Butter Roll Crisp Bread

I always wanted to try baking bread but as I do not have any bread machine or heavy duty mixer (Although my kenwood mixer came with a dough hook but I dare not try to use it to knead the dough, afraid the mixer cannot tolerate the torturing and declare advance retirement :P), and thinking of kneading the dough by hand really back me off.

I have been flipping through the bread recipes recently, went to library to borrow baking books on bread etc. The reading made me even more urge to lay my fingers on the dough.

Finally, I decided to bring the ingredients to my mum's place for 1st trial of bread making. Thinking if I am over tire of kneading the dough, my dearest helpful sis will sure lend me her helping hand hehehe...

1st mistake, I should have knead the dough on the table. Instead, I put the dough in the mixing bowl and knead it in the bowl while watching TV. Thus, the kneading seem never ending as I didn't put in effort to knead (well, guess I am not a multi-tasking person) and the effort needed is double if knead in the mixing bowl vs on table top.

2nd mistake, I shouldn't use eggwhite to brush the top of the bread, I think this will harden the surface of the bread.

3rd mistake, I should have monitor closely on the oven rather than leave it till times up that caused the burnt top.

4th mistake, I should have chose another more easier recipe for 1st bread making as this recipe is not easy to manage as it needs to fold and roll up the dough after spreading the butter twice and also the cream cheese.


Recipe from Honey Bee Sweet.

Ingredients:
400g bread flour
20g quality unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
6g salt
1 egg yolk
220ml fresh milk (I replaced by strawberry milk)
6g instant active yeast

Filling
60g quality salted butter, room temperature (divide into 2 portions)
30g cream cheese, room temperature

Method:
1. Knead the ingredients bread dough together till it's smooth and elastic.
2. Let proof in a covered container up to 90 minutes or more till double in size.
3. Punch out the air and roll into a ball. Let rest for 20 minutes before shaping.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into 20cm by 40cm rectangular sheet.
5. Spread one portion of the salted butter on to the dough evenly, leaving 1" at the edges.
6. Fold up the dough in a letter form and again roll out into 20cm by 40cm rectangular sheet. At this point if the dough is hard to manage, chill in fridge for 15 minutes before working with it again.
7. Spread the 2nd portion of the rectangular sheet dough and fold in letter form again. Again repeat the above, then spreading the cream cheese at last. Finally fold and roll out into 10cm by 20cm.
8. Using a rubber scraper, cut the dough into half, meaning 2 pieces of 10cm by 10cm.
9. While working on one, chill the other portion. Cut the dough into 10 strips of 1cm by 1cm. Do not worry if you don't get the measurement accurately, just make sure you can get at least 8 to 9 strips of dough out of one portion.
10. Twirl the strips, cut side facing up and coil the dough up and place in a greased baking pan of your choice. Repeat till all dough is used.
11. Let proof for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
12. Brush the top with egg wash and bake in the oven for 20 to 24 minutes till top is golden brown.
13. Once out of the oven, you can glazed the top with warm jam else leave it to cool on rack.

Verdict?
Although the bread was burnt with ugly outlook but it tasted quite soft and very fragrant. Dear husband and sis commented was nice and kind sis kept praising and to proof, she helped herself with 2nd serving.