Ham & Cheese + Koala Bear Buns

After the long school break, it's back to my usual routine again. Some how I am glad because I get to have more time to myself which means more baking!^_^. It's usually bread that comes to mind when I wonder which recipe to try out. What can I say, it's my favorite comfort food! After a visit to the salon yesterday, I went to buy some cold cuts, and decided on some lovely smoked chicken breast. Yup! Been wanting to make some ham & cheese bread for my family, which happen to be my husband's favorite sandwich combo. After some "research", I came up with a bread dough recipe which should be pretty good. :) Hard work does pay off! The bread is great with the delicious smoked chicken and thin slices of Cheddar....why did I wait so long to make this?!

This bread recipe is great! However this recipe requires a starter, which I think can be prepared a day ahead. Furthermore, its a really sticky dough, so pretty hard to knead, took me more then >30 mins to get to the texture I want! Hold it....did I say "Koala Bear" in my title? Heehee, almost slipped out of my mind...yeah, here it is:
Nowadays I always double my recipe so that I can have some "play-dough" session...get it? Heehee, it's so fun to shape those dough into cute shapes to attract my kids to eat them. If they recognise what you mould out...then you've done a great job shaping the dough. If not....errr...it'll be something like what I did in the picture:

Hahaha, this bun totally looks like some prehistoric creature/reptile that has yet finish evolving! Didn't quite know what was going through my mind when I snipped scales at the back?! Anyway...it's one yummy prehistoric bun alright, heehee. ;D Need convincing? Check out the picture below, let it do the "talking":
The bread is super duper soft and nice....go so well with the ham & cheese! Me & my family ate up half of the loaf ring once it came our fresh from the oven! This recipe is definitly a keeper...will probably make it again with other savory fillings, yummy!Since my recipe is doubled, feel free to portion it to half if it's too much for yourself. Okay...I know you want it...here it is:

Ingredients for Soft Sanwich/Bun bread:

(starter dough)湯種:
150g bread flour
12g caster sugar
200ml hot water
60g unsalted butter

Main Dough:
450g bread flour
100g cake flour
1 whole egg
350ml water
9g instant active yeast
6g salt
75g caster sugar
25g milk powder

30g unsalted butter

Filling:
200g smoked chicken breast, sliced (cold cuts of your choice)
8 to 10 slices sandwich Cheddar Cheese
Nutella / Cream cheese filling (optional)

Method:

• In a small pot, cook the starter dough ingredients with low fire till the mixture comes together. Remove from fire and set aside to cool completely before use.
  
• Mix all ingredients in main dough except for butter together in a large mixing bowl to form a soft dough. Place on work area to knead or mixer to do the kneading. Knead the dough till it is not sticky, about 20 minutes.
• Add the unsalted butter in and continue to knead till the dough is shiny and elastic. To test if the dough is ready, pull a small piece off and stretching it with your fingers. If dough is very elastic and pulls to almost see through without breaking, then it's done.
• Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof for at least 90 minutes to 2hrs.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Half for ham and cheese, the other for other fillings of your desire.
• In one half of the dough portion, divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll round and let rest covered before shaping them. The remaining half dough portion, do what ever shape you like, else make more ham and cheese buns.
  
• For the 8 pieces, roll it into a round flat circle. Place a slice of ham and cheese in the center and roll it up like a swiss roll. Seal the edges and cut right in the middle, so you have 2 small logs.
  
• Place the 2 small logs, cut side facing up in your desired greased baking pan. Repeat until all dough pieces, ham and cheese slices are used up.
  
• Let proof covered for 45 mins. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese
  
• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Bake in the oven for 40 minutes till the top is golden brown. Remove from mould after 5 minutes and let cool on rack.
  

Here it is, the whole lot that I made. Some how after making all these bread...I still feel it's not enough to go around! I guess, it's never enough good stuff, haha! One last picture to show you all before I go...well, maybe you already noticed it....
Yikes! This Koala bear is spitting foam! Technically it's cream cheese...but geeze...it just pop out right at the mouth area?! Have to admit it looks gross! If you know what "吐白沫" means...this is the exact looks for that, hahaha! Hope you did not lost your appetite upon seeing this. :-P Guess I better "clean" up the "foam" before giving it to my girls...else they might find it not so appetizing after all, haha!