Thermomix Hokkaido milk bread (tang zhong)

My family (and dearest sister) loves this bread. It tastes exactly like the store bought bread (which is quite exy) and because of the tang zhong method, it stills stays soft and fluffy after a few days (though it's usually finished under 2 days). Everytime I make this, I make 2 loaves. One (and a half) for my family, the other for my sister. 

This recipe has been adapted for the Thermomix from Christines recipe. This recipe makes 2 loaves and can easily be halved (but why would you do that? These go quick in my house)

Tang Zhong Starter
150g water
30g flour

Ingredients 

55g milk

60g cream 

85g raw sugar

2 tsp yeast

2 tsp milk powder

2 eggs 

540g bakers flour

1.5 tsp salt

45-50g unsalted butter, cubed

Method 

1. Cook the TangZhong starter in the TM for 2mins/70deg/sp3

2. Add remaining ingredients (except butter) in the TM bowl and mix for 7sec/sp7

2. Knead for 10 minutes. Don't leave the TM unattended. Check for window pane stage 

3. Towards the last few minutes, add the butter through the lid

4. Allow dough to rest and double is size (either in the TM, thermomat or covered bowl in warm area). 

5. Punch down the dough and shape into desired rolls or loaf. Let it prove again (I speed this process up by putting the tin in a cold oven with a dish of boiled water)

6. Brush whisked egg or milk on top and bake in preheated 180deg oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 

6. Cool on a wired rack

Vegetarian dashi stock and konbu salad

I make and use this stock a lot. Especially when cooking Japanese or Korean soup/stew. It's easy, quick and delicious. 

I don't even follow measurements, just whack it all in depending on how much I'm making. 

These natural ingredients are also good sources for that umami taste/flavour...

Ingredients

Dried konbu sheet (cleaned)

Clean Shiitake mushroom (dry or fresh is fine)

Method

Soak in the pot beforehand if you have time. If not, just cook it straight up in the pot. 

Once it's boiled, I remove the seaweed and usually leave the mushrooms in to continue cooking in whatever I'm making (usually Korean jjigae/stew or udon noodles). 

Isaac and I love eating the kombu seaweed once we remove it. It's delicious and nutritious so why not right?

If I'm making a lot of stock, I usually use some of the seaweed to make my hubby a konbu salad which he loves. 

Just slice the cooked konbu into strips and add some vinegar, chilli, sugar, salt (or soysauce, but hubby prefers salt), minced garlic and coriander (optional). 

Vegetable pasta sauce

This is a sure fire way to get my toddler to finish his meal quickly. It's also a great way to get veggies into fussy eaters. Adult and children alike. This is so delicious and you won't even realise all the goodies you're eating!!

Best thing about it, is that this is a very versatile recipe. 

Just grill any veggies (pumpkins, capsicums, greens, mix of anything) and/or mushrooms you have in the fridge (I normally grill it with Sundried tomato oil). Then blitz iit all up into a paste. I do this in my Thermomix and also add Sundried tomatoes in. Then I throw in a can of tomatoes and cook it in the Thermomix :). I also like to add some Vegemite in there because I'm a Vegemite girl :p!

Season to taste (we normally do this once served since so our babies can eat this too) with salt, pepper, Parmesan, parsley, chilli flakes etc.