Croissant with Grapeseed oil 牛角包,健康版

I love to have croissants because of their flaky, buttery layers. But every time I have to constrain myself not to have too many because of their high fat content. However, this isn't the case if they are made with more healthy grapeseed oil (but the flakiness has to be compromised a little)! 

Some recipes use olive oil but I figure grapeseed oil should be a more suitable choice due to its high smoking point. Olive oil may break down easily in the high heat of the oven and eventually provide little health benefits. Since grapeseed oil can withstand temperatures of up to 450F, it is my choice to use in this recipe. Other high smoking point oils like soybean, peanut and safflower oil can be used as well.

People often ask me what the secret of consuming all the foods in my blog and still remain slim is. First of all, I have to give credit to God for keeping me healthy. All the good things come from Him. Secondly, I also give thanks to my parents for giving me good genes. Genetics play a significant role in our well being. Besides these two uncontrollable factors, there are still a lot of circumstances that affect our weight and health.

Apart from my own passion in cooking and baking, eating healthily is my other great motivation in the kitchen. By baking my daily bread, I can use the best flour (most of the time with whole wheat), the freshest eggs, and the healthiest oil. I avoid dough enhancers or other preservatives or additives. If my family craves desserts, I try to use the best ingredients. If the recipe calls for shortening, I only use organic non-hydrogenated palm oil. It may cost a bit more than the regular, unhealthy version but I always remind myself that health is priceless.

I know it is very tempting to grab a frozen dinner and pop it in the microwave after a long day from work. It is super convenient to get packaged and processed food from Costco or other supermarkets. But as I read the long list of ingredients on the label of most processed and packaged foods, I just put it back down.

Michael Pollan wrote in New York Times on August 2, 2009 (Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch):

I asked (food-marketing researcher Harry Balzer) how in an ideal world, Americans might begin to undo the damage that the modern diet of industrial prepared food has done to our health. "Easy. You want Americans to eat less? I have the diet for you. It's short and it's simple. Here's my diet plan: Cook it yourself. That's it. Eat anything you want--just as long as you're willing to cook it yourself."

You are what you eat

Ingredients to make about 12-14 croissants:

(A)
315g unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk

(B)
100g grapeseed oil
170g unbleached all-purpose flour

1)  Mix 100g grapeseed oil and 170g flour in a bowl. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm it up. It will look like a thick paste.
2)  Mix all of (A) together in a bowl of a stand mixer and knead for about 10 minutes at low speed.
3)  Let it rise until double in size.
4)  Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 6x15 inches.
5)  Take out the oil paste and spread it on one side of the dough.

6)  Fold up the dough so that the oil paste is sandwiched. Seal the ends up tightly and gently roll out the dough back to 6x15 inches. Fold the dough into thirds and refrigerate for 30 mins, then repeat the rolling and folding two more times.
7)  Roll out the dough and cut into triangles.

8)  On the short side of the triangle, cut a slit and roll it up.

9)  Let them rise to almost double in size. Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 15-20 mins until they are golden in color. Serve warm and they are good keeper in the freezer.

健康版牛角包

我很喜歡食牛角包,食時會一絲絲將它分開來吃,但這種脂肪成份偏高的食物只能間中品嚐一下,不能放肆! 但我想如果不用牛油來做,那麼便可以食得安心了(雖然效果及香味比牛油遜色)。有一些食譜用橄欖油來做,但橄欖油的起煙點比較低,它對健康的好處都會在高高的爐溫下化解,所以我選擇用葡萄籽油,因為它的起煙點比橄欖油較高,可以在450F高溫下仍然不會起煙,所以比較適合。 其它高起煙點的油如花生油、黃豆油及紅花油也可使用。

經常有人問我為何做了那麼多甜品、麵包,但仍然能保持這個身段。首先我要感謝上帝賜給我健康的身體,一切的好處都不在衪以外。其次我很幸運能夠有好的遺傳,我要多謝我的父母。但除了這兩樣因素不在我掌握之外,有很多因素是我們可以控制的。

我喜愛烹飪及烘焙,但除了興趣之外,健康是另外一大主因使我常動手下廚。我每日食的麵包,我會用最好的麵粉 (多數是全麥),最新鮮的雞蛋及最健康的油,完全沒有麵包改良劑或其他防腐劑。做蛋糕及其它甜點,我都會用最好的材料,如果要用起酥油,我會選用有機及沒有氫化的棕櫚油,價錢會比普通的高一點點,但我時常提醒自己健康是無價的。

我知道經過繁忙的一天,很多人都不想再花時間在廚房,寧願食即食麵或電視餐,加工食品到處皆是,十分方便,但當我看到包裝上的成份標籤,我只有將它放回架上。

食得健康最重要

此份量可做十二至十四個牛角包:

(一)

315g 普通麵粉

二茶匙 快速酵母粉

二湯匙 糖

一茶匙 鹽

一杯 牛奶

(二)

100g 葡萄籽油

170g 普通麵粉

1)  將(二)之材料放碗內攪成糊狀,放雪柜至少二小時或過夜。

2)  將(一)之材料用攪拌器搓約七分鐘,如用手搓約十二分鐘。讓它發酵至兩倍大。

3)  將麵糰取出,用捍麵杖捍開成長方形,六乘十五寸大。

4)  取出在雪柜之油麵糰,均勻地塗上麵糰之半邊,將另外半邊折合,包實封口,輕手再將之捍回六乘十五大。

5)  再將麵糰對折疊成三層,雪半小時後再重複捍開及折疊兩次。

6)  將麵糰捍開,切成三角形,在短的那邊切開約一寸,然後卷起,再讓它發大約一倍。

7)  塗上蛋液後放入已預熱至400度的焗爐內爐約十五至二十分鐘。

Walnut and Cranberry Biscotti with Cornmeal 義大利脆餅

After making a few "R" rated desserts (Ginger Ice Cream and Lemon Chiffon Cake with Ginger Mousse) for adult consumption, how about "R" rated cookies for grown ups--I mean biscotti. These twice baked cookies have a lot of variations and are good keepers, but they usually are gone in a short time at my home.

No more shrinkage ! 不再回縮

light cheesecake after the shock treatment

This is another great illustration on how understanding science helps me to be a better baker. Ever since I started baking cakes, especially light cheesecake, the issue of shrinkage always bothered me. I carefully and diligently beat up the egg white to stiff peaks and folded it in with the batter. I hoped that the air that was incorporated would expand due to the oven's heat and produce a nice and fluffy cake. But I was disappointed to notice the cake gradually shrank after a few minutes out of the oven.

Ginger Ice Cream 薑汁雪糕

Another "R" rated dessert that is grade "A!" Ever since I made the Lemon Chiffon Cake with Ginger Mousse, I fell in love with making desserts with ginger. Out of the numerous varieties and flavors of ice cream in the market, I have never tried ice cream with ginger. It is a rare flavor. But it is very refreshing, bright, crisp and at the same time spicy, sweet and creamy. The refreshing taste just lingers in the throat after eating.

Upcoming Free Demos 免費示範預告

多謝大家的支持,免費菠蘿包示範再度卷土重來。今次我很榮幸被另外四間在聖蓋博谷的公衆圖書館邀請,再與大家分享做包的心得。詳情及地址請點擊圖書館名稱,希望到時見到您 !

Thanks to all your support. Bo Law Bao demonstration is back by popular demand. I am honored to be invited by four more libraries in the San Gabriel Valley to share my baking passion in the coming months. If you missed my last demo in Diamond Bar Library, here are more chances. Mark your calendar:

Steamed Rice with Chicken in Lotus Leaf 荷葉蒸雞飯

This is a dish that is relatively easy to cook, even though it sounds complex. The lotus leaf I use is dried and is available at Chinese grocery stores. It's a pity there aren't any fresh lotus leaves around to buy; it will greatly enhance the flavor and aroma of the rice. If you can get any fresh lotus leaf, by all means use it.

This is one of those dishes where you don't really have to go by a "recipe" because it can't really go wrong if you don't exactly follow the steps. Let your creativity and sense of taste be your guide. You can substitute chicken with any meat. Marinate it the way you want (usually with salt, sugar, cornstarch and oil). Instead of using water to cook the rice, you can use chicken broth for more flavor.

Lemon Chiffon Cake with Ginger Mousse 薑汁慕絲雪紡蛋糕

If there were a movie rating for desserts or cakes, I would rate this cake an "R"--adults only! Kids may be too young to appreciate ginger's pungent sensation. This is why I only made two small (4 inches) cakes. My husband raved about it after one bite and would not share with me.

Matcha Macarons 綠茶馬卡龍

It's been such a long time since I've made macarons that I almost forgot how to make them! I admit that I have a love/hate relationship with macarons. I love them because they are so attractive and delicious with all the different colors and yummy fillings. But at the same time they are such a pain to make. If the oven temperature is a bit high or they aren't dry enough, they may crack on top. If you bake them a minute less, you can't even remove them in a whole piece. If you didn't mix it right, the little "feet" may not come out. No wonder they fetch a premium price among bakery items and not too many bakeries have them on the menu. But at the same time, it is so rewarding and satisfying if they come out well!

Cinnamon Rolls in Puff Pastry 香酥肉桂卷

I like the appealing fragrance of cinnamon. I am also addicted to its delicate and warm flavor. Not only does it smell good, cinnamon also has some incredible health benefits. Its properties can lower blood sugar, cholesterol, fight infection and inflammation. One study showed that just by smelling it would help cognitive function and memory. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?

Cocktail Bao 雞尾包

I remember the name of this bao scared my kids when they were young. "Mom, how can you eat a bun that has cocktail in it?" Many adults may be misled by its name as well. But I think if you are from Hong Kong, you know exactly what it is. Just like bo law bao/pineapple bun which has no pineapple, cocktail bao has no cock's tail in it.

Mont Blanc 蒙布朗

It is not the fine writing pen you are thinking of (if you Google the term, it is what comes up on the first page). It is the highest mountain in the Alps. A pastry chef (not sure he was French or Italian. Probably French.) was inspired by it to create this famous dessert in the fifteenth century. It has a cake base with Chantilly cream in the middle, topped with a creamy chestnut puree. Since it has a long history, many different versions or variations are available. The Japanese have made it with pumpkin and taro puree. However, I still prefer to make the original with yummy chestnut puree.

Yellow Pea Pudding with Coconut Milk 椰汁馬荳糕

This is one of my all time favorite Chinese desserts. If I remember it right, I have had this recipe since high school! The fact that it's still in my recipe binder proves that it is valuable and passed the test of time. Most recipes out there use cornstarch alone as a thickening agent. But I do not like this mushy texture. My recipe has a good ratio of agar and cornstarch. Instead of being mushy, it has a good springiness to it.