My Bread Obsessions: Various Soft and Fluffy Homemade Bread using Tangzhong / Water Roux method

Hello!  First of all, warning!  this is a very long post!
Sit back, relax, have a cup of coffee or tea with you... you might need to topped up :D

It has been more than a year since my last blog, how time flies.  We have another baby, he is almost 18 months now. I was still doing cakes until August this year. It has been so busy, and hard juggling family and cakes.  I am glad finally I stopped doing cakes, gives me more time to concentrate purely on my family... can cook, bake and when I have spare time, blogging again (smileeee...)

Before I start, here is showing off my last wedding cake delivered end of August this year. Large 3-tier cake with Giant Fantasy Peony. The color made to suit the wedding color theme, and the flower to match the Bride's floral bouquet.  This wedding could be my last last last cake creation I have ever made.  I am thinking of closing it for good.  Got suggestions from family and friends saying that I should keep all cake stuffs and wait.  At the moment I really don't see any chance of making cakes again.  Well only time, situation and condition will tell.

Took me 2 full days just for the sugar flowers.

For me, it was worth the "sweat and blood" (smile).

I got a "Thank You" note from the Bride already.

What do you think? (smile)

OK back to my bread obsession... I have been thinking how to make a soft and fluffy bread like I get at home (Jakarta, Indonesia).  So soft and fluffy and still is even the next day.

The only place I could find those bread here is in Chinatown in Sydney.  I did make few bread in the past but they are not like these type of bread.  Now I have been reading Christine's Recipes blog for some time now,  until one day I read about Japanese Bacon and Cheese bread recipe using Tangzhong / Water Roux, made me curious to find out more about it.  You will find other bread recipes using Tangzhong / Water Roux on this blog too.

For full detailed explanation about Tangzhong or Water Roux, including the Recipe Converting Calculation can be read in full on Simply A Food Blog.  Really great detailed explanation.  Thank you Simply A Food Blog for sharing your knowledge with the world (smile).

Banana and Chocolate Buns

This is the very first bread I make using Tangzhong / Water Roux.  The recipe can be found on Christine's Recipes Blog.

You can see the step-by-step instruction with beautiful photos there.  As usual, mine don't look good, but trust me they tasted good.

I only used the buns recipe and the filling was banana and chocolate sprinkles.

 I used my stand mixer to knead the dough.

Here is the dough after kneading.

 After first proofing.

 After resting for 15 minutes.

 After 1 hour of proofing.

 Freshly baked.

 The filling: banana and chocolate sprinkles.

Told you they are not pretty.

But they are fragrant, soft and fluffy.

My family loved them (smile)

Chocolate Rolls with a hint of Cinnamon

Using the same recipe, I made chocolate rolls with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  

This time I tried longer proofing just curious to see how it will look like.

 Rolled and topped.

 Cut and cover with cling / saran wrap.

 After proofing 1 hour.

 After proofing 3 hours!

 Freshly baked.

The inside...yum!



Once I had a little left over dough,
filled it with chocolate sprinkles again.

Freshly baked.

Chicken Curry Buns

Again, using the same recipe, I made these chicken and curry buns.

 After kneading.

 After proofing

 Divided, filled and rest.

 After 60 minutes of proofing.

 Freshly baked.

The filling...yum! again!

Ham and Cheese Buns

Again, using the same recipe, I made these ham and cheese buns.

 I don't know how to rotate this photo :(

Sausage Buns

Again, using the same recipe, I made these sausage buns.

I have been making these sausage buns many times, my boys loved them.

 Got a little extra dough, I filled it with cheddar cheese.

Spiced Tuna Buns

Again, using the same recipe, I made these spiced tuna buns.

Original Spiced Tuna Recipe is from
Mrs. Judith Schaad
on her blog post Panada Ikan.
It's one of Indonesian traditional food from
Manado, South Sulawesi of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.

I will read a full blog post on this Panada Ikan in separate post.


I told ya it is going to be a very long blog post :p


Thank you for reading ^_^