Hearty Breakfast (White Bread Attemp #001)

Attempted my first white bread last night. You can't really see it in this picture, but it kinda look like a fatt kuih, and taste like one too! I gotta get me self some active dry yeast soon! But all the same, it was a wonderful hearty Sunday breakfast. Interesting fact is, I can eat 4 pieces of Gardenia white bread and still be hungry, but one slice of my little zoji bread and I'm filled up. The weight of the bread is also heavier, and the texture is courser. Need to experiment on how to make white fluffy bread. Probably need to change the low graded bread flour I'm using, and maybe get better yeast.

Anyway, after watching some youtube clips, I've also changed the way I made my scramble eggs, and it tasted wonderful today! Here is my favourite of the clips I saw on youtube on how to make perfect scramble eggs! Enjoy!



Ref:
Scramble Eggs

Raisin Cinnamon Bread

I blew about S$34 on baking ingredient, and that should keep me happy for a few weeks of baking. First bread from my little zoji: Raisin Cinnamon Bread, made of water, bread flour, salt, dry milk, cinnamon powder, raisins, butter, sugar and instant yeast. Cook time is about 2 hours with Instant Yeast, Dry Yeast would take about 3.5 hours. Verdict? Very dense! Very chewy! But nice all the same, especially when it's warm! I can just imagine that I'll always have a hearty breakfast from today onwards with freshly made bread!


Also went a bit crazy at the library today and got two fantastic books on making bread with a bread machine! These books will come in handy when I explore more variety of bread I can use. See ref for book info :)

Ref:
The Complete Bread Machine Book
The Bread Book

My Zojirushi!

You know how it is, you started out with a S$10 bone china tea set, and next thing you know it, you've gone out and bought yourself a S$399 Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini! Weeeee! So excited that I'm blogging this at 1:30am and feeling energetic about it even though I have to work this Sunday!Here's what it looked like, ka-pok picture from Zojirushi.com US site. (I figure they won't mind the free publicity and review)


This is actually the 2nd Zojirushi I'll be using. My brother lend me his while I was living in the hostel during my student days. The smell of freshly baked brownies are to die for! Looking forward to making more of it soon. Yes, I know, it's a bread maker etc etc, but it also make cakes! And jams! And now with the improve version, I can make buns, cookies, and even cheesecake! I've already gone through the manual, and planned out my shopping list of ingredient! So I'm gonna go sleep now, and wake up real early to get a head start! Stay tune!

Ref:
My Home Bakery Mini!
www.zojirushi.com US Site
Zojirushi Japan Site (for super cute bakeries!)
The BB-HAQ10 Manual (in case you're interested)

Tea Theraphy

I've gone all snobbish and English with my very first purchased of a bone china tea set! I was actually eye-ing something a bit classier from Takashimaya, but class came at around S$50 per set! So I settled for something made in china instead, and bought from across the cross-way at JB when Jusco was having a sale on (20% discount from original price!)! Total damage price? S$10 :D Heck, I spend more money on the tea alone in Singapore! But managed to get myself 4 packs of Dilmah tea for only S$1 per pack at the recent Singapore Food Expo!

Picture above was taken on a weekend tea time at home with Earl Grey Scones (also from JB). And I'm writing this now at midnight, with a cup of peppermint tea by my side and George Michael singing Jazz music in the background.... Life doesn't get any more relaxing than that! Looking forward to another splendid breakfast coming up in the weekend! Cordy has gone all civilized now :P

Ref:
Bone China
Dilmah Tea

Egg Benedict Breakfast

Looks like weekend breakfast would be a regular post in the Midnight blog from now onwards! And on this weekend's breakfast menu is Egg Benedict! The very first Egg Benedict that I tried was just slightly over 6 months ago at 1-Caramel when the Woman's Weekly magazine had a 1-for-1 promotion on its breakfast. A set of Egg Benedict breakfast cost about S$15! But it came with Parma ham and the loveliest Hollandaise sauce I've ever tasted! Ever since then, my hubby has been trying to make Egg Benedict for me for breakfast. The picture above is the attempt number 2 or 3 from him.

And here is the picture of my very first Egg Benedict I made myself! Ladies and gentlemen, my very first poached egg! I'm so proud now I feel tears swelling in my eyes! Hahaha. For those who want to try this, cooking instructions attached :)

Cooking Instruction:
1. Bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a slow simmer (means small bubble coming out, but not overly boiling) in a shallow pan.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (not mandatory, but it helps somehow)
3. Break an egg into a shallow cup or bowl, and slowly slide the egg into the pan.
4. Cooked between 5 - 10 minutes, and drain the egg dry.
5. On a piece of rye bread, place a slice of parma ham or smoke salmon, top with one poached egg, and cover with hollandaise sauce (you can buy them ready made from Master Food, click here.

Ref:
Egg Benedict
1-Caramel
Parma Ham
Hollandaise sauce
Poached Egg
Master Food (I love their sauces!)