French Bread Rolls

This roll recipe is simple and delicious. On day 2, heat up with microwave for 1 minute to get the "just baked" taste.

Ingredients

Water - 1 1⁄2 cups
Active dry yeast - 1 TBSP

Sugar - 2 TBSP

Olive oil - 2 TBSP

Salt - 1 tsp

Bread flour - 4 cups

Yield: 16 rolls

Steps

1. Mix together warm water, yeast and sugar and let stand for about 10 minutes.
2. In large bowl, combine yeast mixture with oil, salt and flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Cover the dough and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Deflate the dough and turn out onto floured surface.
5. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and form into rounds.
6. Place rolls onto lightly greased baking sheet at least 2" apart. Cover rolls with cloth and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400°F and bake rolls for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Soft Sea Salt Caramels

Caramels for holidays following this recipe.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
Heavy whipping cream - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 TBSP
Light corn syrup - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp
Coarse or flaked sea salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Yield: 60 caramels

Steps

1. Line a pan/mold with parchment paper, lightly spray oil on parchment paper. My mold is about 9" x 7".
2. Cut butter into pieces then combine with heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until butter has melted. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan combine the water and corn syrup. Then, add the sugar, but try your best not to splatter the sugar up the sides of the pan. Now, use a spoon to gently stir the sugar into the water and corn syrup, just moistening the sugar.
4. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has come to a boil. Then, cover with a lid for 1 minute. This adds steam/moisture to the pan, so any sugar that may have stuck to the sides of the pan melts and falls back into the boiling sugar.

5. Remove lid then attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Then, cook sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar reaches a temperature of 320°F. At this temperature, the sugar will take on a light amber color around the edges of the pan.

6. The moment the sugar reaches 320°F, carefully pour about a sixth of the butter and cream mixture then stir, using the base of the candy thermometer to incorporate it. Repeat with the remaining cream and butter. The sugar will bubble violently as you add the butter and cream – so do this carefully and slowly to prevent the mixture from bubbling over the sides of the saucepan.
7. By adding the cream and butter, the temperature will drop. Now, continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the caramel reaches a temperature of 240°F. This will create a soft caramel, if you want slightly harder caramels, bring the temperature closer to 245°F.

8. The moment the caramel reaches your desired temperature, pour into the prepared pan/mold. Cool 20 to 30 minutes then scatter the salt over the caramel. Then, let the caramel cool 3 1/2 hours.

9. Remove the caramel from pan/mold. If the caramel is too soft to work with, place into the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes to firm up. Then, use a large sharp knife to cut into your desired shape. I followed the grid on my mold and cut them into 1.5" x 0.7" rectangles.
10. Wrap caramels in plastic wrap or waxed paper and enjoy immediately, or you can refrigerate or freeze for enjoying later. I used this 4.5" x 5.5" wrapper, divided into two.

Note:

Double the recipe and use the 8.25" x 8.25" square mold can get a thicker caramel pieces. 

Soft Pretzel Bites

Modified this pretzel bites recipe for egg-free. Kids approved!

Ingredients

Warm water - 1 1/2 cups
Light brown sugar - 2 TBSP
Active dry yeast -1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons)
Unsalted butter - 3 oz (6 TBSP), melted
Kosher salt - 2 1/2 tsp
All-purpose flour - 4 1/2 to 5 cups
Water - 3 quarts (12 cups)
Baking soda - 1/3 cup for boiling the pretzels
Vegetable oil spray for coating
Coarse sea salt

Steps

1. Mix the warm water, sugar, yeast, and butter in a mixing bowl until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the salt and flour; continue kneading into a smooth ball. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
5. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small pot over high heat and carefully add the baking soda slowly.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites.
7. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon.

8. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Spray with oil spray and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

9 Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.

Optional cheese sauce

Unsalted butter - ½ Tablespoon
All-purpose flour - ½ Tablespoon
Milk - ½ cup
Cheddar cheese - 8 ounces, grated
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Note

If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, until the consistency is right.

Ciabatta Bread

Ciabatta is a rustic Italian loaf that is perfect for dipping into soups or sauces. Its named after its shape - slipper in Italian. The recipe is adjust using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast.

Ingredients

【Starter】
Bread flour - 1 and 1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup, lukewarm
Active dry yeast - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
【Dough】
Bread flour - 2 and 3/4 cups
Water - 1 cup
Salt - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Olive oil - 1/2 tsp

Steps

1. To make the sponge, in a small mixing bowl, add yeast, sugar and warm water. Make sure sugar and yeast is dissolved before add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well mixed and free of lumps. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight, at least 12 hours but up to 24 hours. This will add a lot of structure and flavor to the finished bread.

 2. Remove the sponge from the refrigerator and add the remaining water. Gently run a rubber spatula around the outer edge to release the sponge from the bowl. The water you just added will make this easier.

3. Transfer the sponge mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the remaining flour and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Turn the speed up one notch and beat for another minute. Then turn the speed up one more notch and beat until the dough starts to release from the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.

4. Drizzle the olive oil in a large bowl and rub it around to evenly coat the inside of the bowl. With wet hands, transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.

5. Using a well-greased scraper, gently fold the dough over onto itself. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 45 minutes. Repeat this step once more and let the dough rise for a final 45 minutes.

6. Liberally flour your work surface with flour and let the dough slide out of the bowl onto the counter. Be very gently here so you don't knock all the air out of the dough and try to handle the dough as little as possible.

7. Liberally dust the top of the dough with flour. Using 2 well-floured bench scrapers, carefully manipulate the dough from the sides to form a square. Take care not to put pressure on top of the dough.

8. Cut the dough in half, down the middle of the square. Gently shape each half into 2 loaves by using the bench scrapers to manipulate the sides.

9. Dust two parchment paper with flour and transfer the loaves on to paper.

10. Cover the dough with lint-free cloth and let it rest for 20 minutes.

11. Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Place a large inverted baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 450°F.
12. Dust off any excess flour and spray the loaves lightly with water.
13. Carefully slide the parchment with loaves on the heated baking sheet in the oven using a jerking motion.
14. Bake, spraying the loaves with water twice more during the first 5 minutes of baking time, until the crust is a deep golden brown, about 22-27 minutes. The internal temperature of the bread should be 205-210°F.

15. Transfer to an oven rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

A classic cookie with recipe from Better Homes' Cookbook.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cup
Rolled oats - 2 cups
Butter - 3/4 cup, softened
Brown sugar - 1 cup, packed
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/3 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Apple sauce - 1/2 cup (used to replace 2 eggs)
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Raisin - 1 cup
(Optional) 1/2 tsp cinnamon
(Optional)1/2 tsp ground cloves

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds; add brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon and cloves; beat until combined; Beat in apple sauce and vanilla; beat in flour.
3. Stir in rolled oats; stir in raisin.

4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring to wire rack to cool.

Japanese Cheesecake (日式乳酪蛋糕)

The Japanese Cheesecake is light and cotton soft, people will love it even if they do not like cheese at all. Making it is a little bit tricky. The successful Japanese cheesecake should have a nice dome on top that is smooth and not cracked, with a velvet soft texture. It takes a lot of trials and errors. Here is the best reading about how to make Japanese Cheesecake successfully. For the recipe, I adapted from Diana's Desert since a block of cream cheese is 8 oz in America.

Ingredients

Cream cheese - 1 block, 8 oz
Milk - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/4 cup
Egg - 6
Cake flour - 60 g
Corn starch - 20 g

Lemon juice - 1 TBSP

Granulated sugar - 140 g
Cream of tartar  - 1/4 tsp(optional)

Steps

1. Separate the eggs into egg whites and egg yolks.
2. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture, then fold in the flour, the cornflour, egg yolks, lemon juice and mix well. 

3. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar, and sugar until soft peaks form.

4. Take 1/3 meringue and fold into the cheese mixture, then fold in another 1/3 of meringue. After incorporated, pour the batter back to the remaining 1/3 meringue and fold gently.
5. Well grease a 10" cake pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the batter in cake pan. Or prepare two 6" cake pan, and split the batter. 

6. Bake the cheesecake is tricky. My current procedure is to split the cake into two 6" cake pan, each of sit in a water bath with a 9" cake pan. 
a. Preheat the oven to 390°F. Place a pan with hot water a the bottom most shelf. Bake for 15 minutes. 
b. Adjust oven temperature to 320°F, bake for 12 minutes.
c. Turn off oven, bake for 20 minute. 

d. Open the door of the oven slightly, wait for 10 mins.

e. Take out the cake, and set it top down on a parchment paper to cool down

7. Wrap the cake and put in refrigerator for 4+ hours before serve.  

Smoked Pork Belly - Hunan Style(湖南腊肉)

Smoked pork was a way to preserve meat, and then became a signature dish in Hunan cuisine . The smoking process is the key for its the special texture and flavor.

Steps:

1. Rub pork belly strips with salt, and powder of Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum 花椒). Cover and leave in refrigerator for 2-3 days.

2. Rub the marinated pork belly strips with hard liquor, and then hang outdoor to be air dried for 2-3 days.

3. Smoke with wood chips in smoker for 6-12 hours, depends on the size and temperature.

4. Let the smoked pork belly cool down and store in refrigerator or freezer.

You can steam the meat and serve as appetizer, or stir fry the meat with vegetable or rice.