r/BakingInJapan

**excuse the typo, I can’t edit the title 🙃

I keep tweaking my method, trying to perfect it. I’ve been experimenting with open baking (not using a Dutch oven, just baking on my Healsio’s 角皿) but haven’t been getting the expansion at the score that I like. I tried a delayed score today and it came out quite well! I’ve been making sourdough for more than two years now, but I’m still learning my style every bake!

I was a bit afraid of how these would turn out because my oven is not the best.

They were super good. It takes time but it was so worth it!

These were a pain in the butt to make because I also had to make my own marshmallow fluff! Delicious though

so hey, I made some peanut butter cookies today, using my favorite recipe, which is incredibly good

• 240 g peanut butter (NOT "natural style" that separates and needs to be stirred together. I get the stuff from 業務スーパー because it's cheap and works just fine)
• 120 g sugar (you can use brown sugar for more complex depth if you want, and you can probably even push this number lower — I think the original recipe I had called for 180 g instead, but I think less sugar than that actually works even better)
• 1 egg
• optionally: couple squirts of vanilla extract or something

Mix the ingredients together, optionally chill in fridge for a little bit to make the mixture easier to work with, then form into cookies (note that they won't really spread very much while baking, so if you want them thinner, you need to squash them down beforehand) and bake at 180°C/350°F for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness. After removing from oven, let rest on pan for a few minutes to set, before transferring to a cooling rack.

This recipe also works great with chunks of chocolate mixed in, or you could probably even coat them in chocolate? I dunno. It's a real easy recipe and it's practically impossible to screw it up. You may have also noticed that the recipe happens to be wheat-free, if that's something that matters to you. Either way they're the best peanut butter cookies I've ever had, I think.

I bet you could bake them in a toaster oven without much difficulty, too. Maybe make a batch of the dough ahead of time and just bake a couple cookies' worth to have fresh warm cookies after dinner. Used to do that with chocolate chip cookies for a while, years ago.

strawberry custard tart for my lover's birthday. couldn't get a clean slice pic because we had to eat it at the park after it was in a cooler bag for a few hours (as you can see by the last pic it was kinda melting) but i can assure you it was absolutely scrumptious

After 6 months in Japan, I am so happy to finally had the chance to bake again! I am still looking for a second hand oven, but in the meantime I discovered I could cook cakes in my rice cooker!

I adapted my banana bread recipe for the size of my rice cooker, launched the « パン » mode for 50min and the cake turned out absolutely perfect! First try!! I am so happy 🎵🎉

Here is the recipe if anyone is interested:

For 1 small banana bread - I used a 3 cups capacity Zojirushi rice cooker :
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 40 g melted butter
- 50 g sugar
- 1tbs mapple sirup
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 30 g walnuts or chocolate chips

We were 2 people eating it and we destroyed the whole cake in one evening lol

Moved to Japan last month and finally got the chance to bake! Still getting used to the ovens here though.

This was a spur of the moment “typhoon watch” activity, using what I have on hand - Van Houten 72% bitter cocoa powder and a chopped up German bitter chocolate bar from Gyomu Super. The cookies are soft but not greasy and very tender.

I followed this recipe, converting the bake to 170C for a little under 13 minutes.

https://bromabakery.com/single-serve-double-chocolate-cookie/

This is a staple in our home. My kids love it 😊

This was a test run of making crumpets with sourdough discard. They're OK, but a bit denser than I'd have liked and not holey enough. I'll need to play around with the concept. Served them two ways: breakfast (ham and egg), and dinner (cheese hamburg with mushroom demiglace).

Recipe:

227g sourdough discard

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/8 tsp baking soda

Mix all.

Pour 1/4 of mix in each ring mold.

Cook 6 mins one side

Remove mold and flip

Cook 3ish mins more.

Not truly gluten free as my ingredients aren't certified (and oats are notorious for contamination). Made with oats, tapioca flour, and rice flour. I did ball them out but they spread terribly 😅 They have a chewy texture from the oats but a lovely brown sugar flavour.

I was gifted 4 (4!) pineapples so I decided to make one of my favourites from back home.

It's supposed to be pineapple rings but I only thought of making the cake when I had already cut it into strips.

Came out ok, but I'd reduce the bran next time to make it more airy.

After a rather aesthetically challenged last loaf, I went back to basics. This is an 80/15/5 (white, whole wheat, rye) loaf. Feeling somewhat vindicated.

Process:

Day 1 2:00am Make levain: 20g mature/fed starter, 20g water, 20g bread flour

Day 2 11:30am Make dough: Levain + 185g water + 255g bread flour (80% tomishou, 15% whole wheat for bread, 5% fine ground rye) + 5g salt; 12:00pm: Fermentolyse 1 hour

1:00 to 2:30pm Stretch and Folds every 30 mins, coil folds at end as dough strength increases

4:30 pm: Preshape 5:00 pm: Shape > Banneton > Cold retard

Day 3

11:30 Preheat Dutch Oven to 250C

12:15 Turn out loaf, score, place in D/O

Bake at 230C. 35 mins covered, 15 mins uncovered (50 total)