Sourdough-Blueberry-Muffins

Hey there :)

So lately I am missing a bit of time. And I really wonder how other people manage having different things in their lives so much more effective than I do and thus can do all the things they want. But for me it seems I always have to choose between one or the other. Partly I think my laziness is at fault for I just chill on the sofa doing nothing for too long of a time. I am too lazy for life ^^°

So, while I still cook and bake I kind of don’t take photos of pictures anymore. And when I feel like taking pictures it’s either dark already or the sun decides to bid me farewell. so this kind of makes things harder for the blog. But I guess I have live with that. As long as I can still eat enough stuff I guess I will be fine :)

So, one of the things I baked and actually photographed are these muffins. Made with a bit of sourdough and whole grain flour and buckwheat they are not the lightest and fluffiest muffin you will ever have. But they fill you up nicely and have and have nicely not-overpowering sweetness to them. For me they even work as a breakfast, especially on weekends. A nice balance between an sweet treat and nutritious package :)

 

Recipe Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

Wet

• 100g sourdough* (100% hydration)
• 110g greek yoghurt
• 70g apple sauce
• 55g maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 100g butter, melted and cooled

 

Dry

• 100g whole grain spelt flour
• 85g buckwheat groats, ground (or buckwheat flour)
• 30g sesame seeds, ground
• 50g coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tsp. vanilla powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt

 

Fold Ins:

• 200g blueberries (I have used fresh)

 

 

Instructions:

*For the sourdough you can either use some discard starter or make it by combining 20g of sourdough starter with 40g of flour (any will do, I used whole grain spelt) and 40g of water. Let sit for 6 hours or more (I let it sit overnight).

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In a big bowl combine all the wet ingredients and stir well until everything is fully mixed.

In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.

Carefully fold in the blueberries. Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of dough per muffin into muffin tins (I have used silicone ones and that worked pretty well) and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until an toothpick comes out clean

 

Beetroot- Mango-Mint Salad

Hey there :)

So, how was your summer so far? Here in Germany it was so lala. We had some warm and sunny days, but overall it did not feel like a real summer. Except for all those mosquitos hanging around. Meh. But I still find it hard to accept that the days are getting shorter and I had only one day out at a lake. That doesn’t seem right to me… Anyway.. can’t be changed I guess…

Well, apart from that I at least had some summer-y food. Light and easily whipped up stuff. Like this salad. It again has some beets in it, giving it a vibrant color. The earthy tone of the beets pair quite well with the tropical mango and on top of that it looks colorful ;) The avocado adds a bit of creaminess and Vitamin E which is good for your skin and the mint brings in some freshness. All in all I think it is a nice summer-y salad, due to the mango a bit on the sweet side of course. As a light snack it is optimal though. and tossed together in a hinch :)

 

Recipe Beetroot-Mango-Mint Salad

serves: 2 +++ prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium red beets, roasted or cooked
• ½ mango
• ½ avocado
• 10 leafs mint
• 3-5 leafs romaine lettuce
• ½ lime, juice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions

Cut the beets, mango and avocado into small cubes. Chop the lettuce. Wash and julienne the mint leafs. Mix everything together in a medium bowl, press the juice of half a lime and one tablespoon of lime, a bit of cinnamon and some salt and pepper and toss everything around and together until well mixed.

Red Beet Hummus

Hey there :)

So the other time I placed Barbie in a Mixer and pulsed. And this more or less the outcome.

Except it wasn’t Barbie of course but red beets. While I am not the biggest fan of pink as a color in general in food I find it super fascinating. And not even raspberries and strawberries get the same screaming pink as red beet does. It doesn’t even look like natural food. Anyway I like playing with beets in food and add it to all different types of dishes at the moment ;)

And beets are really great for various reasons. It’s good for your heart and liver thanks to the phytonutrient Betain which is found in valid amounts in beets. Betain provides antioxidants, has an anti-inflammatory effect and is said to provide detoxification support. It’s also a mood elevator, so next time you’re heartbroken dig into some beets ;) (Well, I don’t think it would work that good but why not give it a try. If it doesn’t make you happy at least it is likely it will make you all messy ;))

Beets also have quite some folate which is good for the nervous system and helps tissues grow and cells work. Also helpful for your muscle regeneration when you do a lot of sports. Yeah.

Together with some chickpeas and tahini you will also get some protein from this hummus, which makes it a perfect after sport snack.

And well, I guess I don’t have to tell you how to use hummus, but I will just share my favorite combination. Which was a savory corn muffin with this hummus, some avocado, beluga lentils, cucumber and romaine lettuce and just a tiny squeeze of lemon :)

 

 

Recipe Red Beet Hummus

prep time: 25 minutes +++ yields: abou 2 ½ Cups

 

Ingredients

• 1 can / 270g cooked chickpeas
• 2 roasted or steamed red beets  (or if you like the taste, raw works also)
• 3 Tbsp. tahini
• ¼ Cup olive oil
• ½ lemon, juice (and a bit grated zest if you like it tangy)
• 2 gloves garlic
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. cumin
• generous amount of salt and pepper, to taste
• splash of water as needed to thin out

 

Instructions

Quarter the beets and place all the ingredients except for the water in a blender and food processor (or use a handheld mixer for a little more work). Blend until smooth. If needed add a splash of water to get your mixer going and to achieve the texture you like.

Adjust spices to taste. Don’t go easy on the salt and pepper :) I also grated some lemon zest and adder it for a little freshness.

Matcha-Cashew-Smoothie

Hey there :)

A green smoothie without greens, yeah :) Yup. I don’t love kale in smoothies. It’s okay, like sometimes but it never feels like a treat to me. Just a practical way to veggie up your day if you somehow forgot to integrate them in your normal meals. But anyway I wanted to do a green smoothie.

So again here I come with something matcha-y and again because I am always careful with the dose it didn’t turn out as green as it could, admittedly. But I can’t help it, superdominant matcha flavor isn’t my thing so I go easy on it. But if you are into that stuff, go hard and matcha powder your smoothie up into a Kermit-the-frog-green color :)

This one is a nice small pick me up smoothie for the afternoon or great for an after sports-drink. It wakes you up thanks to the matcha and the banana and cashews in it will fill you up without stuffing you. If you use a frozen banana it also feels like you would sip on a milk shake which gives it a quite indulgent vibe ;) But of course this is also breakfast material. All in all pretty versatile in its use. Though I would want to eat it for dinner I think ;)

 

 Recipe Matcha-Cashew-Smoothie

prep time: 5 minutes +++ yields: one big or two small servings

 

Ingredients

• 1/3 Cup cashews, preferably but not necessarily soaked
• 1 big ripe banana
• 90g / heaping 1/3 Cup yoghurt (natural or greek or soy or coconut for example)
• 1 ½ tsp matcha powder, or up to 2 Tbsp. if you are totally into matcha
• 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
• splash of water or milk of your choice

 

Instructions

It’s a smoothie. Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Fast and Easy Spinach-Blue Cheese Noodles

 

 

Hey there :)

So lately I am a bit more busy than usual. Which is sort of fun and sort of exhausting. And I definitely have less time for cooking and baking. Which is a bit sad but normal. I guess I just have to get used to this new pace and find a way to integrate my time in the kitchen in it.

Fast and easy recipes are always one chance to still get a self-made meal. And this is one of them. Nothing crazy or mindblowing. But also with no fuss and with only few dishes to wash afterwards. And thanks to the blue cheese creamy and with a strong taste. If you want the dish more saucy, you can of course also add some more milk or cream cheese to thin out. Whatever works :)

 

Well, anyway. I will get back to doing things now ;)

 

 

 

Ingredients

• about 80g cooked noodles of your choice
• 200g fresh baby spinach
• 1 small red onion
• 80g blue cheese
• a bit parmesan, grated
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• knob of butter
• optional: some crushed walnuts

 

 

Instructions

Wash the spinach thoroughly. Cut the onion into small pieces

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add a knob of butter. Add the onions and sugar and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook until it starts falling together, about another 3-5 minutes.

Add the noodles, cook another minute. Then add the blue cheese in pieces and cook until it has melted.

Serve on a plate with a bit grated parmesan on top and if you want some crushed walnuts

Matcha Pancakes

Hey there :)

So my beloved monster is out for a business trip. This means for me that the evenings are a little bit boring and since cooking for just myself in the evening is something I barely do the food also is a bit plain. But I got compensation for that. And this is breakfast. You see, I love experimenting with my breakfast. But my monster is a bit different. More than everything else he basically just wants easy, fast breakfast. E.g. toast. Or on the weekends, breadrolls. But this is as crazy as it gets. So whenever I suggest something a little bit fancy or time-consuming that requires a bit of preparing, he usually is against this. Or when he isn’t it is still sort of limited to some ingredients. So him being away means breakfast-El Dorado for me as I can play around to my heart’s content. And I did :) I had sourdough-buckwheat crepes, blue-cheese omelette, baked carrot-oatmeal and these matcha pancakes.

I guess by now everyone has heard of matcha since it has a kind of moment. It is the only tea that uses the whole leaf. Matcha has quite some coffeein, it helps getting you up ;) It also has some vitamin A, B,C, E as well as the antioxidant catechin. Also some minerals like iron, calcium and potassium. You can drink it as tea or use it as an ingredient in baking and cooking as done here.

I was a bit surprised, maybe even disappointed that pancakes did not really turn out green. They have a greenish touch to them but you have to know it to see it ^^°. I guess this partly the fault of the whole grain flour and eggs and partly because I don’t like using too much matcha powder as I find it can turn out bitter. I prefer having just a hint of it. But if you are a matcha-lover you can go hard and use more in the pancakes.

For a bit more texture and another flavor dimension I also used some shredded coconut in the batter and 2 Tablespoons of ground sesame seeds for a bit protein. The coconut won’t be a dominant flavor, but it will be there, the sesame on the other hand barely came through. Also here, if you like sesame, double the amount :)

What you will get are some easy and sweet pancakes that pair perfectly with some apricot compote. I could also imagine some strawberries layered in-between. Or if you are all for sesame, some tahini mixed with a bit of honey or maple syrup. And of course, some fruits of your choice :)

Recipe Matcha Pancakes

Prep time: about 10 minutes +++  yields: about 12 small pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 85ml / 1/3 Cup milk of your choice
• 80g / 1/3 Cup natural yoghurt (I used greek)
• 140g / 1 Cup flour (I have used half grain and half all purpose wheat flour)
• 20g / ¼ Cup shredded coconut
• 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, ground
• 60g / 1/3 Cup sugar
• 1 tsp. matcha powder (this will result in a light matcha flavor and not so green pancakes. If you prefer a stronger flavor you can up this amount to one tablespoon)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt

 

Instructions

Mix together the eggs, milk and yoghurt and beat well.

In another bowl mix together all the other ingredients.

Then add the flour mixture to the egg-milk mixture and stir until well combined and no clumps remain.

Heat o pan over medium heat. When it’s hot add a knob of coconut oil or butter. Once it’s melted pour in about a third ladle of batter. Bake about 2 minutes on one side or until you see bubbles on top. Then flip and bake on the other side for another 2 minutes or so.

Sprinkle wtih some shredded coconut and serve with some apricot compote or fruits of choice

Salmon-Fennel-Asparagus Tarte

Hey there :)

So this is the first time I post something that isn’t vegetarian. But I can say ahead, if you don’t eat salmon you can also leave it out at eat this tarte as a simple veggie tarte. But I personally really like the salmon in it, it pairs well with the fennel and asparagus.

 

This is also my first time working with fennel, I have actually never used it before and also have only eaten it as a bonbon or drunk it as some tea. So I was actually a little concerned it may taste like some medicine. But it didn’t at all. I actually liked it so much that I made the tarte next time I got to buy some more salmon :)

It is perfect for a light spring lunch, or fits well in a brunch as it has nicely fresh touch to it thanks to the fennel. It’s not too heavy on the stomach but still filling. And it’s kind of colorful plus it features the all-star asparagus that is finally ins season again  so in my book it fits the spring perfectly :)

 

Recipe Salmon-Asparagus-Fennel Tarte

prep time: 15 minutes + 45 minutes baking time +++ yields: one tart

Ingredients

• 1 package puff pastry (or make your own if you are really motivated)
• 200g smoked salmon
• 5 spears green asparagus
• 1 fennel
• 1 medium red onion
• 200g herbed crème fraiche (make your own my adding 2 tablespoons of herbs to plain crème fraiche)
• 2 Tbsp. cream cheese
•  3 eggs
• 4 Tbsp .parmesan , grated + a bit more
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Prepare the filling: Cut the salmon into fine strips.

Wash the fennel and asparagus. Cut off any hard ends of the asparagus.

Finely slice the red onion and the fennel (remove the stem!) into thin strips.  Cut the asparagus into about 3cm thick pieces, or however thick you prefer them.

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Then add the fennel strips and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for another 3 minutes until slightly tender. You can add a bit of salt, sugar and pepper if you want. But there will be some in the crème filling as well so don’t go overboard.

In the meantime prepare the cream filling: Mix together the herbed crème fraiche, cream cheese, 3 eggs, lemon juice, 4 Tbsp. parmesan, sugar and some salt and pepper. As the salmon is already salty, go easy on the salt.

Place the puff pastry in a tart pan (I used a rectangular one). Cut off the ends that are overhanging.

First layer the cut salmon evenly on the bottom of the puff pastry. Then add the veggies and also evenly distribute them.

Pour over the cream filling. If you want, you can add a bit more parmesan on top.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the center is set and the puff pastry is nicely golden brown.

Sweet Cornbread with Cardamon-Plum Compote

Hey there :)

I have a quite busy week behind me. Basically because I was baking something every day. I don’t know how, but it just sort of happened.. I wanted to try out this and then there was a birthday.. I also went to see a friend and of course I couldn’t go barehanded. And then I had to bake a bread, this has become a weekly ritual and shall not be forgotten.. So now, we have several goodies at home and this week I don’t have to make anything new to eat as there are still a lot of leftovers. Quite nice :)

One of the things I made is this cornbread. I don’t think it is an authentic version of a cornbread. It is a version with personal preferences, such as sugar and Kefir and even some lemonzest to give it a slightly tangy note. So this might not be a standard cornbread, but still very nice and optimzed for summer.

Especially with the compote. I find cornbread (be it authentical or not ;)) by itself a bit plain and as the warmer tempetraures have me wanting to eat more fruit, I made a plum compote to go with it. It added a great flavor and also some moisture to it which I really appreciated. Except from the plums, the other big flavor component used in the compote was cardamom which gave a nice complexity to it.

How is your stand on cardamom? I think it is one of my favorite baking ingredients. It gives the dough a slight Nordic taste. My dad on the other hand thinks it tastes like soap.

Well, the point is, if you agree with my father swap the cardamon for something else. Cinnamon always works with plums, but it you are looking for something less wintery, maybe add some lemon zest, mint or maybe even basil. My suggestion though: try the cardamon. Cardamon rocks in my book :)

 

Recipe Sweet Corn Bread

prep time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes baking time +++ makes: one 22cm skillet

 

Ingredients

• 125g /  one stick + 2 Tbsp. butter + 1 tablespoon for the pan
• scant 2/3 Cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Cup Kefir
• 1 Cup cornmeal
• ½ Cup whole grain spelt flour
• ½ Cup fine corn flour (can be subbed with other flour like more spelt flour or wheat flour)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ lemon, zest
• pinch of salt

 

 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C and place a cast iron skillet (about 9 inch, 22cm) on the lower third of the oven.

Melt the butter, except for the extra one tablespoon. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add the eggs and beat well. I do this by hand but if you prefer using an immersion blender, I guess that works too.

Then add the Kefir and zest of about half a lemon and stir to combine again. Then add the cornmeal, corn flour, spelt flour, baking soda and baking powder. Guess what? Stir again until well combined.

Take out the cast iron skillet. Add one tablespoon of butter and swirl around. Then add the cornbread batter and smoothen out the surface a bit.

Put back in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the compote:

Recice Plum Cardamon Compote

prep time: 5 minutes + 20 minutes cooking time +++ yields: about 1 1/2 Cups

 

Ingredients

• 6 plumps (if possible choose a variety)
• ¼ lemon, juice
• 2 pods cardamom, cracked and seeds ground with mortar and pestle
• 1-2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. water

 

 

Instructions

Stone the plums and cut into eights (or smaller pieces if you prefer).

Place all ingredients for the compote in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. I like to reserve one or two plums and add them just 5 minutes before the compote is done to have some bite to it. But that’s up to you.

 

Serve the cornbread with some plum compote on top and maybe a dollop of yoghurt if you like

Amaranth Porridge with Banana Syrup

Hey there :)

Well I know it’s getting warmer and stuff, buuut I wanted some porridge. Well aware porridge is meant for colder days and we are about to leave them behind. I still wanted it. And I got it. Yep. Man, am I a rebel. A rebel with porridge and some awesome ooey-gooey banana syrup. Almost like this banana-foster-thingy. I think. Never had banana foster to be accurate.

I think this would be perfect for cold snowy days. Without question. But I also liked on this not-so-cold and actually quite sunny day. Still good. Heh. Boy, it feels good being a rebel ;)

And as a rebel does some thinking ahead (wow, I am even a smart cookie… what a catch), I did some amaranth soaking the night before. This is by far not crucial, so skipping the step is not a problem. It just helps unleashing the full potential nutrition of the amaranth and it will reduce cooking time. So you can have your breakfast earlier. Yipiyahyeah.

 

Recipe Amaranth Porridge with Banana syrup

prep time: 20-25 minutes +++ serves: 2

Ingredients

for the porridge

• ½ Cup / 120g amaranth groats
• ½ Cup / 125 ml water
• ½ Cup / 125 ml light coconut milk (or preferred milk) + ¼ Cup / 60ml more to thin out as needed
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

 

for the banana syrup

• ¼ Cup / 35g walnuts, crushed
• 3 bananas
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. cacao powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon powder

 

Instructions

The night before making this, soak the amaranth in water and set aside (this can be skipped, but it will shorten the cooking time and improve nutrition)

In the morning, wash and rinse the amaranth. Place it in a pot and add the water, ½ Cup of the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Give it a good stir and heat over medium-high until it comes to a light simmer. Leave it to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out or until you get the creaminess you desire.

In the meantime cut the bananas into 1-2cm slices. Place a pan over medium high heat and add the crushed walnuts. Roast for about 2 minutes. Then add the coconut oil, maple syrup, cacao powder, and cinnamon. Stir together and then add the banana slices and stir again. Cook the bananas on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until they are soft, making sure they get all soaked in the syrup from all sides and darken nicely.

Stir about half of the banana mixture into the ready porridge. Divide between to bowls and top with the rest of the banana syrup.

Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread with 2 different fillings

Hey there :)

Do you know the tangzhong (or water-roux) method? It’s mainly used is asian parts of the world to create a fluffy, pillow-y bread. Often called Hokkaido Milk Bread. And it’s awesome! And super easy actually. You just mix together some flour and water and heat it for short period of time. Now, I don’t get the whole chemical process behind this entirely, but making this gel and using it in baked bread will help to keep the moisture in the dough, as the tangzhong part sort of locks the liquid in the dough. Also, it won’t develop as many gluten as normal dough does. Hence the result of baked treats using tangzhong are soft and moist in the most pleasantly way.

For this bread I have combined the tangzhong method with a sourdough base and it works quite well. The sourdough adds a slight and subtle acidy, that deepens the flavor of the bread. Also you don’t need any yeast in order to make the bread rise (if your sourdough is strong) which is something I personally prefer.

For the recipe here I am giving a very basic dough that works with either – sweet or savory fillings. So if you feel like it, you could just divide the dough in half and make one sweet and one savory smaller bread out of it. Which is great, if for example you’re having a gathering and want to provide with sweet and salty treats :)

But you could also easily adapt the dough, add some more sugar or vanilla, cinnamon, tonka bean etc. to it to make the dough itself sweeter. Or some more salt, pepper and herbs for example for a heartier version. You can really adjust the basic recipe in so many ways, it’s great.

Same goes for the filling. I have made this bread with different fillings by now. The classic cinnamon-sugar version is always awesome, but add a grated apple, or two and it will get even better. Or use some Nutella. or peanut butter and banana. The sky is the limit ;)

So, the making of the dough takes a bit of time and maybe time management, but the steps themselves are pretty easy and totally doable even for a not so experienced baker I’d say :)

 

 

Recipe Hokkaido Milk Bread

prep time: about 25 minutes + proofing time + baking time +++ yields: one large bread or two smaller ones

 

Ingredients

Hokkaido Milk Sourdough Bread

For the sourdough

• 50g sourdough starter
• 75g whole wheat flour
• 75g water

 

for the tangzhong

• 2 Tbsp. white wheat flour
• 6 Tbsp. water

 

for the bread

• all of the sourdough (200g)
• all of the tangzhong (75g)
• 100g milk
• 350g flour (I have used half whole wheat and half white wheat flour)
• 1 egg
• 40g butter, very soft
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

 

notes on the dough: Like this you have a dough that works with sweet and savory options as it is very neutral. If you want to make a dough that tends to be a bit sweeter (don’t make it too sweet when you add a sweet filling or it might be too much), add another 3 Tbsp. of brown sugar and maybe 1 tsp. of vanilla paste or cinnamon.

For a more salty taste, add another teaspoon of salt and maybe some cracked black pepper or even a tablespoon of pesto or garlic butter. But those are just modifications, they are not necessary as the filling will also lend a lot of flavor :)

 

Fillings

Sweet Version, Cinnamon-Sugar

• 115g butter, very soft
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cardamom
• 1 tsp. vanilla paste
• 1-2 apples, grated (optional)

 

Savory Version, Pesto-Cheese

• 5 – 6Tbsp. pesto
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• ¼ Cup parmesan
• 1 ½ Cup grated cheese (like mozzarella or gouda or cheddar, or a mix) to sprinkle on top of the pesto

 

Instructions Filling

Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl (except the cheese in the savory filling) and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust spices to your likings.

 

 

Instructions Hokkaido Mild Sourdough Bread

Make the sourdough

Mix together the sourdough starter, water and flour and let sit for about 10-16 hours (or overnight).

Make the tangzhong

In a saucepan mix together the flour and the water. Heat the mixture over medium heat, constantly stirring. The mixture should thicken up to fairly fast to a gel-like consistency. Once you can see the bottom of the pan because of lines the dough make when stirring, turn off the heat. If you have a thermometer check the temperature of the dough. The dough should reach 65°C. On the hot stove keep stirring for about 30 seconds and them remove from heat. Place in a clean bowl, set aside and let cool completely.

Make the bread itself ;)

In a big bowl mix the sourdough with the milk, stirring with a wooden spoon. Then add the tangzhong and egg and mix it into the mixture as well until evenly distributed.

Then add the salt, sugar and flour and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough roughly comes together.

Then switch to using your hands ;) Knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes until everything comes together. The dough will be quite sticky, but try not to add flour or the bread will get to dry. I always wet my hands several times during the kneading process so the dough will stick to itself and not to my hands.

Then add the butter in pieces to the dough and knead again for about 4 minutes. At the beginning it will be a bit messy, but it’ll get better over time. Again, the dough is sticky, but try refraining from adding to much flour. Just wet your hands, it really helps. After a while it should form a smooth and pliable dough, still a bit sticky though.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. You could also use the dough the same day and just leave to rise for about 2-3 hours at room temperature, but leaving it to rise overnight will result in a better flavor and also the gluten has more time to develop, so I highly recommend this version.

After the dough has risen, roll it out into a rectangular shape on a floured working space. Now you are allowed to add some flour on top the dough to make the rolling out easier ;)

Spread and sprinkle the desired filling on top. Then cut the dough into strips and then cut into rectangles that easily fit in your loaf pan. Staple the pieces onto each other and place into a well-greased (or baking sheet lined for the safest option) rectangular loaf or cake pan. Make sure to leave some space at the sides as the dough will rise a bit again.

Leave to rise for about 60 minutes. When readily proofed you can brush it with some more melted butter if you want, but that’s optional

Bake in preheated oven at 175°C for about 35-40 minutes. If you want to sprinkle something on top (like sugar or cheese, do that after 20-25 minutes of baking)