Baking Sessions

How did you spent your Christmas holiday this year? I spent most of my days making bread, bread and bread. Ya.. For 3 consecutive days, I have been making a load of bread each day. Really making good use of the new Kenwood BM450 bread maker. Just can't wait to share my baking experience with you all.. Here you go: 

On Christmas eve, I made pure Chocolate bread for my hubby and kids. :) 

Nowadays making bread is just so simple with breadmaker (any brand and model). :) Just throw in all the ingredients and it will do the kneading and raising and then baking on its own. You must follow the amount of ingredient stated in the recipe book ya.. Don't be too pandai pandai to add your own ingredient weight into your recipe ya. Maybe once you master already, then you can add whatever you want into it. So, i followed suit what is stated on the book, what to put first and put end are also important. E.g you can't put yeast first, then top up with water and flour. Your dough will raise too high and end up your bread too hollow inside. So , must follow ya... :) 

The base ingredients are water, egg, flour, brown sugar, salt, butter and yeast. All into the mold waiting to knead.

After the 1st knead process. 

I find this KENWOOD breadmaker does a good job in the kneading processes. It will make sure no dough balance stick at the side of the mold. End result, very clean wall with a nice dough in the centre of the mold. Fantastic! No user intervention! Very auto! 

Baking process done in 55mins!

It is very hot! So wear protective gloves when handle with it!

The mold is a non-stick material. Just turn the mold upside down , a light shake, the bread will come out. Nothing stick in between.. Be careful ya.. must wear protective gloves. Don't get yourself burn, it is indeed piping hot!!

Chocolate Bread waiting to be cut/slice

MASTERPIECE!!

Nice? I share half of the loaf with my parents in law when they dropped by our house to join us for dinner. Got their compliments tau? hehehe.. so happy!! :)

On Christmas day, which is also Sunday, I will bring my kids to visit my mum. I always make it a point to visit them at least once in a week. They actually miss their grandchildren very much. Ya, i miss them too :) Especially my mum. My best friend! :) Made them light wholemeal bread, mixture of high protein flour and wholemeal bread. I think is 70% wholemeal and 30% HP flour. Less sugar for them , as my parents do not really fancy sweet stuff. Oh ya, wholemeal bread won't raise high, it is more compact compare to normal bread. This is normal. :) 

Light wholemeal bread for my mum and dad :)

Another MASTERPIECE!

My parents didn't cook any for lunch on Monday. Just tah-pau some Assam Curry Fish and eat with the bread. FINISHED tau? :P Oh ya, if you see those black dots dots on the bread, those are actually black sesame seeds. I also added white sesame seeds too, but can't see here.. just some additionall touch from me to my parents. :)  

Next, on Monday which is Christmas's replacement holiday, made another bread. Raisin + Chopped Almonds Bread. Saliva dripping le? Hehehe..I weight all the ingredients put all into the mold, also added raisin and chopped almonds into the breadmaker pocket. Ya, it is a pocket! A small compartment to put side dry ingredients. This is new ya.. not all breadmaker has this. Why do we need this? Coz if you put these dry ingredients too early during kneading process, it will turn too soggy and crushed even before baking. So Kenwood breadmaker has these few programmes that will ajar the pocket door, at certain period of kneading, don't you think it is intelligent? :P For this bread, I used the delay timer of 6hours. I set the Start button at 9am , and since i need to bring MM to visit my parents again, so I plan to have my fresh baked bread at 3pm when i reach home. So , i set 6 hours timer , 9am-3pm , is 6 hours la.. Once reached home at 3pm, OMG! The smell!! As though, i entered into bakery shop.. hahahaha! So delighted tau!! 

Add in raisin and chopped almonds into the breadmaker pocket.

Raisin + Chopped Almonds Bread .. The best look!

Another another MASTERPIECE!

Soft inside, crunchy outside!! Delicious!! So satisfying!

The reason I decided to get a breadmaker is because I don't want my family to consume so much artificial perservatives which are loaded into those commercial bread. Since I did not use any perservative, I need to store those bread in good condition. I put all into TUPPERWARE brand containers , and keep it into fridge if we can't finished the load within 2 days time. But, actually usually finished in 2 days time la.. :P Hor??? Hubby hor?? Hehehehe.. :P

New Kitchen Appliance: Breadmaker

Few weeks ago, my hubby told me that maybe we should try to make homemade bread. Lately, almost everyday, our breakfast is bread bread and bread. Of coz, not just plain bread. It will be a rotating ingredients such as ommelette, hard boiled egg, ham, bacon, crabstick, sausages or cheese as the filling of the sandwiches. Before this I always tah-pau nasi lemak, mcD meal and roti canai, in which all these are just too fattening. Beside that, i need to spend extra time to find parking and tau pau from these stall. End up , i'm always way out of clock to reach the office. :S 

My 2 kids loves to eat bread. Sometimes MM will ask 'Mommy! Wo yau men pau'. When MM is eating, the young toddler JJ will want too. JJ nowadays knows how to nod when she wants something. I find that in just 14 months, JJ is quite good in interacting. She can understand us, and we can understand her needs as well. Things is getting easier for us now.. at least. :)

Empress Breadmaker - Cosway

Noxxa Breadmaker Oven - Amway

So, I'm been searching high and low for our preferred home breadmaker. The normal breadmaker is ranging from RM200-RM500. We went to cosway to take a lot at the Empress Breadmaker, which is at RM269 + 5 RP. I almost wanted to buy it coz it suit all our needs, but we changed our mind when the promoter told us that this model will discontinued next year. I wonder what the cosway boss will feel. The promoter is pouring rice out from boss' rice bucket. hehehehe.. :P Then 2 of my colls bought the Noxxa Breadmaker from AMWAY. It is a 3 in 1 appliance (Oven+Toaster+Breadmaker). And it cost about RM1000! Physically it looks like an microwave oven. I'm actually lacking of space to put another big appliance. I guess this option is big no no for me since i already have oven and toaster , and only looking for a breadmaker. 

Elba Breadmaker

Next , we went to an electrical shop nearby our house. We saw this ELBA brand. See once, not bad.. see twice, 'ei, macam tesco breadmaker look'. The price is at RM499, but the boss willing to let go at RM299, without us even asking for negotiation! Skeptical skeptical.. macam tak betul aje..:P So, i tell hubby, go home think thrice first. My objective is simple, i just want to get one durable breadmaker that able to make good breads for my family and at the same time won't eat up my kitchen space.

Kenwood BM450

Have you heard of KENWOOD breadmaker? Heard of Kenwood, sure will concern about the price tag. Price ranging from RM500-RM900. Ya.. luxury brand. It has 2 models in Malaysia BM260 and BM450. BM260 is around RM500+ , but the review about the noise when kneading , pull me back. Check out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ZeU5ePkdM&feature=related

BM450 is at RM900 (price quoted by SenQ), Yes.. RM900, mata also terbeliak liao! Some more need to wait for 1 week for stock arrival. But the look of it is so class! Like a love at first sight! Touch screen lagi.. easy for clean up! Like it so much.. seen the review at youtube, love it even more! Check out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwiLnEgkuD8 . OK! So made up my mind ! It gotta be KENWOOD BM450. But too pricey wor! How how how le? Been google a lot about it, and finally found a appliance site www.cresdo.com that sell only at RM809. Free shipping lagi! Next, check out if this site is a scam or what.. quite a number of ppl bought from this site and some gave very good review. A blogger even hint me to put in discount coupon 'tweentyoff' during checkout to get additional RM20 discount. HOHOHO ... So total is just RM789.. i'm saving RM111 if i buy from this site. OK! Set. Paid and delivered to my doorstep within 5 working days.


Arrived in superb condition. Warranty chopped and attached. Recipes book all ada.. wah! Siok habis. The look of this breadmaker.. adui.. Memang class! Worth every of my penny!!

Made my first Egg-enriched white bread 2 days ago. So damn happy 1st trial, it turned out so yummy delicious. Hehehehe! So many other recipes to try... just can't wait to try more and more.. Will blog about this more soon..  :)

This weekends, will go shop for more bread ingredients.. Yippie!

Btw, Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and family. :)

     

JJ is on the move!!

JJ takes her first steps at her 13th month. Not very steady yet, but able to walk unassisted in short distance. Though a bit late compared to her sister who can walked quite well at 11+months, JJ is still within the expected milestone. :) Ganbatte JJ!!  

Water Play at Home

This is how my 2 daughters spend their Sunday morning with each other. Yeah, water play at our lovely home. :) While they playing, I'll be around doing trimming and watering my plants. What a relaxing Sunday.. Message to hub: We should get a garden table and chairs to enjoy coffee while children are playing. **Wink wink** :P

MM's 1st Concert

This is the 1st time MM performed at children concert held by her daycare centre on 8th Nov 2011. The concert started at 7:30pm but myself and hubby was so excited and thrilled when finally it is our precious daughter's turn to dance. I almost can't recognize as her teacher has tied up her hair, make up and she just look so different.... in a good way.. :) Good job to all all MM's dedicated teachers.

When the music starts.. OMG, it is a rock and roll!.. She shook her butt, swung her hands.. turned here and there.. just funny to see a group of 3 years old students dancing. :) It was not organized and most of them doing their own acts and choreography. But who care... we just want these young children not stage-shy and having fun performing in front of thousands spectators. The concert ended at 10:20pm and every children are given a goodies bag and big angry bird balloon.

Since we are not allowed to bring in camera into the concert, I managed to snap few photos once we reached home.

Practising at home.. hehehe