This is an Asian inspired recipe bread using tangzhong method. I made two kind of bread with the same dough…one loaf is filled with almond paste and the other has layers of cheese in it.
Okay, here is where my first log of almond paste went…into a bread!
This is a very simple way to have two very different bread using one dough. The dough that I used in this recipe is pretty much what I have been using for cinnamon rolls, sweet rolls, even sandwich loaf. I did use my little Zojirushi bread machine, which was perfect for this recipe.
This bread is very light, soft, cottony, and stays fresh for many many days. The almond bread was delicious, with the gooey almond paste in it…although it came up sweeter than I expected (too greedy when adding almond paste), but was good with a cup of tea or coffee. Now, the cheese bread was something more expected, and my husband kept slicing it every time when going to the kitchen…no need to tell you that the bread did not last long.
Ingredients:
Water roux or Tangzhong
75 ml of water
15 g of bread flour
Dough
2 cups bread flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dry milk
1½ tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 large egg and complete to 100 ml with water
Almond Paste
1 egg yolk lightly beaten with ½ tablespoon water
Sliced almond for garnish
Grated Gruyère Cheese for filling
Method:
Water roux
Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches 65oC/149oF. The mix will turn to a paste and you can see the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat, cover with a saran wrap film over the paste and leave until lukewarm.
Dough
Add the water roux and all the dough ingredients to the bread machine bucket according to the manufacture’s guideline.
I let the dough cycle run for 2 times, making sure that the dough reaches a thin membrane. The dough will be slightly sticky.
Let is rise for approximately 2 hours in a cover container or until it double its initial volume.
Punch down the dough and divide into 2 parts.
Cut the almond paste into 6 equal portions, reserve.
While working with the first part cover the second half with a cloth. Divide the ball into 6 little balls, and shape into a carrot like. Do the same with the almond paste. Flat both the dough and the almond paste with a roller and place the almond past on the dough, rolling from the wider side to the narrow side. Repeat the same procedure with the other 5 portions of dough.
Make small cuts, cover and let it rise until double its original size.
With the other half portion of the dough, divide into 3 balls. Flat with a roller and filled with grated cheese, roll it like a Swiss roll, flat again and spread more grated cheese. Do the same with the remaining 2 portions of dough.
Cover and let it double in size.
Preheat oven at 350F
When ready to bake…
Almond Paste Bread: Brush with the egg yolk washand top with almond. Bake for about 6 to 7 minutes.
Cheese Bread: Brush with egg yolk wash and sprinkle cheese. Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
If you enjoy this recipe, you might want to check on Sweet Milk Bread with Raisin or Matcha Swirl Sandwich Bread recipes.