Early Grey Bread & Corn Log Bread.

               My Saturday breakfast galore. Earl Grey loaf and Sweet corn log bread....

                                                Some of my friends thought it's a chiffon cake!
               

Sweet corn bread is ever so soft. 

September was rather a busy month for me, now stepping into October I fell like a sudden slowdown. Wonder is this good or bad?! I am into relax mode again I guess, I started to dig out all my bread recipe books and started to look for something new to try out. Indeed, I got quite a number of new ones that I have bookmarked, just to wait for the right time to try them out one by one. On top of that, I have always wanted to buy a bread tin that looks like a log/cylinder shape which I have been long for since I last saw it on Cuoca website, however, it's too expensive to spend  so much money for that particular online purchase, as the Yen is way too high...! on top of that, I got to pay for Vpost to ship the parcel from Japan would cost me another big money! In my memory, I have seen something similar at Phoon Huat which only cost $8! But I don't know why I did not get it right at that time.  So with my relax and happy mode these days, I started to plan for a day when I would go to this particular branch in town where they carry most of the items of all, hopping that I would get that $8 bread tin ( since I am in the positive energy mode, I did think I'd get it. It's that 'Law of attraction' again) heh heh....

My son started his Japanese lesson again, after a month break as his Japanese teacher went back to Hokkaido for a break. Hence I took a walk to the brunch near Bencoolen street, after I dropped my son at his teacher's.  The weather was kind to me on that day, when I could just take my time and made my way there. Somehow I didn't go straight to the pans and tins section, not knowing whether could I still get what I wanted. I slowly browsed through every lane and lastly came to the tin section..... Well, I spotted the $8 tin, BUT!!!! it was in terrible condition and my heart sank for a moment! As I decided to take a more detail search, I squat down and tried to dig further. I was so so thrill that I found something even better! I know this one would not cost just $8, but I was all prepared and willing to pay, with it's quality! I can't be very sure where the tin's made, but for sure it's for the Japanese standard that it's produced. On top of that, it comes with the instructions note in Japanese.  So I was very sure , this is the right stuff I was going to get. After more than 30 minutes in the shop, I just got myself one item, and I thought I was the happiest person in the whole Singapore!!! I think many of my friends will not ever understand why just an ugly bread tin could make me a happy woman as I am!! In the younger days, things that made me happy would be that few things like hand bags, shoes, dresses, jewelleries... not quite for recent years though. But now my hubby is complaining that our kitchen storage space is running out!!! He thinks I should stop my passion collections before I have to store them under our bed!! Come to think of it, it's quite a good idea to have some of the collections kept there ( under the bed) ya?? '' Grin''!!! In case you are interested to know how much I paid for the twin cylinder bread tin... it's $27. Not that bad right??

 Being a greedy me, I couldn't wait to have a try of the new tin, so I decided to make the corn bread using the new tin , yet, I am impatient to know how an Earl Grey tea bread would taste. After seeing many many blogger post on different types of bakes using Earl Grey tea, since I have not been a fan of Earl Grey tea, so that had kept me from trying... Finally, I did!! I quite like it, the Earl Grey didn't over take the whole bread. A mild tinted Earl Grey perfect for a person like me who prefers Assam, Ceylon and English Breakfast. I have a few friends who are big fans of Earl Grey, so now I have a great offer when they come over for tea or brunch. I will always welcome them for breakfast too!!

Earl Grey Loaf:

Bread flour   150g
Instant yeast   3g
Sugar   18g
Salt   3g
Skimmed milk / Milk powder  9g   (Japanese call milk powder ''Skimmed Milk'')
Egg  24g
Earl Grey Tea  leave 3g ( use tea bag)
Water  75g
Unsalted butter  30g

Method:

1. Earl grey tea and water boil together to infuse a thick tea liquid. Let it cool a little.

2. Mix all ingredient to form a sticky dough and hand knead till smooth and springy.

3. Let dough rise in warm place and covered with damp cloth, for one hour or reaches 2.5 time bigger.

4. Press the air our from the dough, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

5. Shape the dough into a ring and place it into a tube cake tin. Press the dough down well, and cover with cling film or cloth and let it rise till double in size. Bake in pre heated oven at 190'c for 25 minutes.