The Snowlady Chronicles

Baguette

 Tuesday June 24, 2014

Tokyo, Japan

Cloudy, Stormy Day

 

Two Sundays ago, I attended an authentic baguette making class in Roppongi.  The class was recommended by a colleague of mine at work.  The class is held in a small studio right next to the popular breakfast place Sugi's and is called L'Ecole Levain D'antan.  The family actually own a bread shop in Paris (several I hear) and the owner is  married to a Japanese lady who decided it was time to teach how to make an authentic baguette in Japan. 

The class did not disappoint.  However, since a baguette takes two days to make, they cleverly had us make the dough which then gets put in the refrigerator to rise for 24 hours, and then had us work with dough that was ready for shaping and baking.

Making a baguette is not as easy as I thought as the dough is sticky.  It's hard to work with and takes practice.  But I have to say my baguette turned out OK.  After the classs, we had wine, salad and freshly baked baguettes to socialize.

I highly recommend the class, but it's all in Japanese and to sign up, you must do it on line which is not easy if you don't read Japanese.  But I'll be taking another course with them soon!

 Different kinds of flour from France

Our teacher

My baguette and sesame rolls

The class ends with a light lunch with of course, fresh baguettes

My baguettes and rolls

Japanese Style Blueberry Bagels

Monday October 12, 2009

Tokyo, Japan

Another Beautiful Day

Yes, you read it right.  Japanese Style Blueberry Bagels.  That is what I made the other day.  There are bagel shops all over Tokyo....but, sadly not the NY style bagels.  Japanese bagels are soft.  Very soft.  I don't miss much in Tokyo but 3 things I never thought I'd crave and miss while in Tokyo are Kosher Hot Dogs, Tex-Mex food and yes, a NY bagel with smoked white fish and tomatoes.  But kids seem to prefer Japanese style bagels so with an open mind, I learned how to make them.

It turned out to be very easy and the instructor told me how to modify the recipe so that I can make real NY style bagels.  Anyhow, the concierges at my apartment really liked them so if you'd like to try and make a Japanese style bagel, here you go:

Ingredients:

A:

130 grams of Strong Flour (Bread Flour)

1 and 1/3 tsp dry instant yeast

2T sugar

150-160cc water

B:

120 grams of Strong Flour

2/3 tsp salt

C:

2 T salad oil

Optional:

40 grams of dried blueberries

How to make:

In a bowl, mix ingredients of A, adding water last.  In separate bowl add ingredients in B.  Once A is well mixed, add the ingredients from the B bowl.  Then pour the salad oil ( C,) over ingredients and mix well.  Put on table and start kneading.

When done, flatten dough and sprinkle blueberries.

Roll the dough up lengthwise.

Then roll again.

 

Round, massage the dough, round again and let dough rise by placing in 40C dough riser for 25 -35 minutes.  If you don't have a dough riser, you can place the bowl in bowl filled with water at 40C and place towel over the dough.  The dough should double in size. (For NY style bagels, I was told to skip this step)

Punch dough down and divide into 4 pieces.  Round and then cover with damp cloth and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Now with seam side up, flatten dough with hand and with rolling pin, roll dough out to 20 cm in length.

Then roll dough lengthwise tightly and pinch the seams.

With hands, roll the dough out until 25 cm in length.  flatten on end of the dough with your palm, and roll the other end piece to narrow. 

Make a ring, by attaching the narrow end to the flattened end and wrap the dough around the narrow end.  Make sure its secure.  Place on cooking paper and repeat with the other 3 balls.  Place on cooking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and place damp towel over the bagels.  Ferment at 40C for about 20-25 minutes until about 25% larger.

Now it is time to cook the bagels.  First heat a pot filled with water until the water temperature reaches about 80-90C (so it is not boiling).  Place all 4 bagels carefully in the pot with the cooking sheet.  After 30 seconds, carefully flip.  Cook for another 30 seconds

Skin of the bagel should look like below after last fermentation

 

Then carefully pick them up with a slotted spoon, drain a bit and put on baking sheet.

 

Bake at 210-220C oven for about 18-26 minutes until nice and brown.

Yomogi Pan

Sunday October 4, 2009

Tokyo, Japan

Nice Balmy Pre-fall Weather

Today I made a traditional Japanese steamed bread called Yomogi Pan.  "Pan" means bread in Japanese and is derived from the Portuguese word for bread "pao".  "Yomogi" is a Japanese herb from the mugwort family and is classified as a medicinal herb.  Supposedly it is good for women.  Not sure what it does but every time I ask someone they just say it is very good for you.  

The bread unflavored can be used to make cha sui bo -  the steamed barbecued pork buns served in Dim Sum restaurants.  It is relatively easy to make but you need a Japanese or Chinese steamer to make authentic Yomogi Pan.

Ingredients:

A:

• 80grams of strong flour
• 1 and 1/3 tsp dry yeast
• 3T sugar
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 5 grams of Yomogi, softened in hot water and dried thoroughly by wrapping with a cheese cloth and squeezing
• 90-100cc of water

B:

• 80 grams of strong flour
• 1/3tsp salt
• 10 grams shortening

C:

• 60 grams Ama Natto:  Sugar coated soybeans found in Japanese stores

How to Make:

Mix ingredients in A in a bowl, adding water last by pouring over the yeast.  Mix with wooden spatula.  In a separate bowl add ingredients B.  After A is well blended add the ingredients from B into bowl and continue mixing until somewhat blended.  Then put the dough on the table and start kneading until dough is nice and smooth. 

This is a package of Yomogi.  I have no idea if it is available outside Japan.  However, in Japan, supermarkets sell them.

This is what Yomogi looks like after softened in hot water and squeeze-dried.

The "V" stroke of kneading.  Rolling the dough while making a "V".  Something I learned during class.

The flatten the dough to a square sprinkle the Amanato, roll the dough once length wise and then roll again to make a ball.

The dough is now ready for the first fermentation.  Let rise for about 25-35minutes at 40C.  At the class, we use a "fermenting machine".  I've got to get one of these when I go back to the States.

The dough should have doubled in size.  Then punch the dough and divide into 5 portions.  Easiest way to do this is to weigh the dough, divide weight by 5, then divide the dough, weigh each piece and adjust so they are about the same size. 

 

Cover dough with damp cloth and let sit for about 10 minutes.   Then flatten the dough, round and cut 3 slices at the edge of the dough as shown below.  Cover with canvas cloth and damp towel and do the 2nd fermentation - 20-25 minutes at 40C. 

Now we are ready to steam the bread.  Prepare the steamer by following the manufacturers instruction.  Basically, you fill the pot with water, place the steamer on top and wait for steam to form.  Carefully (steam is very hot!) place the bread in the steamer and team for 8-9minutes.  Carefully remove the basket and the bread is done!  It should be eaten within a day as it is a moist bread.

Luv these steamers!  On my list to buy at Kappabashi.  In the photo, is my teacher.

 

Yomogi Pan.  Its very very soft.  I remember our Nanny- Yoshiko-san, steaming bread.  I definitely will make this again.

 

An Pan and Melon Pan

Sunday March 1, 2009
ABC Cooking
Tokyo
Rainy and Cold


I was very excited to take my Master Bread Making Class today as I thought I was going to learn how to make bagels.  Unfortunately, I was looking at April's calendar and found out that I was making Melon Pan and An Pan instead.  It was only a mild disappointment as I was curious to learn how to make these popular Japanese breads.

What is Melon Pan?  Pan means bread in Japanese and the word was introduced by the Portuguese.  The bread was concocted in Japan.  My teacher could not explain the origin of the bread but its everywhere in Japan.  Its called Melon Pan because it looks like half of a melon.  Its basically a sweet roll with a biscuit crust.  Its pretty easy to make.  Its sweet enough that it can be eaten alone but its not as sweet as a Danish.  I highly recommend you try one when visiting in Japan.  But please try one at the bakery - - not at the convenient store!  I have to say mine turned out very good.  The biscuit crust was flaky and the bread was soft and fluffy.  I think I'll make these for my nephews in the States one of these days.

 

An Pan:  Now the origins of An Pan is very interesting.  An Pan is a Japanese bread filled with Azuki Bean Paste.  However, in addition to the traditional An Pan, we made one with white bean paste flavored with fresh Matcha tea.  Matcha tea is one of the highest grade teas in Japan and is used for the tea ceremony.  Now back to the history.  During the Meiji Era, many samurai lost their jobs.  It was also during this time where Western cultures were being introduced in Japan.  One samurai who lost his job discovered bread but realized it was not popular because it was not suited for Japanese tastes.  So.. he invented An Pan.  He opened a store in Ginza which still exists and is called Kimuraya which still is the No. 1 shop for An Pan in Japan.

I found it very easy to make.  The fun part though was making the matcha filling.  I decorated the matcha an pan with a salted cherry blossom.  I did not realize one can eat them.  Although the "text" told us to use it for the An Pan, I thought it would go better with the Matcha An Pan as it was more special (Matcha is expensive!).  I only tried the Matcha An Pan and loved it!  Now, I hope I can find the ingredients for the filling in the States!

The doughnut shaped ones have Matcha An filling.

 

The Matcha An Pan with a salted Cherry Blossom

Croissant and Pain au Chocolat

February 1, 2009
ABC Cooking Bread Master Class
Tokyo, Japan

Finally, the day has arrived in my bread making class to make croissants.  Ever since I've had croissants at Laduree in Paris, I have had the desire to learn how to make them.  The croissants at Laduree were the flakiest and buttery croissants I've ever had.  I figure if I learn the basics, I can practice and experiment until I make the perfect Laduree croissant.

The croissants in Japan are pretty good as they love anything French and are perfectionists, so many that I've tasted come close to reminding me of the experience at Laduree.  Therefore, I was looking forward to my class at ABC, as I knew they would make it the "French" way.  In addition to regular croissants, we also made Pain au Chocolat which basically is a croissant with chocolate filling.

I found the lesson not difficult but time consuming.  The key to the perfect croissant seems to be to use flour specially made for French bread, chilled butter and to not do a warm fermentation as the butter will melt.  A big piece of butter is flattened and folded into the dough and then that dough is rolled and folded, refrigerated and the process repeated several times.  When the dough is baked the butter melts between the layers of the dough and thus created a flaky croissant.  Five hours later and exhausted, my croissants and pain du chocolat were done.  They were quite good but not quite like Laduree's.  However, now that I've gained the confidence, I'm looking forward to trying different recipes until I make the perfect Laduree croissant!

Janet's first croissant and pain au chocolat

Pain au Chocolat made with Verona chocolate

My flaky croissant!

Dutch and French Bread - Japanese Style

Sunday January 4, 2009

For my first bread class of the year, I learned to make Dutch and French bread.  I was very excited about this class as I imagined myself finally making a French bread that Julia Child would have been proud of.  Sadly, the breads were both good, but again it was too fluffy and soft for me.  The crust was crusty but not quite with the crunchiness I like.  Anyhow, it was good thus I'm calling it Dutch and French bread, Japanese Style. 

Dutch Bread - ABC Cooking

 

How to make Dutch Bread

• In small bowl (bowl A), put 100grams of bread flour, 1/2tsp of salt and 25 grams of shortening
• In a separate bowl(bowl B), make dough with 100 grams of bread flour, 1and1/3 tsp dry yeast, 1T sugar, 1T skim milk powder, 1/2 egg (26grams) and 110cc of water heated to 45C
• Add ingredients in A to B, continue make dough, and knead
• Flatten dough to a square and incorporate 40 grams of ham and 20 grams of cubed cheese
• Place dough in A and do first fermentation at 30C for 30-40 minutes
• Finger Test to make sure dough is ready
• punch dough and divide into 6 pieces
• Round the dough and cover with damp towel and let dough rest for 10 minutes
• With seam at the bottom, flatten and round again
• Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and damp towel
• Do second fermentation at 30C for 20-25 minutes
• During second fermentation make dough for the crust.  This creates a crunchy topping for the bread
  • Mix in bowl the following ingredients
    • 30 grams of rice flour
    • 1tsp bread flour
    • 2/3tsp dry yeast
    • 1/2tsp sugar
    • 1/6tsp salt
    • 30-40CC of 45C water
  • Then add 1tsp of salad oil and stir to consistency of paste
  • Keep all of the ingredients in the bowl - use a scraper to clean the sides of the bowl
  • Place a plastic wrap over the bowl and ferment at 30C for 15-20min
• Working quickly, spread the six buns with the dough for the crust.  Spread on top of the buns like icing
• Bake in Gas oven at 210C for 11-13 min or Electric oven at 220C for 18-21 min

French Bread - ABC Cooking

 

How to Make French Bread

• First Make the "Inner Dough"
  • Mix and Knead 80 grams of French Bread flour, 1/3tsp dry yeast, 2/3T of sugar and 55-60cc of 45C water
  • Ferment at 30C for 20-25minutes
• Make Main Dough
  • Mix 80 grams of French Bread flour and 1/2tsp salt in Bowl A
  • Mix and knead 90 grams of French Bread flour, 1tsp of dry yeast and 100-110cc of 45C water in Bowl B
  • Add Bowl A to Bowl B and mix and take out of bowl and knead.
  • Divide "Inner Dough" to 4 pieces
  • Flatten Main Dough to square
  • Add inner dough and knead together
  • Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and ferment at 30C fro 35-45 min
• Do Finger Test and if dough is ready punch dough
• Split dough in two and round
• Cover with canvas cloth and damp towel and let rest for 10-15 min
• With seam up, flatten  to oval shape
• Roll the dough and seal the seams tightly
• shape until about 25 cm long
• place on cooking sheet lined pan, cover with canvas cloth and damp towel and ferment at 30C for 10-15 minutes. 
• Make 3 incisions into bread with sharp knife
• Spray water lightly on the bread so it gets crunchy when baking
• Bake in Gas oven at 250C for 8min then reduce to 220 and bake for 8-10min
• For Electric oven bake at 250C for 10-13min then reduce to 230C and bake for 8-10 min