Bacon and Cheese Buns [Chilled Batter Method]

 

Actually, bread baking in Japan is not as cost effective as in Malaysia. Do not get me wrong, baking ingredients not expensive at all so as delicious breads available in both supermarkets and convenient stores. Only two reasons for home-baked bread, no preservative added and for my passion in baking. I just could not describe the satisfaction of seeing dough turning into yummy bread (sometimes not yummy :D) and hearing "hmm, haochi" (delicious in mandarin with poor pronunciation) from my little boy. 

This afternoon, I baked some bacon and cheese buns and a soft white loaf using chilled batter method (冷藏液种). Bacon was from mil few days ago, used them all before expiration. Simply love the bread made with chilled batter method, so light and soft!

Starter: 

150 g bread flour 

150 g water 

0.5 g instant dry yeast (1/8 tsp) 

To prepare starter dough, mix all ingredients together till well combined and proof in room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour, then keep it in the refrigerator (airtight container) for 16 hours, up to 2 days. When it is ready to use, it will have foamy surface and nice fermentation aroma. 

Ingredients (1 loaf and 6 buns): 

350 g bread flour 

80 g sugar

6 g salt 

6 g instant dry yeast 

150 g milk 

Whole amount of chilled starter (as above) 

50 g butter, room temperature 

Buns: 

6 slices bacon (about 15 cm in length), cut into 5 cm each 

6 sliced cheese, divide into halves each slice 

Green seaweed flakes (ao nori) - optional 6 aluminium patty cake cases  

Method: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine in all ingredients EXCEPT butter, mix and knead till soft dough is formed (nothing sticking on the bowl and hand/hook). 
2. Add in butter and continue to knead till smooth and elastic, when pull a thin film is visible. Cover with plastic wrap, proof for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. 
3. Cut out 300 g of the dough, divide and shape into 6 x 50 g balls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10-15 minutes. 
4. For the rest of the dough, divide into 3 equal size portions and shape into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10-15 minutes. This amount should be able to fit a 20 x 11.5 x 11.5cm loaf pan with cover nicely. 
5. BUNS: Roll out a dough ball (from step 3) into 5 cm x 15 cm rectangle, arrange sliced cheese and bacon over the top then roll it up from the short side. Divide the cylinder into halves and put them in a aluminium patty cake case. Repeat this step for all other 5 buns. Cover with plastic wrap and rest until TRIPLED of their original size. 
6. Bake in preheated oven, 180C (170C for my oven) for 15 minutes. Immediately after baked, sprinkle some nori flakes over the surface. 
7. LOAF: Roll each dough ball into a 10 x 40 cm rectangle, roll up from the short side to form a cylinder (check note) then place in the greased loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and rest till the pan is 90% full, put the cover on and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 20-25 minutes. To remove from pan, tap pan lightly on table top lined with kitchen towel then invert bread onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Note: 

1. I do not care about shiny surface, if it is desired, brush the buns with some milk before baking them. Or brush with melted butter soon after baked. 
2. For loaf bread, you can repeat the step highlighted in bold for finer texture. Rest 15 minutes after first rolling.