THANK GOD IT'S APPÉRITIF TIME!

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #48 - BALCONY FUN

- Beer Time -

- Blogger's Reflection -*

The first picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 5th of September by Anusha at "Tomato Blues" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

* Dressed in home clothes...

CHOCOLATE GANACHE-GLAZED HAZENUT CAKE - GÂTEAU AUX NOISETTES RECOUVERT DE GANACHE AU CHOCOLAT

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
- Havelock Ellis

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
- Chinese Proverb 

Taking things easy isn't all that evident if you are trapped in a lethal routine or somebody who has a bad conscience for staying at home all day long like a kept woman and not being the one who is obliged to go to the "salt mine". As you can imagine, finding the power to change habits and the courage to let go of guilt is very hard in such situations.

Since I am jobless and not forced to deal with a psyschotic chef with a superiority complex nor to slave at a desk every week in order to pay the bills, I have the impression that the right to relax and have fun should be denied to me because individuals of my kind ought to be grateful for their slack lifetsyle, have nothing to complain about and definitely no excuse whatsoever for putting their feet up considering that they don't accomplish a lot in comparison to dedicated career people.

No matter how much energy I spend killing myself doing my household chores (cooking/baking, cleaning, planning the expenses/planning the food shopping, taking care of our old cat, etc...) and how many strenuous hours I quotidianly dedicate to blogging, I am still convinced that there is no reason for me to be tired or to need a vacation.

Thankfully, my boyfriend is not the type of male who has a macho mind and believes that what "the mistress of the house" achieves is meaningless or that holding a blog is stupid and meaningless. Unlike a certain species of Neandertal guys, he appreciates my domestic contribution, considers it to be highly valuable and never takes it for granted. Besides, he also regards my foodie activities as awesome and he respects the artistic side of my personality. P. is extremely proud of me and never repproaches me for my unemployement status or critcizes my choices. He understands that I can be stressed as well as emotionally, mentally and physically drained. As a matter of fact, this adorable man always tells me that I should sleep longer in the morning, relax more and stop buzzing around frenetically.

Although I'm a self-professed epicurean who thinks that life is meant to be enjoyed, I have difficulties transposing the entirety of my hedonistic ideologies into my existence. Hence, I constantly punish myself by not aknowledging my burnout and intentionally sweep it under the carpet, close my eyes on my state of complete exhaustion as well as refuse to listen to my body's cry for help. Hyperactivity (artistic creation without respite, lovingly pampering my partner and keeping the apartment clean) gives me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. In this way, I don't feel like a total waste of space or a parasite living at someone's expense (having been nicknamed "the cuckoo" by my parents as a child leaves an indelible stigma)...

During holidays, leisure replaces work as a priority. You are filled with the enthusiasm to explore, travel and learn. So indulge in laziness. Spend time with your loved ones and let your heart dance.
- Roger Bannister

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
- James Dent

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.
- Sam Keen

Summer is the ideal time for slacking and decompressing as most folks are absent and our melting brains are on a holiday modus. The cold season lasts long and it would be pure insanity to stay clustered in our grotto, looking as pale as light-phobic vampires in lack of fresh blood as well as incredibly sad to behave like manic zombies schyzophrenically clicking away on our keyboard while the exterior world is bustling action. So, why stick in front of a screen and stay in a dusty room when the sun is shining brightly, the temperatures are soothingly warm, the birds are squealing with joy in the azure blue sky, the grass is so invitingly verdant, nature's bursting with lush beauty and the internet is a real desert where only a bunch of anemic geeks roam?

This year, I've resolved to slow down a little, overcome my busy bee complex and finally grant myself a much deserved break: I'll be taking a hiatus for two weeks, from the 18th to the 26th of August and will not publish a complete write-up (presentation of a dish & babblings) until the 7th of September.  Anyway, be reassured, Rosa's Yummy Yums has absolutely not fallen down on my priority list. I am just trying to approach this hobby in a more healthy and casual manner. This means feeding my site exclusively when I'm in the mood for putting words down on paper and going through the long process of picture-taking, thus not forcing myself to post at any cost

Following this stress-free philosophy, today I have chosen to share with you a recipe for a simple cake I had already spoken about on my blog six years ago. Back then, this chocolaty and nutty goodness didn't get the exposure it deserved (mediocre pictures and weak writing), so I've decided to publish a revamped version of my old article (better formula, photos and new text) here this Friday.

This easy "Chocolate Ganache-Glazed Hazelnut Cake" is perfect for gourmets who are too lazy to work their fingers to the bone and want to reach gustatory heaven without fussing around. In one word, it is dedicated to those who refuse to sacrifice their pleasure in the name of sluggishness. An old-fashioned confection, which despite its basicness is delightful, moist, tasty and will rejoice even the most persnickety eater. Happiness on a plate!

Chocolate Ganache-Glazed Hazelnut Cake

Cake recipe adapted from "The Australian Women's Weekly" and ganache recipe adpated from Tish Boyle "Cake Book".

Makes 1 cake.

Ingredients For The "Hazelnut Cake":
1/2 Cup + 1 Tsp (125g) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 Cup + 2 Tsps (220g) Castor sugar
2 Eggs (~63g)
1 3/4 Cup (225g) Plain white flour
1 1/3 Tsps Baking powder
A pinch of salt
1/2 Cup (120ml) Milk 

3/4 Cup + 2 Tsps (70g) Ground hazelnuts
Ingredients For The "Chocolate Ganache":

3oz (90g) Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated
1/3 Cup (80ml) Heavy cream
1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla extract

Method For The "Hazelnut Cake":
1. Peheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt, sift them and set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter together with the sugar and vanilla extract, until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well combined.
4. Stir in dry ingredients (flour/bakingpowerd/salt) and the milk, alternately.
5. Incorporate the ground hazelnuts.
6. Pour the batter into a 20cm (8inch) greased round cake pan.
7. Bake for about 45-50 minutes in the middle of the oven or until a thin skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Turn onto a wire rack and let cool.

Method For The "Chocolate Ganache:
9. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.
10. Heat the heavy cream over medium-high heat until it comes to a light boil.

11. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy.

12. Allow the ganache to cool before pouring over the cake (the longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set).

Remarks:
You can use light brown sugar as a substitute for castor sugar. and replace the hazelnuts by the ground nuts of your choice (this will change the flavor of the cake, though).

Serving suggestions:
Serve with a good cup of tea or coffee and some whipped cream.

Gâteau Aux Noisettes Recouvert De Ganache Au Chocolat
La recette pour le gâteau est adaptée de "The Australian Women's Weekly" et la recette pour la ganache est adaptée de "Cake Book" par Tish Boyle.

Pour 1 gâteau.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Gâteau Aux Noisettes":
125g de Beurre non salé, à température ambiante
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
220g de Sucre cristallisé
2 Oeufs (~ 63g)
225g de Farine
1 1/3 CC de Poudre à lever/pâte
Une pincée de sel de mer fin
120ml de Lait non écrémé
70g de Noisettes moulues
Ingrédients Pour La"Ganache Au Chocolat":
90g de Chocolat mi-amer, haché finement ou râpé
80ml de Crème épaisse
1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure

Méthode Pour Le "Gâteau Aux Noisettes":
1. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C. Mélanger ensemble la farine, poudre à lever/pâte ainsi que le sel et les tamiser. Mettre de côté.
2. Dans le bol de votre robot ménager, battre le beurre, le sucre et l'extrait de vanille en pommade, jusqu'à consistance légère et mousseuse.
3. Ajouter les oeufs, un par un et battre jusqu'à consistance homogène.
4. Incorporer les ingrédients secs (farine/poudre à lever/sel) et le lait, en alternance.
5. Puis, incorporer les noisettes moulues.
6. Verser la pâte dans moule à gâteau rond (beurré) de 20cm de diamètre.
7. Cuire au milieu du four pendant environ 45-50 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la lame d'un couteau insérée au centre du gâteau en ressorte propre.
8. Mettre le gâteau à refroidir (complètement) sur une grille.
Méthode Pour La"Ganache Au Chocolat":
9. Placer le chocolat haché dans un bol moyen.
10. Chauffer la crème à feu moyen-vif jusqu'à ce qu'elle arrive à légère ébullition.
11. Retirer du feu et versez immédiatement la crème sur le chocolat et remuer jusqu'à obtention d'une consistance lisse et brillante.
12. Laisser refroidir la ganache avant de la verser sur le gâteau (plus vous la laissez refroidir, plus elle sera épaisse).

Remarques:
Vous pouvez utiliser du sucre brun clair (fin) comme substitut pour le sucre cristallisé.
Les noisettes moulues peuvent également être remplacées par par les noix moulues de votre choix. Par contre, cela changera la saveur de votre gâteau.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir avec une bonne tasse de thé ou de café et de la crème fouettée.

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #46 - PLEASURE: APPROVED OR PROHIBITED?

- Turkish Delight -

- Forbidden -

The first picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 22nd of August by herself (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

SEA ISLAND COFFEE - A REVIEW

The smell of coffee cooking was a reason for growing up, because children were never allowed to have it and nothing haunted the nostrils all the way out to the barn as did the aroma of boiling coffee.
- Edna Lewis

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
- T.S. Eliot

I have been enjoying coffee most of my life. My fondness for the brew started when I was a child. Already then, I found its amazing frangrance enticing and I was a sucker for desserts that were perfumed with it. Of course, at this time, I wasn't granted the access to this magic potion reserved for adults, so I contented myself with a substitute. It may not have been the real thing, but this kid-friendly ersatz sure tasted very close coffee and it dispensed a lot of happiness too. Those characteristics were suffucient for me and, in my defense, I must point out that my Mémé (Swiss grandma from Vaud) was the queen of coffeeweed. Her legendary chicory au lait was remarkably delicious and comforting. Heaven in a mug!

Not long after, around the age of 14, I finally ingested my first sips of that much coveted coffeinated drink. At the beginning though, this dark brew's main purpose was not really to provide me with gustative indulgence. Instead, I employed it to give myself energy, increase my confidence, boost my intellectual faculties and calm my nerves during exam periods as tests traumatized me to the highest point. But, as I grew a little older it became a symbol of maturity, a way of showing people that I had grown up and wasn't a baby anymore. In my late twenties, I discovered that it wasn't just a pleasant beverage you drank on café terraces with friend while philosophizing, but that it actually had terroir, a soul of its own and could be savored just like a wine. That's when I began to search for gourmet blends and stopped being satisfied by the astringent "piss" that restaurants and tearooms frequently served. Nowadays, I choose my coffee carefully and since I have a considerably more selective palate than before, I've moved from rot gut to refined.

At home my mother prepared coffee with an aluminium moka machine that dated back to the 70's and ground her whole beans directly at the supermarket. The year I moved in with my partner P., his parents gifted him an espresso machine (no capsules). Sadly, it broke down rapidly despite its significant initial cost and promising brand name. So, the day we moved into our second lovenest, we opted for a classic Italian stovetop pot from IKEA. Uncomplicated and low-maintainance. Each method we tested was good and gave gratifying results, yet none was particularly exceptional. However, I felt that there must be another manner of producing coffee which is not acutely bitter or acid, and which is round as well as fragrant. It still had to come across the right one, though...

No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
- Sheik Abd-al-Kadir

Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.
- Turkish Proverb

Until 2010, I was a frustrated "battery acid" addict who had not yet unearthed the coffee Grail and was accustomed to mediocrity for lack of finding better. I had a love-hate relationship with this decoction. Luckily, my big revelation came one April evening, two years ago, thanks to a lovely blogger called Zarpandit (check out her site "Cikolata Kavanozum") who sent me a heartwarming package containing a pretty card portraying the Topkapi Palace, a miniature copper cevze, a set of two adorable espresso cups and saucers, a packet of Turkish coffee and a box of exquisite lokums. An extremely kind and generous gesture which made me gleeful and uplifted my mood (at this period, my job was negatively challenging and awfully stressful).

A few hours later, my "kavhe" virginity was forever lost. That dinky ibrik was so cute - a foodie toy par excellence! - and the fine-ground coffee looked terribly tempting in it's somewhat exotic and retro packaging that I had to play with them IMME-DIA-TELY!

After surfing the internet for information on those unfamiliar items, I entered the kitchen like an pioneer on a mission, brimming with curiosity, and shyly poured water in the pot. With a trembling hand I added a few teaspoons of the precious bean powder and a little sugar into my minuscule brass pot, then stirred well and with great anticipation, I slowly heated the mixture (see my recipe & check out this article). Once the surface started to foam I excitedly poured the opaque liquid into my tiny cups.

Needless to say that I immediately enamored myself with this strong beverage's exhalirating aromas, pungent richness as well as intense, luscious, fresh, full-bodied and divine flavor. Quite mind-blowing and totally irresistible! And to top that fabulous experience, the whole preparation process enraptured me - it can be compared to meditation as it requires patience, relaxes you, builds up your craving and puts you in the right mindset for reaching "kaffa" nirvana. The Turks really understand how the mechanisms of gustatory pleasure work...

I cannot imagine living without this marvelous fluid as it is vital for my overall well-being and dear to the sensual gourmet I am, hence I solely purchase quality coffee and steer clear from bad products. Therefore, when I was approached by Sea Island Coffee my foodie geekness was awakened. How could I refuse the opportunity to try two of their luxurious samples? There was no way I was going to decline their enticing offer.*

For those who are not familiar with this small enterprise, Sea Island Coffee is based in Knightsbridge, London (UK) and is one of Europe’s leading importers of specialist coffees from around the world. Their aim is to supply rare, exclusive, exotic, intriguing and top-notch coffees which deliver a wonderful and exceptional combination of taste, body and provenance.

Generally, I am always careful when people promise us the moon and never buy into any company's advertisement propaganda as generally their words are just empty/hollow and their affirmations are pure commercial ramblings, so I circumspectly read through Sea Island Coffee's leaflet and tried to not let my tasting session get influenced by their pamphlet. You see, I believe that neutrality is crucial when you are writing a serious and unbiased review.

Anyway, both the coffees I was given to judge were so impressive and tantalizing that I got blown away by their overwhelmingly distinctive personality, sheer uniqueness and top-class sublimity. Definitely nothing meanstream or cheap here, trust me. As a matter of fact, pure mouth-orgasm is guaranteed with every swig!

Geisha - Costa Rica
This ancient and very rare Ethiopian wild coffee variety is grown on the Coffea Diversa plantation in Costa Rica (close to the Panamean border) which has pioneered the botanical garden approach to coffee cultivation. Aromatically complex, yet mild, this stunning coffee delivers notes of lavender, cocoa and hints of molasses.

Jamaica Blue Mountain - Jamaica

Cultivated on Clifton Mount, one of the oldest functioning coffee estates in Jamaica, this world-reknown coffee is considered by many connoisseurs to be one of the best on the market. It is exquisitely well-balanced (aroma, body and acidity in equal parts), incredibly smooth, spectacularly pungent and has a creamy aftertaste as well as hints of chocolate with floral, caramel and vanilla undertones.

* Please note that I only promote things that stay true to my tastes, convictions and interests. The opinions expressed on Rosa's Yummy Yums are purely my own and based upon my personal experiences with SEA ISLAND COFFEE. I was not paid nor asked to publish a positive review.

Coffee-Flavored Recipes:

Brazilian Coffee Cookies

Cardamom Crumb Cake

Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Drop Dead Chocolate Cake

Gravelax With Mustard Sauce

Panna Cotta With Oatmeal Florentines

Peanut Butter, Chocolate & Coffee Cookie Bars

Tiramisù

Wicked Bacon & Coffee Brownies

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #45 - 7 YEARS ALREADY...

- Geneva Harbour -

- Ready For Shaping -

The last picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at " The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 15th of August by Claire at "Chez Cayenne" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, my blog is celebrating its 7th year of existence! Time sure passes extremely fast and it feels like I just started blogging yesterday when in fact, I nervously pressed the submit button for the very first time 2555 days ago...

On this very special occasion, I wish to thank all of you occasional as well as faithful readers and friends for following and encouraging me. Your kind words as well as heartwarming compliments are always welcome as they enlighten my life, reassure me and give me the energy to stay the course and continue sharing with you my passion for the culinary world, the art of photography and wordcraft.

When I lose all confidence and I am ready to give up, you never fail to give me a reason to hold on and surpass myself. Just like a good chief conductor, you know how to guide me and keep me on track. My blog's symphony is ochestrated by the cheerful tip-tapping of your fingers on the keyboard and the gentle click of your mouse!

BEAUTIFUL TURQUOISE LAKE YOU SOOTHE MY SOUL

Sonnet To Lake Leman

By Lord Byron

Rousseau -- Voltaire -- our Gibbon -- De Stahl --
Leman! these names are worthy of thy shore,
Thy shore of names like these! wert thou no more,
Their memory thy remembrance would recall:
To them thy banks were lovely as to all,
But they have made them lovelier, for the lore
Of mighty minds doth hallow in the core
Of human hearts the ruin of a wall
Where dwelt the wise and wondrous; but by thee
How much more, Lake of Beauty! do we feel,
In sweetly gliding o'er thy crystal sea,
The wild glow of that not ungentle zeal,
Which of the heirs of immortality
Is proud, and makes the breath of glory real!

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #44 - THE PAST STILL LIVES ON

- Anachronic -

- Revival Of An Old Breadmaking Method -

Both pictures were submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 8th of August by Kavitha at "Divine Food And Art" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

CARDAMOM & ORANGE BRIOCHE BREAD (TANG ZHONG METHOD) - BRIOCHE A LA CARDAMOME ET A L'ORANGE (MÉTHODE TANG ZHONG) ♥ A GUEST POST FOR ANURADHA AT "BAKER STREET"

At the moment, I regularly receive e-mails from bloggers who ask me to write posts for them. It is certainly a pleasant sensation to know that you are”notorious”, but the downside of it is that, as a consequence, the  requests have been piling up lately and I have the impression that I’m slowly drowning in them. Dealing with them is hard, because Rosa’s Yummy Yums is currently keeping me busy and to make things worse, coping with the way weeks pass (too fastly) is already challenging enough. Anyway, although it usually takes me quite a while before I am able to grant my consorts’ demands, I nonetheless always try to please my foodie buddies by offering them the best of myself as a token of respect and appreciation.

So, when Anuradha at Baker Street proposed me to show her how straightforward it is to toil with yeast and help her get rid of her uneasiness when it comes to handling this seemingly treacherous leavening agent, I could not refuse her proposition. As a fellow gastronome and kitchen dweller, it is my duty to encourage my Indian friend to take the bull by the horns and turn her into a confident dough puncher.

If you have never heard of Anuradha before, then you have missed out a lot as not only is she a talented and self-taught baker, but also the kind soul behind the highly popular Muffin Monday event. Her brilliant site is chock-a-block full with cool recipes for cakes, cookies, bars, cupcakes, cheesecakes, etc... It is impossible to browse through Baker Street without feeling the urge to replicate one of her mouthwatering treats. I am a big fan of hers!

This Friday, I am extremely thrilled to present you with my most recent edible “coup de coeur” and I wish to warmly thank Anuradha for opening the doors of her lovely platform to me. It is a true honor to be your guest today and to have my work hosted by such a fabulous individual like her! Hopefully, my step-by-step ""Cardamom & Orange Brioche Bread (Tang Zhong Method)" recipe will be as much of a revelation for you as it was for me...

Asians can't live without rice and the majority of white people could not envisage an existence devoid of bread. For most Westerners, it is an important staple which’s consumption can be traced back to the prehistoric era and which has been eaten on a daily basis since the emergence of agriculture. It belongs to those edible goods that form the basis of all civilizations’ diets due to its significant nutritional properties - poor in fat, but rich in complex carbohydrates, plant protein, fibers, vitamins and essential minerals -, cheapness and simplicity.

As an Anglo-Swiss person, it is one of the foods that is part of my European heritage, thus it has forged my identity and it characterizes me. An age-old tradition here. For instance, Switzerland is supposed to have more varieties of breads than any other country on the planet - between 200 and 300 different kinds - and our nation have been tackling dough for over 6000 years. Every canton has its own specialities and each celebration its particular loaf to which a multitude of stories as well as customs are linked. We are definitely no novices in that department. Great Britain is also very fond of that doughy aliment and there too, the art of breadmaking has seen the light of day during the Stone Age. As a matter of fact, it is one of UK's favorite eats - 99% of the households buy bread and 12 million loaves are sold each day. You'll find many bakeries across the kingdom and thanks to the vast range of British flour available, the Queen's subjects have no reason of being jealous of the Helvetic folks as over 200 types of breads are said to be produced nationwide.

At home, we rarely bought bread from the bakery or the supermarket because our weekly supply was baked by my mother, a devoted housewife who cooked our meals from scratch and shunned industrial grub. ]...[

So, if that short introduction made your mouth water and your tastebuds tingle, tickled your curiosity and gave you the urge to read my article, then please hop on over to Baker Street in order to learn more about this "Cardamom & Orange Brioche Bread (Tang Zhong Method)", get a glimpse of my pictures, discover my recipe and pay a visit to the lovely Anuradha.

This bread is getting yeastspotted by Susan’s Yeastspotting!

Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog Baker Street qui appartient à la tentueuse blogeuse Anuradha, je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même y jeter un coup d'oeil car ses recettes sont vraiment passionnantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici).

J'espère que ma "Brioche A La Cardamome Et A L'Orange" vous plaira car c'est un pain divinement moelleux et parfumé dont la méthode de fabrication (Tang Zhong) nous vient tout droit du Japon (les autres pays d'Asie en sont aussi friands) et dont je me suis enamourée dernièrement après l'avoir découvert sur le blog de la merveilleuse Gracianne. Un pur délice!

Brioche A La Cardamome Et A L'orange (Méthode Tang Zhong)
Recette adaptée de "Un Dimanche A La Campagne" et de "Kirbie's Cravings".

Pour un pain.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Tang Zhong":
25g de Farine
125g d’Eau (filtrée de préférence)
Ingrédients Pour La "Pâte":
125g (125ml) de Lait
120g de Tang zhong
1 Oeuf (63g)
350g de Farine T55
50g de Sucre cristallisé
1 CS de Lait en poudre
1 1/4 CC de Cardamome en poudre
Le zeste d'une demi orange (ou 1 sachet de zestes d'orange Dr. Oetker)
1 1/2 CC de Levure en poudre (ou 15g de levure fraîche)
1 CC de Sel de mer fin
30g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes, à température ambiante

1 CS d'Huile d'arachide, pour huiler le bol
1 Oeuf + 1 CS de Lait, pour le glaçage

Méthode Pour Le "Tang Zhong":
1. La veille, mélanger dans une casserole, au fouet, 25g de farine et 125g d’eau. Laisser chauffer à feu moyen en fouettant constamment jusqu’à obtention d'un mélange ayant la consistance d’un roux. En principe, il faut le faire chauffer jusqu’à 65ºC pendant 2-3 minutes (dès que le mélange épaissit, devient homogène et que le fouet y laisse un sillage, il est prêt).
2. Verser le Tang Zhong dans un bol, le laisser refroidir, filmer au contact et réfrigérer pendant au moins 6 heures.

Méthode Pour La "Pâte":
3. Le lendemain, remettre le Tang Zhong au moins une demi-heure à température ambiante avant de l’utiliser.
4. Dans un bol moyen, fouetter ensemble le lait, le Tang Zhong et l’œuf.
5. Dans le bol de votre robot, mélanger ensemble la farine, le sucre et le lait en poudre.
6. Faire un puits, ajouter le mélange liquide, la cardamome, le zeste et la levure sèche (ou la levure fraîche émiettée), puis commencer à pétrir.
7. Au bout de quelques minutes, ajouter le sel puis pétrir pendant encore 5-10 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la pâte soit bien élastique et homogène.
8. Ajouter ensuite le beurre mou et pétrir de nouveau pendant 10 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la pâte prenne du corps et se détache des parois du bol.
9. Façonner la pâte en une boule et la placer dans un grand bol que vous aurez préalablement huilé. Couvrir la pâte avec un film plastique et recouvrir le bol d'un linge humide. La laissez lever dans un lieu chaud et à l'abri des courants d'airs, jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait doublé de volume, environ 40 minutes à 1 heure.
10. Dégonfler la pâte, la transférer sur une surface propre et légèrement farinée, puis la façonner en un pain rectangulaire (voire méthode - vidéo en anglais) ou la diviser en 3 parts égales, applatir chaque portion avec vos mains pour en chasser l'air, les bouler (voire méthode - vidéo en anglais) et les déposer côte à côte dans le moule.
11. Couvrir d'un film plastique et laisser lever pendant environ 40 à 60 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la pâte ait doublé de volume.
12. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C (350 ° F), puis battre un oeuf avec 1 cuillère à soupe de lait et badigeonner le dessus du pain avec ce mélange (la croûte deviendra dorée et brillante).
13. Verser 1/4 - 1/2 tasse d’eau dans le fond du four chaud et cuire pendant environ 30 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce que le pain sonne creux lorsque vous tapez sur sa base avec un doigt.
14. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.

Remarques:
Au départ la pâte sera extrêmement collante. C'est tout à fait normal. Continuer à la pétrir jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit élastique et lisse, pendant environ 15-20 minutes avec un batteur sur socle et à 30 minutes à la main.

Quand la pâte est prête, vous devriez être capable de l'étirer qu'elle se déchire trop rapidement.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir pour le déjeuner ou le brunch avec du fromage, de la confiture, du Nutella ou la tartinade de votre choix.
Cette brioche est parfaite pour faire un pouding au pain ou du pain perdu.

BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #43 - BACK TO THE BASICS

- Whisk It Good! -

- Refinement In Rusticity -

Both pictures were submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 1st of August by Simona at "Briciole" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).