We have a big bottle of ube haleya in the fridge which has an expiration date of one month so I don’t know how we would finish it. Of course I don’t want to waste it as it’s not cheap and it’s made by nuns in Baguio. Have you tried it? It’s really good and made with no preservatives hence the short expiration date. So I thought about baking ube bread. Wow it’s been a long while since I last baked something. Hmmmn… let me think when’s the last time… I really can’t remember so I guess it’s been almost a year.
Another factor why I baked? It’s because of the weather! It’s so hot outside it will be perfect for dough rising. And I was right.
Ube Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. lukewarm water
1 small egg + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. melted butter
1 1/4 cup bread flour (additional for dusting)
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup ube halaya
6 inch diameter round baking pan
So I had ideas about shaping them. I don’t want to make a loaf because in my experience before in baking monggo bread, the filling inside didn’t distribute well. It didn’t have that nice design even though I rolled it well. I thought about making it cinnamon rolls style too. Also individual buns where I’d use my muffin pan. But I ended up making knots and baking them close together in a round baking pan and it turned out really pretty. I haven’t made knots before so I’m just glad it turned out well.
Two weeks ago was Bee’s mom’s birthday and I went there to celebrate with the family. I can’t decide which to bring, a chocolate cake that I will bake or a kakanin which is more appealing to me at that time. I always ended up with reasons not to choose the chocolate cake like it will dry up and so on and I realized I just really wanted to try and bake a cassava cake.
I realized why I don’t usually use kamoteng kahoy (cassava root) even though it’s cheap. It’s because it’s a pain to shred! I should know because 10 years ago when I was still in high school, I experimented with another kakanin which is pichi pichi my friend Abee and her mom taught me how to prepare. Yes it took me 10 long years to try again but this time it is way much easier.
I love markets. I get to discover so many new things, observe life yes boring stuff for most people. A week before I had to go to Pampanga, I noticed the cassava root on sale. While chatting with the vendors, they said that they can peel the cassava root for me and they can shred it for me too well I have to pay a few pesos and I gladly bought a kilo and a half and tried to bake cassava cake immediately.
It was so yum! Taste test good. So I baked another batch which I brought there. Let’s just say that I had to stop myself eating what I brought there haha. It’s not too sweet which is perfect for me and it’s so soft! They said they like it too. Ok I have to look for the recipe now.
I have baked so far. What do I look for my pizza? First is the crust. I want it not too thick and not too thin. I need it to be a bit chewy but is crunchy as well. Then for the toppings I I prefer more veggies and cheese than meat.
After trying way too many recipes online, I finally have a recipe I could depend on. Thanks to Mommy who bought an old issue of a local food magazine where there was a promising and very simple recipe for pizza crust. Not many ingredients, just flour, salt, yeasts, water and oil. That’s it.
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My love for cooking and baking started early. I don’t really remember how young I was but I remember to being so interested to peel potatoes and cut them in perfect squares. Then I would find a chair and watch my mom and my nanay saute garlic and onions. I would be in awe with every graceful movement of their sandok (ladle). I would then ask them what to do next. Then I started cooking Maggie noodles and fry fish balls and fries. My kitchen experiments came a bit later. When I’m alone in the house and I saw something interesting in the television, I’d try to do them myself.
Crunchy and yet chewy. Just like how I prefer my cookies.
Baking was more of a challenge for me. Why? Because we didn’t have an oven then. Also, baking equipments and tools are much more expensive. I remember always getting frustrated when I wanted to bake a cake but we don’t have an oven. Now that we have the basic things needed, I can now bake to my heart’s delight. (I try to neglect the electric bill though, the guilt it gives me.) That is if I’m at home in Philippines. In Singapore, we don’t have an oven. So when I need to have my dose of baking and kneading of dough, I just make chapati.
Just now, just before my finger started typing, that I realized that I am enjoying baking more than cooking now. So many new things to learn and so many new adventures to do. And yes, this is my version of being adventure, while others do sky diving, I bake.
I love what I get to learn in Youtube. Since only a decade ago when all those information are not as easily available for anyone interested. But because of Youtube, I learned how to bake the tiny cinnamon rolls (who would have thought it is that easy?), and this four strand braided munggo (red mung bean) bread.
Big fan of anything with mung bean here. Give me ginisang munggo (green mung bean soup) and I’ll be happy. I love hopiang munggo too. Yum. I used to get crazy over them. Now a piece or two and I’m satisfied. In college, I’d buy those munggo basket (as what they call it) of Julie’s bakery and when the class got boring, we’d start munching it in hiding. The thrill adds to the flavor.
I know this doesn’t look tiny but it’s diameter is only 5 inches. I love this! The cinnamon rolls I baked last year was the regular size I guess, which is too big for one person to finish and I realized some factors which I could improve.
First, of course is the size. Aside from the reason mentioned above, I think rolls this size is just sooo cute! That’s from a person who likes things in smaller scale. Second, is the moistness and softness of the bread. This one is way way better. Third, is the sweetness. The batch last year was too sweet. So I adjusted that this time. And lastly, I added a light frosting which helps retain moistness and add taste.
I want to bake this again. I baked and then deliver this to my Nanay (who’s my grandmother) last year. I’m planning to re-do this but this time I’ll make lots of tiny buns. I don’t know if I should wait for Black Friday to buy all my kitchen needs and of course I Phone 4, I Pad… Of course they’d be great gifts but I would need to be very rich to give them away so my tiny raisin cinnamon rolls would be just as good as gifts. But I would definitely love to receive an Ipad as a gift hehe.
Yes please! I know most people will not say no to pizza especially if it’s a homemade, freshly baked pizza. This have sweet ham, salad tomatoes, green capsicum, pineapple chunks, and mozzarella cheese. I used some dried italian herbs sprinkled too.
I’m not really craving for pizza, specially not in the morning but I’m anxious about something (work related) that’s why I’m baking pizzas from scratch for a few days now. I’m trying to keep my mind occupied so I don’t have the opportunity to think about what’s bothering me. Oh and this mini pizza’s crust is not made from scratch though– since it’s really early hehe… But the sauce and toppings and everything I prepared myself. Yummy! I will post photos of my made from scratch pizzas soon.
I’m all up for simplicity of life. That’s how I want my life to be lived. It is very easy to complicate things while I look for ways to simplify it.
It’s all the mind they say and I absolutely believe in this. Like say for example, with the food I eat. Getting real fat again like when I was a freshman in high school is one of the scary thoughts I secretly have. I “program” my mind to sway away from the bad stuff. Now my favorites are what most people consider as healthy.
I’m no saint. I still eat fast food junk once in a while. Just everything in moderation(?).
My favorite foods? I realized they are those simple dishes that have the basic taste.
Example? I love eggs.
Hard boiled. Sunny side up yolk a bit runny…
Been addicted to Yema these past two weeks….
Tried it one time and I’m hooked!
This yema is the chewy type, so chewy it’s sticking to my teeth….
