Baked Lunchbox

Carrot Cupcakes (and a bonus mini loaf bread): Less Sweet, More To Eat!

I thought I should bake another Carrot Cupcake batch since the first time I did way back back then, it was super fail. And now, it turned out to be good and decent haha! Don’t wanna over-hype…yknow what happens xP

Whenever I go inside a baking utensils/ingredients store, I tend to buy more than I plan to. It’s just so addicting! I already have different sizes of pans, from 4” to 9” since that’s the only biggest that could fit my mini oven. What more if I have a huge oven! Haha! And now, the latest additions to my extending collection are a mini loaf pan and a heart-shaped pan. Here, I tested the mini loaf pan and it was gentle on the pastry, just like any other nonstick pans are. 

I like my cupcakes frosting-less and these little munchkins are the type that you don’t have to put mountains of frosting on just to taste good. It has this subtle sweetness to it so you can indulge in them without feeling the guilt afterwards. 

This just jumped to #1 spot of my go-to recipes for cupcakes. I like the texture, the taste, how fluffy it is with every bite.. Just go have a bite for yourself to see what I’m talking about! The official menu is now available, just leave your email to my ask box! Drool over this! xD

(Source: bakedlunchbox)

Rainy Days are the best: best for baking and best for snuggling up with a warm cup of cocoa topped with large marshmallows.

The smell of the rain on the rich grassy soil is like the smell of nostalgia. It works best in the cold kitchen with a warm oven waiting for something sweet to be baked. Plus sugar. Plus vanilla. Perfect season.

Muffins may not be as extravagant as the cupcakes but it’s easier to work with it; no frostings. Frostings need a lot of sugar and the consistency needs special attention all the tone, but with muffins: easy, delish and cute ;)

Breads: I’m just fascinated how one sticky piece of dough can turn into something incredible and tasty in a span of half an hour. Especially when the bread is designed into something different rather than the usual loaf.

Baking could be a lot of fun, if it wasn’t for all the dish-washing and cleaning up I had to do on my own. Anyway, everyone should at least try baking or cooking once in a while. You’ll be surprised how there is a wonderful side to food than eating. 

(Source: bakedlunchbox)

Told you I went nuts with the whole Braided Bread obsession

I made like 4.. 5 of those things in just one weekend! The process is a bit lengthy and time-consuming since there are 3 waiting time required for the dough to rise/sit. And each waiting time takes about an hour each. Oh golly…

Anyway, I made it and I was happy about the results! I experimented on the filling flavors since the first time I made this it had Lemon Curd, it was okay but sometimes it could be too sour for people’s taste buds. So I went on the sweeter side this time: Green Tea, Oreo and Cinnamon Raisin (next post)   :)

Since rolling out the dough is a bit tricky when transporting from the prep table to the cookie sheet, rolling it over a parchment paper would be much better. It also helps the dough from sticking on the table.

It would be such a waste to throw away the extra dough from the cut-outs. Rather make a garlic bread stick than nothing ;)

TADA!! Presenting… Green Tea and Oreo!! Don’t you just love the color of the bread: golden brown! 

Hmmm.. I guess there is no such thing as too much filling. I think it made the bread look even better, see how mouth-watering it is! Haha!

(Source: bakedlunchbox)

7 dozens of cookies, 4 braided bread loaves, 1 dozen whoopie pies, 1 dozen cupcakes, 1 dozen garlic bread sticks, 2 dozen apple bars…

That’s what I did during the weekend, and now they’re all devoured! 

Posts soon.

How was your weekend? What were you up to? :)

Chocolate Pull-Apart Bread + LOTR + Mumford & Sons

I was baking 2 things last Saturday, Chocolate Pull-Apart Bread and Ginger cookies (will post later) and it took me until 2AM to wrap up everything! Whew! Good thing The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Soundtrack kept me company! :) I finished all 3 soundtracks + Mumford And Sons album… imagine THAT’S how long it took me to bake this bread! xD

Mumford & Sons

Anyway, so here’s what happened:

Prepare all ingredients all the time before starting. This helps save time and energy, and it’s just really easy to bake with everything in front of you.

Melt the butter together with the milk on a sauce pan. Bring until just simmer.

Then using a swirl attachment of the mixer, mix the melted butter + milk to the flour and other dry ingredients.

Transfer all the batter into a well-greased bowl. Cover it with a clean humid cloth/towel and let it sit for about an hour until it doubles in size. This is where all the waiting begins!

I waited, but instead I made cookies! Haha! ;)

Prepare your work table and flour it. Flour it all over! I mean it! Or else the kneading will not go smoothly.  So after an hour, knead your dough which supposed to be doubled in size. Knead it properly. If it sticks to your hand, flour it. 

Just keep on kneading even if the dough is very sticky. It’s okay that it’s sticky. Knead. Knead. Knead. Flour your hands several times if needed. 

Until your dough comes together. It’s soft to the touch, not sticky, doesn’t easily fall apart and whole. See my work table, it’s all floured up! ;)

Put this ball of dough back to the greased bowl and cover it with the clean humid cloth/towel and let it sit for about 10 minutes before the next step.

Roll it out to more like a rectangular shape than a square, and sprinkle brown sugar/cinnamon/anything you want to add to the bread.

I also added bits of chopped dark chocolate and white chocolate! Omnomnom!

Slice it up and stack to pre-buttered loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mix on top.

Let it sit again! This time, the pan should be standing vertically and also covered with a clean humid towel/cloth. Let it sit for about 45 minutes. 

See how flat the slices are, they’re just the same level with the pan… then POOF! Take a look inside the oven!

I just enjoy watching the bread as it rises up and it looks so cool every time it doubles in size. Just look at that! Before, it was just sticky icky dough, and now it turned to pastry bread! Amazing, isn’t it! :)

All the waiting and effort put to this bread, it was worth it! Because I like how it turned out; soft to the bite and not too sweet. With the right soundtrack to motivate me and keep me company, I can do anything! So you can too! :)

Cinnamon Raisin Pull-Apart Bread

This was the best bread I’ve ever made! I had so much fun making it and it was very easy!

I was supposed to roll it out into a square but the dough wasn’t following very much to what direction it was supposed to go, so it ended up being an irregular round/oval/spherical whatever. Doesn’t really matter because I am going to slice it up anyway later.

Sprinkle the cinnamon-raisin-sugar mixture generously on top of the flattened dough.

Slice it up to at least 3 inches thick strips. 

Put them on top of each other. You’ll get a long 3-inch thick layers of long dough with cinnamon-raisin-sugar in between each layer.

Slice them to squares this time. Grab the prepared loaf pan and hold it vertically. Start stacking up the square slices from bottom up. 

(I wasn’t able to take pictures because my hands were all messy and it will be such a hassle if I go wash my hands, take a picture then get messy again - repeat.)

Pop to oven. Mmm-mmmmm! You can see the bread rising and the sugar melting.

And I got this yummy overly cinnamon-raisin-sugared pull-apart bread!

The next day, it was devoured! xD It was so delicious! 

I want to make another one, and try different flavors ;)

Doesn’t matter if it makes you fat! Even Scott Pilgrim loves his bread! xD

La Pâte Feuilletée: one of the tricks i want to master

[retouch-free photos]

Next time around, I’m going to practice my puff pastry skills by making a croissant. 

A lot of techniques will be used here and the Tour Double (double fold) is the main one.

And so I tried out different types of croissants from all over the Metro to see and taste how it should be, but only one stood out (down, picture). I’ve tried a wheat croissant but it wasn’t that good since the wheat made the pastry harder and dry instead of puffy and moist. And so I’m sticking with the classic butter croissant.

I like how there are many thin layers inside the croissant and that makes it feel good with each bite.

*I’m also practicing my food photography skills and I think it’s improving since the first time I posted here haha! xD