda bath by mixing the water and baking soda in a shallow bowl. Also leave the salt on a plate to make it easier to dip the top of the pretzel with it.
3. Also oil two baking trays or using the non stick mat.
4. Divide the dough to 12 pieces and roll them to long pieces. Then twist it, dip it in the soda bath (the entire dough) and tip the top with sea salt.
5. Preheat the oven at 220C while leaving the pretzels to rise again for about 10mins.
6. Bake the pretzels for 12-15mins. 
7. Once brown, remove from the oven immediately and coat it with the melted butter.

Roti Boy aka Coffee Bun

Something on my to do list for a long time but just didn't get the chance to do it. Finally, took up the courage to try it out yesterday, yum! Worth the effort. Just need to double up the volume if you want more. The ingredients here just enough for 10pcs.

Ingredients:
For the dough:

• 250g bread flour
• 38g sugar
• 3g salt
• 4g yeast
• 24g egg
• 135g warm milk
• 30g butter
• some oil to rub on the hand to shape the dough and to rub on the utensils to avoid it from sticking

For filling:

• 100g softened butter
• 35g sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

For crusty top:

• 50g softened butter
• 40g icing sugar
• 42g egg
• 1 teaspoon of granulated coffee dissolve with 1 tsp water
• 50g plain flour

Methods:

*Note, I multi task a few steps by using hand mixer and stand mixer at the same time.

1. Put all the ingredients for the dough in the mixing bowl except the butter. I leave this to mix with the stand mixer at low speed. Initially it is quite dry but after a while, it will get a bit elastic and sticky (I use low on my kenwood and this takes about 4-5mins). Finally add in the butter to mix (I use speed 2 on my kenwood) till it is even and the dough is sticky but elastic.
2. While the stand mixer is working, I beat the filling (all ingredients) with the hand mixer till it is all well mix and leave it in the fridge to cool and harden so that it is easier to wrap. If you want it even and easier, after 2mins, take it and divide to 10 portions before putting it back to the fridge.
3. After the dough is done, take it out and divide to 10 portions and leave it to rest while I prepare the crusty topping.
4. For the topping, beat the butter and sugar till well incorporated. Add in the egg and coffee after that. Give it another mix before adding in the flour. Scoop all the mixture into a piping bag and leave it in the fridge.
5. Now, flatten the dough and wrapped the filling inside. Please make sure u seal the dough properly to avoid it from breaking and the butter leaking out. Some of mine leaked.
6. Arrange them on the baking sheet and please make sure you have at least 3-4cm space apart from each bun. Cover them up with cling firm and rest for an hour.
7. Do note that the bun will not rise or get bigger, it will looks small like just before resting (I was worried as why it does not get bigger like any other bread).
8. Preheat the oven at 200C.
9. Pipe the topping on the bun in round swirl, cover as much as you can.
10. Bake for 12mins at 200C.

Variation to 40mins Bun

Yesterday and today, I tried something different with the 40mins bun and obtain quite a different type of textures.

They are modifications to the recipe of 40mins bun with the following differences:

Ingredients to the dough:

• 270g warm water
• 70g oil (I used peanut oil) I used olive oil here instead
• 10g instant dry yeast
• 48g sugar I ran out of sugar, so I used honey
• 1/5 teaspoon salt (7g)
• 1 egg
• 300g self raising flour I used bread flour as per requested by the original recipe
• 245g plain flour
• lots of oil to work on the dough
• egg wash n sesame seed no sesame seed for deco, but added 2 tablespoon of chia seed to the dough before kneading
• fillings are bacon

Conclusion, the buns are super soft and fluffy compared to my initial recipe but it is less soft compared to the initial recipe.

Then the next variation becomes this instead:

Ingredients to the dough:

• 270g warm water I used water and milk mixture (my daughter can taste the milk)
• 70g oil (I used peanut oil) I used butter here instead
• 10g instant dry yeast
• 48g sugar 
• 1/5 teaspoon salt (7g)
• 1 egg
• 300g self raising flour I used bread flour as per requested by the original recipe
• 245g plain flour I used self raising flour
• lots of oil to work on the dough
• egg wash n sesame seed no sesame seed for deco, but added 2 tablespoon of chia seed to the dough before kneading
• filling for this is char siew sauce chicken with chives

Conclusion, I still prefer the first variation as it gives that fluffy cottony texture to the bread.