Black Sesame Bread (Dough Starter) 黑芝麻麵包（天然酵頭）

I made my own dough starter using grapes a week ago, and now my starter is sort of fermented, so I decided to try using it to make my first starter bun.  Grabbing a bread recipe randomly from a Jap site, I've mixed 200g all-purpose flour; 80g dough starter; 10g sugar; 4g salt, 1 pack of instant sesame drink powder (not in original recipe), 1/4 tsp instant yeast (I cheated, just in case if my starter didn't work), adequate water (I didn't measure) together to form a dough.  Well, the bread didn't turn out too bad except it's a bit too dry.  Also, I should have used bread flour instead of all-purpose flour...

Mixing everything together according to the recipe except I've added my own sesame drink powder and a little dry yeast.

Looks like a marble!  LOL!

Here is a closer shot at my dough.  It smells nice with the sesame powder.  =)

Dough looks like this after 3 hours, and I've poked it with my finger to see if it's 'done' or not...

Here is a closer shot.

I've flattened the dough, rolled it up and divided it into 6 portions...  I've even sprayed the dough with water so that it won't get too dry...  Geez...what am I doing here...@@

I was trying to create my own 排包...

2 hours later it has become like this!

At least it proves that my dough starter is working!  HAHAHHAHAHA!!!  Or the instant yeast...  Time to dump it into the oven!  =)

Looks like it's not really rising although I've put the container on the preheated baking stone...

30 minutes later - done!!

At least it's not a flat bread this time!  HAHHAHAHAHAH!!!!

Here is what it looks like inside.

Here is a closer shot, doesn't look like it has the 'bread' texture...

It was a bit dry, tasted very similar to what the sesame powder drink tastes like, not enough sweetness, didn't taste any 'dough starter' at all (I'm surprised!).

I ate it with salmon flavor cream cheese!  Mmmmmm.....

Catching Wild Yeast

Mom sent me an interesting website about making your own wild yeast starter, so I followed the instruction and made my own starter by using an apple.  It was quite interesting in seeing how the yeast develop, yet I ain't sure if I've done the right thing or not 'coz I didn't really follow the instruction thoroughly...  Worse of all, I always think my starter has turned bad 'coz it really has a strong sour smell.. Anyway, I will still give it a try!  =)

 Dec 3 - I've used a medium size apple here.  Instead of chopping it into smaller pieces, I just use a blender to dice it up.

 1 medium apple + 3 large spoonful of sugar + 8 large spoonful of water (preferred distilled water).

It smells really nice!  =)

 Dec 5 - 2 days later bubble has developed and you can smell 'wine'.

 Here is a closer shot at the bubbles.

 Dec 6 - 3 days later, I've made natural apple soda!!  Hahahahah!!!

More bubbles and smelled more 'wine'!

 Get your ear close to the jar and you can hear the bubbles going 'Ssaaaaaaa......'!!  This liquid is ready to be used.

 Dec 7 - I should have added the flour in yesterday...today's bubble wasn't as bubbly as yesterdays.  My recipe says only take 160g of juice and add in 80g of flour.

 Once the flour and the juice are mixed together, it became like this.

 Dec 8 - this culture didn't look that bad though there were some flour settled at the bottom of the jar.

This is the view from the top, it has a very strong sour smell...that's why I thought this culture must have turned bad....

 Dec 9 - I've fed this thing with 1/3 cup of water & flour.

 This is what its look like from the top.

 Dec 10 - my culture looks like this...  It's a bit watery, strong sour smell, and it's sort of brown in color??!

 At least it has developed the gluten here...

Homemade Black Bread （睇吓好啦！！）

I wanted to make a loaf of bread without using the bread machine...  Nevertheless I can't rely on it everytime when I make bread.  Mom said she doesn't want any 'white bread', so I researched the internet and decided to make her this 'black bread'!  Haha!!  Well, result?!!  I've made a 'flat bread'!  o_O!!  I shouldn't have poked or moved this friggin dough before sending it to the oven!!  The picture below is the 'best look' of my bread before everything ruined!  Arrrgggg....!!

 (You think my bread looks like this after it's baked??!!!  Noooooooooo!!!!!  Below you'll see!!)

-  1 1/3 cups strong brewed coffee (that's too much liquid to my bread)
-  1/4 cup dark molasses
-  1/4 cup vegetable oil
-  2 tablespoons brown sugar
-  1 cup whole wheat four
-  1 cup rye flour
-  2 cups bread flour
-  2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
-  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-  2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast

 I brewed the coffee and mixed it with molasses, brown sugar & yeast.  I let it sit for 10 minutes first before using it.

 I mixed all the dry ingredients together.

 ...add in the liquid, and mix everything well with a spoon first before transferring the dough to the table.

 Knead for about 5 mins 'til the surface smooth, then cover the dough with a damp cloth and put it in a warm place until it is double in size.

 I've sprinkled a lot of flour on a wooden board before placing the dough here.  (That's too much!!)

 Once the dough is double in size, I knead/fold the dough again for several times and shaped it into a ball.

Sprinkled some oatmeal on top of the dough so it looks nicer...  I've rested it for another 2 hours until it's double in size again.

 I switched on the oven light and let it sits inside...

 This dough is now ready to bake, it looks nice and cool!  =)

 Stupid me!!  Stupid stupid stupid!!!  Argg...  I shouldn't have poked this thing with a knife...  Now all the air has gone and it has collapsed!!!  Shit!!

 Now it has become a 'flat bread'...duh!!!

 What's done is done...  Can't help it...

Nice!!!  .....................

 It has reached 4-5 inches in height before it collapsed...but now...arg....only like 2 inches thick!!

 This recipe actually yields 12 buns, but instead of making buns, I made this one...  The bread looks okay...just....just not fully cooked!!  [350°F for 30 mins, I should have baked it for 40-45 mins instead]

 Texture looks nice and acceptable to me, but I don't know if it taste good or not...

後注：這個飽因為有麥芽糖的關係，所以口感非常黐牙！！正一'金玉其外，敗絮其中'！！