Thursday, November 10, 2011

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bun - Barcook? Not Quite Yet

Cranberry3

Cranberry2

I have never quite intended to bake this, definitely had not planned on putting up another bread post so soon after my recent Hokkaido Milk Bread post. Alan of TravelingFoodies had contacted me and asked me if I have a working recipe for the Cranberry Cream Cheese flat bun. He is a big fan of Barcook's popular out-of-the-oven-this-minute-gone-next Raisin/Cranberry Cream Cheese bun.

I have come across recipes for this in 65C Bread by Yvonne C and have also seen this at one of the classes conducted by Valerie Kong. So I was quick to respond to Alan, telling him that this is not so uncommon. And honestly, if you are already familiar with the Tangzhong/Water Roux/Sponged dough  method of baking bread, the mystery factor of this bread evaporates.... or so I thought.

So, I told Alan that I will take this up as an assignment and try to post it soon.
I chose to work with this basic sweet soft bun recipe and tried to hunt around for a cream cheese recipe. I could have easily turned to Valerie Kong's recipe but I don't think I should publish it as she is still running classes.

The sweet soft bun delivered as it always did. In fact I thought it turned out even softer than before - could this be the result of deliberately suppressing the rising dough with a baking sheet weighing down on it during proofing? I have no proof... :)

The challenge of making this was filling the buns with the cream cheese. The dough, interspersed with cranberries, was more difficult to shape and seal. I tried to introduce a more generous amount of cream cheese filling to my first few buns but they promptly start to leak as I shaped them. As a result of which, I was intimidated into just piping a small dollop of cream cheese filling. They bake well without the filling bursting out of the dough in the oven but the end result was a far cry from the creamy lava-like ooze that makes Barcook's bread so addictive.  My bread tasted more like just a plain cranberry bun with a hint of cheese... my dollop of cream cheese filling practically disappeared!

Cranberry1

I am going to repeat this again with less cranberries and see if I will be able to get more filling into the dough. Also, I suspect that my cream cheese filling could be too fluid - it would probably wrap better if I chill it more to thicken it.

So anyway, my colleagues helped me to clean them up. The buns had the 'looks' but not the substance... :( Check back later for updates for my second attempt....

Cranberry2(250)
Recipe :

1 portion of Sweet Soft Buns - See here.
50g          Cranberries, soaked in water for 30mins to soften

1. Follow the method as stated in the sweet soft buns. Add in drained and dried Cranberries just before first proofing.

2.After first proofing, divide dough into 40g portion and shape them into balls. Let these proof for 10mins.

3. Flatten dough with a rolling pin and pipe a generous portion of Cream Cheese filling onto the flattened dough. Seal and shape into a ball.

4. Space out filled dough on a baking tray. Press down on the dough with a second baking sheet. Let it proof like this 60mins.

5. Transfer the baking tray with pressing tray into oven and bake at 210C for 12 mins.

6. Remove from oven, remove the pressing baking sheet and allow to cool.


Cream Cheese Filling (Adapted from Alex Goh's The World Of Bread)
(A)
50g             Butter
80g             Icing Sugar
(B)
250g           Cream Cheese
Pinch of salt
(C)
2                Egg Yolks
(D)
20g            Corn flour

Method for Cream Cheese Filling :

1. Cream (A) until well combined.
2. Add (B) and cream till well blended
3. Add (C), cream till smooth
4. Add (D) then (E) and mix till well blended
5. Refrigerate till firm.

(The portion above will yield more than you need, the excess can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 days.




34 comments:

  1. same here with Alan. I love this so much. Shirley, I just made the water roux. Will start work soon. haha...You are superb!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this bread, used to buy from store. May I know what you used as pressing baking sheet?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Min- I didn't use anything to press down on the baking sheet. My baking sheet is like a flat baking tray - it already has some weight.... have you seen from somewhere that we need to press with some weight?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shirley!!!! A big thanks!!!!!

    A few questions popped up in my mind.

    (1) Do you think the cream cheese filling could be made firmer through chilling or perhaps even freezing? That would definitely make it easier during wrapping. I would probably try making the filling and then try to manoveur it into a long cylindrical shape, freeze it then cut it into thick discs? hmm... wonder if this is feasible.

    (2) Did you grease or flour-dust your baking sheets?

    (3) Are the two baking sheets identical? I was thinking that the top one would probably be much lighter, like those made from aluminium or even tin from Phoon Huat or Ailin Bakery House?

    I have some fromage blanc which are already in cuboid bite size pieces. I'll probably try with those vis-a-vis the Alex Goh recipe. Compare notes with you later!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Alan :

    1) Yes, I definitely think I was too impatient. I should have chilled the cream cheese longer.

    2) I did not flour dust my baking sheet. On the bottom pan, I lined it with silpat. For one tray, my top sheet is a non-stick baking sheet. The other tray, I use the aluminum Phoon Huat pan - these ironically, turned out better.

    3) No my 2 sheets are not of the same size. I just make sure that they press over the dough.

    4) Please try. I am actually thinking of adding some Edam cheese to the cream cheese mixture. I like the flavour of Edam cheese on bread...

    ReplyDelete
  6. You did really a great job Shirley, 100% exactly the same, I wouldn't know it if you never told us that you baked it :D Thanks for sharing this :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. oh why I think great minds think alike cos I've been working on a recipe for bar cook's cream cheese bun too ;p

    Just to share some of my 'findings' - to answer Alan's qns, I do freeze my cream cheese filling - I find it more malleable and easier to handle - my cream cheese recipe uses an entire egg instead of just the yolk, so perhaps it's less soft? I roll the filling into a log and then cut them into parts and place them into the bun before wrapping.

    As for the using a baking sheet - I never thought of that! I always had a problem with the bread looking flat - my buns always turn out 'hot dog shaped like' since I deliberately shaped them as flat as I could but they rose anyway.

    Definitely hoping to see your second attempt! (spares me the pain (i.e. calories) of having to eat so many buns-experiments hehe)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for sharing your insight, Janine! This is so helpful! Will definitely try it this weekend...:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. The buns look really soft and I like that you add some dried cranberries to it. This bun reminds me of the little flat buns sold by the kueh seller. I think they called it Hakka Cheen Loong Pau.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Interesting, have been waiting for this follow-up post since Alan started talking about it in your previous one.

    Have never had anything from Barcook. I wonder why is it necessary to flatten the bun like a hamjimpeng - does it keep some sort of textural integrity? Now let's see if your second attempt this weekend will score on the taste board.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This bun very famous in Singapore? my 1st time know this bun, sound so yummy. I will wait for your perfect recipe then i will try out.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That was really a nice attempt, Shirley! Your buns looked so much like those sold! I was searching for thi recipe every where, and I just can't find it. Now you have given me an idea on how to make it flat! Thanks very much for sharing your painstakingly experiment! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. perhaps u can refer to Alex Goh recipe book on bread,there is a recipe on cream cheese bun i ve tried and it turned out to be very good ,btw i ve never tasted the cream cheese bun that u mentioned i dont think its available in penang.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Very nice looking bread there!

    Seriously, i will believe you if you were to tell me these were from Barcooks. Can't wait for your update! I've been meaning to replicate Barcook's for the longest time. Now that i have the recipe, there's no reason why i should procrastinate some more. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. OMG, very big pressure... now I have to make it work!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I really love this kind of bun!! I really admire your talent!

    ReplyDelete
  17. These sound absolutely droolworthy! I love using cream cheese in baking-it really adds so much :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I absolutely love your culinary adventure Shirley. These look so whimsical and good. I am sure 'cleaning up' wasn't difficult at all...mmm. Beautiful pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love Barcook's cream cheese bread as well. Tried to replicate it recently but was a failure. The filling is pretty similar to your recipe but somehow I find it different from Barcook's. So not sure what is missing. I used the tangzhong method as well.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Those sound AMAZING! The filling...cranberries are totally my kind of thing right now.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Shirley, so coincidence, today i went to a new bakery shop near the tuition centre when I send my kids. And I saw this bun with cream cheese and I recall you did this. Immediately bought one to try, wow , very very nice, I love it, tomorrow I going to buy more.,by the way, they not shape into flat shape but look something like Polo bun with a paper cup. A thin layer of cream cheese in the middle and few pieces of cranberries only, too yummy ! And I love the bread texture too, soft, little fluffy and little elastic, perfect bun! But I not sure that bun you have it there same like this one or not. I going to take photo and show you . later. Good night.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hey Foodies, Shirley's Bun recipe has been selected by Knapkins to be featured in a Recipe Guessing Game. Invite fans to play: http://knapkins.com/guess_games/582?source=blog

    ReplyDelete
  23. Simply beautiful! You're not only good at cooking, but your baking skills are superb too!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sonia - YES! I would be interested to see the Malaysian version :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. been a long time since i had the cream cheese raisin from barcook but based on my memories, i thought the filling was more mayonnaise-based than cream cheese-based.

    ReplyDelete
  26. @Anonymous - the filling from Barcook is a cream cheese but whipped very light...

    ReplyDelete
  27. Very nice bun you have there!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Shirley, wow! You did it! Bet hubby gave you a big hug too. Wives who can bake all these goodies worth their weight in gold.Outstanding!
    You are good, Shirley!
    Love the texture and colours.....
    Hilton or 4 Seasons F&B manager would love someone like you.
    Best regards.
    Lee.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love this - but the lunch Q is always so long ....

    ReplyDelete
  30. I did not know bread with cream cheese filling was so popular in the bakeries in Singapore till my recent visit. Coffee cream cheese filling, blueberry cream cheese filling, raisin cream cheese filling...etc....they are like the sweet competitor of savory pork-floss bread in bakeries! You know I don't bake so I only visit bakeries. ;p

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Shirley, may I ask how is the texture of your cream cheese? I tried baking this and the cream cheese turns out abit 'dough-like' unlike Barcook's smooth liquid texture. :(. -Bel

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi Bel : i did not get enough cream cheese into this batch to observe the texture of the cream cheese filling. I adjusted the recipe in my next batch. Look out for it, I should be posting it sometime next week. I used a simpler cream cheese recipe, just cream cheese with icing sugar without egg yolks....

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Shirley, I was also thinking about the same thing.. I think the lumpy feel could be due to the corn flour and egg yolks make the cheese look yellowish.. Very different from Barcook's. Can't wait to see your revised recipe!! ;) -Bel

    ReplyDelete