Espresso Coffee Raisins Buns

I do love making my own bread every week and this is my most favorite recipe which I keep baking so far. This time I baked in a small buns with adding espresso coffee powder and raisins. I like coffee buns and DH likes to eat raisins. I am a fan of making bread by using whipping cream and I guess this is the best bread recipe ever for my thought. The super soft texture and taste wise are always amazing also it can be use to apply for any types of bread as well. I got my favorite recipe from one Thai blogger who modify this recipe from HML recipe into her version as I mentioned previously in this post "Cotton Soft Bread" http://thesweetmaison.blogspot.com/2010/06/cotton-soft-bread.html

From many experiences with this recipe, I did some minor changes and here is my version of making these delicious buns:

Espresso Coffee Raisins Buns
Bread flour 225 g.
Cake flour 75 g.
Salt 4 g.
Espresso powder 1 1/2 tsp.
Whipping cream 75 g.
Beaten egg 30 g.
Warm water 113 g.
Sugar 50 g.
Dry yeast 5 g.
Raisin 50 g.
1. Mix dry yeast, sugar and warm water then stir well and set aside.
2. Heat whipping cream in the microwave and add espresso powder. Stir well and set aside to let it cool to room temperature.
3. Mix beaten egg with whipping cream and set aside.
4. In the mixing bowl, add in bread flour, cake flour and salt. Use spatula stir just to combine.
5. Use low speed to mix dry ingredients and gradually add in (1) and (3). Increase the speed to medium speed and continue kneading the dough till smooth and elastic. Add in raisins and knead for few minutes more.
6. Shape the dough in ball shape and place in the greased bowl then wrap with cling film. Let the dough proof till double in size. It will take around 45 mins - 1 hour. 6. Punch down the dough to release the air and divide the dough into 9 portions equally.
7. Let the dough rest for 10 min. and shape into a small ball. Place the dough in the greased square pan and continue to finish all 9 portions. Wrap the pan with cling film and proof the doughs for 40 mins.
8. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle some white sesame.
9. Bake in preheat oven at 175C for 20 mins.

Mixed Fruits Banana Muffins

Found out the bananas which had been sitting the the freezer for a month, I could not think of what to make and finally ended up with making these muffins.

If you noticed my blog, I have many recipes that related about banana. This time I chose the recipe from Nigella Lawson's website which I baked it long time back in mini banana muffins http://thesweetmaison.blogspot.com/2010/05/mini-banana-chocolate-chunk-muffins.html Due to I'm storing a lot of dried cranberries, dried apricots and black raisins so I guessed It will be good to add them in for this time.

The combination of banana cake / quick bread / muffin will never go wrong with adding fresh fruit or dried fruit. The recipe is very easy and not many main ingredients required also fast to mix and bake. Hope it will be another idea for you when thinking of baking banana muffins with low in calories :)


Mixed Fruits Banana Chocolate Muffins
Yield 12 pcs. of standard muffin size

Mashed ripe bananas 3
Canola Oil 125 ml.
Eggs 2
Vanilla 1 tsp.
All purpose flour 250 g.
Sugar 100 g.
Bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp.
Baking powder 1 tsp.
Salt 1/8 tsp. (added from the original recipe)
Dried cranberries 50 g. (chop into small pieces)
Dried apricots 50 g. (chop into small pieces)
Black raisins 50 g.

1. Combine canola oil, eggs and vanilla set aside
2. Whisk flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl then add in dried fruits. Stir just to coat dried fruits with flour and make well in the centre.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix till just combined (Do not over mix) then add mashed banana mix till combined.
* The batter will look lumpy not smooth.
4. Scoop the batter into muffin pan lined with paper liners and baked in preheat oven 180C with fan function or 200C without fan for 20 mins

Flower Tarts

Experiment with these flower tarts last Friday and I was pleased with the result .... Cute & Delicious! By the way, I still need to practice my skill more for nice even shape before sending them out for customers to try. I want them to be perfect in taste and look....more experiments has to be continuing!

DH and I were enjoyed the big size of this tart. Our family is a fan of pineapple tart so it only took us to finish this batch of tarts in 2 days :)

When I'm writing this post and looking to my photos, I'm suddenly thinking of French Words:

Petite Fleur = Small Flower

Grande Fleur = Big Flower

Dear All, have a great weekend ahead :)