Oatmeal Bread (No Knead Method) 燕麥麵包(免揉)

"Most bread produced in factory bakeries in the industrialized world is made without the critical step of fermentation.....Dough conditioners, flavorings, processing aids, gums, fats and additives are used in an attempt to save one precious thing, TIME....They mix, shape, and bake a loaf in less than an hour. A baker using traditional methods and actual fermentation may take up to 72 hours."  by Martin Philip, head baker of King Arthur Flour, "Breaking Bread" (emphasis added).

Seeded Whole Wheat Bread 全麥種子麵包

Since I started making my own bread a few years ago, I have almost exclusively been using the Tong Zhong method. It gives me consistently soft and fluffy bread that lasts up to four or five days at room temperature. However, I learned this is not the only method for soft, long-lasting bread.

I have been exploring new ways to make bread with a higher percentage of whole wheat. Most breads that are labelled as whole wheat in the market are made with only 30% whole wheat flour while the majority is white bread flour. I think the main reason is not so much the cost but the nature of wheat flour.

Omega-3 Banana Muffins 超健康版香蕉蛋糕

By looking at the title of this post, you may wonder what this is all about. I was inspired by a recipe in a book called The Queen of Fats by Susan Allport. It is not a cookbook in any way. Its subtitle is "why omega-3s were removed from the Western diet and what we can do to replace them". By reading the subtitle I guess you can get an idea what the book is all about. I do not intend to do a book report here. If you are interested, you can check it out from the library. In short, omega-3 is the good fat that our body needs in order to function properly, especially our brain and eyes. Fish, walnut, flaxseed, fruit, vegetable, and so on are good sources of omega-3. But most of the processed foods in the market have had the omega-3 removed because it has a short shelf life. This is another reason to avoid processed foods in general.

Whole Wheat Tong Zhong Bread 全麥湯種麵包

Tong Zhong Bread 全麥湯種麵包



What is Tong Zhong ? There are many ways to make bread: straight dough method, sponge method, pate ferment, biga, poolish, etc., but Tong Zhong is almost never heard of in the world of bread making (especially artisan bread making). This type of bread making originates from Japan. It means a warm or dilute batter. This soft texture suits Asians' palette. Besides its soft pillowy texture, it has a very long shelf life as well. Yvonne Chan wrote a book called "65⁰C Tong Zhong Bread" (in Chinese only).