Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread (蔓梅奶酪面包）

INTRODUCTION

I had always wanted to prepare this bread but I have never take a move to prepare it as I have either forget to buy cream cheese or cranberries. Since I have both items at home yesterday, I have decided to give it a try.

In the internet, most recipes have called for the use of tangzhong (water roux method). However, I am rather reluctant to try since I prefer a simpler recipe. In the process of searching, I have stumbled across this rather quick recipe with simpler ingredients and method… 

When I was preparing the bread, I knew it will be a soft bread. For the first proofing, it requires to proof until 3 times bigger. In addition, the bread dough is very sticky and shaping handling is quite a challenge. But when I took the first bite, it confirmed that it is a very fluffy soft bread, resembled those that I have purchased from the famous bakery chains Bread Talk or Barcook Bakery.

As the original recipe requires about 250 grams of cream cheese, what I have on hand is only about 120 grams of cream cheese, therefore some of the buns have no fillings in it.. I thought it might also good to prepare the buns to show readers how the fluffy the buns are.

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WHAT IS REQUIRED

Recipe adopted from : Cream Cheese Bread

Servings: About 15-16 pieces

• 300 grams of bread flour
• 200 grams of top flour or cake flour or pao flour
• 250 grams or ml of lukewarm water.
• 20 grams of milk powder
• 100 grams of castor sugar
• 100 grams of butter or margarine
• 5 grams of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 packet of instant yeast (11 grams)
• 60 grams of cranberries (soaked)

Fillings

• 250 grams of cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 150 grams of condensed milk (substitute with 100 grams of icing sugar)

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STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Put all dry ingredients  (except butter) in the mixing bowl, use a tablespoon to stir and make a well in the centre. Crack the egg and put in the lukewarm water. Use the tablespoon to stir until a sticky dough is form. Transfer to the mixer with a dough hook, beat the dough at medium speed until the dough are smooth (about 5-6 minutes). Add in the soften butter, beat using high speed until the dough leaves the side of the mixing bowl (about 10 minutes). Add in the cranberry and “beat” until well mixed (about 1-2 minutes).

• Transfer the dough to a flat floured surface, lightly knead until it is smooth. Proof in a greased bowl until it is TRIPLE in size (it took me about 40 minutes in the hot morning). Note that this dough is rather sticky, if it is difficult to handle, add in bread flour tablespoon by tablespoon until you can shape the dough.

• While your dough is proofing, cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add in condensed milk and beat until well combined. Chilled in the refrigerator. Chilling is to facilitate the wrapping process. After you beat the cream cheese, please take some and taste if it suits your taste bud. You can either add some castor sugar or more condensed milk if you found that it is not sweet enough.

• Once the first proofing is done, transfer out to the floured surface, divide the dough into 75 grams per bread (or your desired size). Lightly knead the dough, flatten it using a rolling pin. Put 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese on the dough, seal the edges and use the rolling pin to flatten the dough as flat and as round as possible. Transfer to the greased baking tray and let it proof until double in size. Leaves adequate space for the expansion. 

• Pre-heat the oven to 190 degree Celsius.

• Once the second proofing is done, bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the top of the bread turns golden brown. (Subsequent to the issuance of this post, some readers have highlighted that in order to make it flat, topped the tray with the dough with another baking tray, as such, the dough will not rise above the height of the baking tray. In this case, you will need to grease the bottom of the top baking tray).

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CONCLUSION

This is a rather simple recipe except the dough is slightly soft and more difficult to handle. Add more flour if you feel that it is too sticky. Do give it a try and let me know about the outcome of your bakes.

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

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