Golden Pillow Curry Chicken Bread

I first had the Golden Pillow 金枕头 ..hmm...more than 10 years ago with my husband and my sis. We ordered online for home delivery. It claimed for 3 person share but it wasn't enough at all. Since then, I haven't had it again after we have tried...cos maybe we forgot?...it was nothing fancy then just that we were amazed by the bread wrapping up the curry chicken. Think it's best to cook our own curry chicken to eat with bread. 

Since I have learnt how to bake bread and buns now, I want to try different types so that my family can enjoy them. The memory rekindled with my baking friend Veronica from Peng Kitchen, who recently baked this golden pillow from scratch. After I get her advice, I decided to give it a kick...

I am very happy with the result using the basic straight dough recipe I googled online HERE.

You can use your own favorite bread dough recipe to make it too. I wrap the bread dough over the wrapped curry chicken instead to have a nice round shape.

CURRY CHICKEN BREAD

Ingredients:-

• 340g bread flour
• 50g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp yeast
• 210g milk
• 40g butter
• Curry chicken (precooked beforehand)
• Aluminium Foil

 Method:

Curry Chicken

1. Make the aluminum foil into a bowl and fill in with curry chicken. 
2. Wrap it up slowly and be careful not to tear any part of the foil to prevent spilling.
3. You can wrap another layer of foil if needed.
4. Set aside

Bread Dough

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixer and using a dough hook mix till well combined.
2. Add milk till dough is formed.
3. Add softened butter and knead for 15 minutes or till dough is not sticky and pass window pane test.
4. Fold the dough into a ball and place it in a greased container,cling wrap it and proof for 45 minutes or till it doubles its size.
5. Remove and divide them into 3 doughs (around 180gm). Mould each into a ball again and let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Roll out big enough to wrap the curry chicken foil.
7. Place the wrapped curry chicken on the flattened dough and wrap it up like a pillow. Pinch the edges tightly.
8. Place shaped dough onto lined baking tins,cling wrap and proof for 45 minutes.
9. Eggwash after 2nd proofing.
10. Bake in a pre heated oven for 12-15 minutes at 160°C.
11. Remove from baking tin immediately and cool on rack.

Cocoa Bread

2 days ago, I decided to try out the recipe from the baking books I have collected as I always make use of the same basic dough for my different designs of buns/loaf. I hand knead all my bread dough as I don't own a BM.

So, here comes the cocoa bread! I would say this dough is very sticky to handle but it yields a soft bread. Can eat on its own or goes very well with ice cream or spread with jams.

Cocoa Bread
(Recipe adapted from Home baking 星期天的烘焙时光)

Ingredients:

235 gm bread flour

15 gm cocoa powder

5 gm yeast

45 gm sugar

1 egg (50gm)

120 gm milk

30 gm unsalted butter

4 gm salt

Method: 

1) Place the dry ingredients and stir together. (Yeast must not be placed in direct contact with salt as it will 'kill' the yeast and become inactive)

2) Add in the wet ingredients (egg & milk)

3) Mix together and pour out onto tabletop to knead by hand for abt 8 min. Add in butter and knead again for another 10min or until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

4) Oil bowl and put in the dough, cover with cling wrap and leave to proof for an hour or till doubled in size.

5) Punch out the air and divide into 3 portions. Each rolled into a ball, cover and let it rest for 15 min.

6) At the same time, grease the loaf pan (20cm*10cm). Here I use pullman tin.

7) Flatten out the dough into rectangular shape, fold in both sides and roll into a load, pinch the edges tightly. Repeat for the other 2 dough. (See last photo below)

8) Place the 3 rolled dough side by side, with the closing ends facing down. 2nd proofing for  an hour or doubled in size.

9) Egg wash and bake at 180C preheated oven for 25-30mins.

Enjoy Baking!

My 2nd attempt with bread baking.

After my first bread baking, I tried again one more time as I wasn't happy with the texture. This time back then was slightly better. However my kids were amazed by the bread I baked which made me very happy. Since then, I wished that I could bake a spread of different bread with the right soft yet spongy texture, home baked and healthy bread for my family.  

My FIrst time in Bread Baking

It has been very very long since I last blogged...actually almost forgotten about it. My passion in baking has grown much stronger over the years and with a group of bakers and home chef, the list to bake/cook is getting no shorter ever.

I still remember my very 1st encounter in bread baking was shared by my friend, Jen who had shared with me her recipe after I saw her Facebook posting. No tutorial or hands on was taught, but I was so happy to be able to bake bread and it was my first time. Or perhaps, I am too greedy to try out different types of bread for a first timer. Chicken floss, sugar twist, hotdog and raisins bun were my very first encounter with bread baking.