Christmas Tree Custard Bread (Super Soft) 圣诞树卡士达面包 (超软)

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers # 2: Christmas! (Dec 2010) hosted by Passionate About Baking.

When I first saw Christmas tree bread from Jane’s Corner, I knew I just got to make myself a “Christmas tree” this Christmas.

Looking at the finished goods, this simple “Christmas tree” immediately set me into the festive mood.

For the bread, I didn’t follow Jane’s recipe. Instead, I tried another recipe that I have bookmarked immediately when I saw it.

It is Super Soft Custard Bread from《孟老师的100道面包》which was seen at SSB’s blog. I should have called my bread “recycled” bread because instead of making the custard paste I used the leftover custard fresh cream from making the Milk Chiffon Cup (aka Hokkaido Chiffon Cake).

The end result is fabulous. As the name suggested, it is indeed super soft. :)

Recipe adapted from 孟兆庆《孟老师的100道面包》which was seen at Small Small Baker.

Ingredients:

(A) - Custard paste starter

1 egg yolk

10g caster sugar

15g bread flour

65g fresh milk
*I didn’t follow this. Instead, I used 55g of leftover custard fresh cream and 20g bread flour.

(B) – Main dough

250g bread flour

30g caster sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp instant yeast

15g milk powder

100g water (I used slightly more)

25g unsalted butter
(C)
Butter for glazing
Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

1) To make custard paste, add (A) into a pan and whisk it until well mixed. Cook it at low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens into paste form. Transfer the paste into a small bowl to cool down, then cover with cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 60 mins (I refrigerated for 3 days before use, wraped the entire custurd paste starter with clip wrap).

2) Mix the custard paste and (B) (except butter) together until soft dough is formed.

3) Add in butter and continue to knead the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic and non-sticky.

4) Place the dough in a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let proof for about 60 mins.

5) Lightly knead the dough to punch out the gas. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Roll the dough round, cover with cling wrap and rest the dough for 15 mins.

6) Divide each portion into 11 small portions equally. Roll into small balls, arrange the small balls to form “Christmas tree” on a greased baking pan, leave a gap in between each ball. Cover with cling wrap and proof for another 60 mins.

7) Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 10 mins. Once done, brush the top with butter. Remove from pan carefully and cool on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar after cooling down and decorate as desired.

I only made one “Christmas tree”, the other 2 portions I rolled them out and rolled up in swiss-roll style. Bake in a 9”x5” loaf pan, 180C, 12 mins.

Can you tell from the picture how soft the bread is?