Green Inspiration. Recipe: Two-color pandan cubic milk bread

Uhm, not quite ‘cubic’ actually, but I’m happy with the look of this bread

I like pretty and cute things (who doesn’t?) And here are some of the favourite items I loved or spotted lately. (Which essentially means that I will be somewhat poorer after the online shopping spree).

Cute skirt (10x10) – Apple&Pear Notepad – Audrey Kawasaki’s painting called Overlap {This, I have a print of – lucky!}

Green is perhaps not one of my 'to-go' colors. I’m more attracted to other neutral, greyish and bluish tones in general. But I like to play with it, so I do have occasional clothing and accessories pieces with green shade.

Foodwise, unlike this unusual blue cake, green color appears quite often - vegetables, matcha cake and desserts. And don't forget the ever popular pandan chiffon cake. So I guess playing with green dessert is nothing out of the ordinary.

Today, though, I'm playing with an idea I have had in mind for the longest time - a two tone cubic bread. I've come across the photo of a similar bread somewhere in the past. Not sure where, I just keep a photo of it in my "Inspiration" folder. Whoever you are, thank you for being my inspiration!

Not having a recipe, I figured my way out to create the cubic-effect. For flavours, I have opted to use pandan paste since that beautiful sweet vanilla fragrance pairs particularly well with milk bread. I like the look of it. The texture of the bread is soft and cake-like, the way most Asians like their bread.

Two-color pandan cubic milk bread (aka checkerboard milk bread)

Bread recipe adapted from here.

Note: I think the sugar here is nice for milk bread (to eat with jam and butter). But next time I'll increase the sugar amount slightly to make a sweeter bread. The dough is quite sticky but try to resist adding too much additional flour. Just keep on kneading, it will come together (I knead by hands)

Ingredient
260g fresh milk
1 egg
50g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
500g bread flour (and a bit more to knead)
2tsp Instant yeast
70g butter (unsalted) - at room temperature
1.5-2 tsp pandan paste (available from Asian store)

Method

1. Mix together all the ingredients (except for the pandan paste) in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined.

2. Divide the dough into two portions. Add the pandan paste into one portion, knead well floured surface until the dough is elastic and the color distribute evenly (around 10 mins). Use more flour if the dough is too sticky, but try not to add too much. Repeat with the other dough.

3. Put the dough in two separated bowl. Cover and let it ferment until doubled in size.

4. Divide each dough into 8 portions each. Cover and rest for 10 mins.

5. Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease the normal loaf pan.

6. Put the the pieces of dough in alternate color layers (see pic).

7. Cover and let the dough rest until doubled in size (40-60 mins).

8. Bake in the preheated oven until done (around 30-40 mins). The bread is cooked through if there is a hollow sound when knocking at the bottom of the bread.

*

I'll submit this recipe to Yeastspotting.

If you like Asian bread, try this lovely Japanese-style chocolate multi-layer marble bread. It's good and looks impressive.