Lala Land: Re-challenging the Carrot Bread

Re-challenging the Carrot Bread

By Lala Monday, October 03, 2011 Bread

Bread-making is really fun! It's like playing with play-dough. You get your fingers all sticky and wet... but at the day of the day, you'll be surprised, and deeply satisfied with your creation, especially when you know there is no preservative or bread improver added to it. It's just wholesome goodness, fresh from your own kitchen.

Though I make my own bread now, I still missed my favourite bread from Creative Culinaire. They serve one of the best bread I've ever eaten, and their 3-coloured bread (made using spinach, beetroot and carrot) never fails to bring a smile to my face.

see how lovely the colours are

I'm definitely not able to re-create Creative Culinaire's signature bread. But hey... nothing's going to stop me from experimenting. As you may know, my previous attempt at making a carrot bread failed, so this time round, I decided to use a recipe that has yielded great results, and modified it to become the carrot bread.

yeah! successful this time

I had wanted to make it into a square loaf... but I went out of the house for brunch with friends, and by the time I got home, it ballooned up right to the brim. That's definitely a positive sign :)

it rose really high

beautiful sides

soft and light orange crumbs

I love the colour, and how soft the bread is! Wished I had made more as the bread was given to my relative who invited us to their house for dinner. Hmm... maybe it's time to get a 2nd loaf tin?

Carrot Bread (recipe modifed from here)

Ingredient
100g fresh milk
43g carrot juice*
35g egg (beat a whole egg first, before measuring out the quantity needed)
25g caster sugar
5g salt
250g bread flour
4g instant yeast
38g butter (unsalted)
25g shredded carrots (must be squeezed dry)

Method:

*Preparing the carrot juice:
I grated about 2 carrots. I then squeeze out the juice by hand, and measured out 43g to add to the bread. The carrot shreds are set aside to be added to the bread. <Advisable to wear an apron, for the juice is difficult to wash off if you get it onto your clothes >

Preparing the dough:
Recipe below is based on my experience using a KitchenAid mixer, but one can also knead the bread by hand. I used to make all my bread this way, before I got my 'bread making helper' :)

Place milk, carrot juice, egg, caster sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast into the mixing bowl. Turn the KA mixer to speed 1 to blend the ingredients together. You can use a dough hook to do this.

Increase the speed to 2, and mix till the dough comes together, and gluten has developed. At this point, you can add in the butter. Beat on at speed 2.

Once the butter has been mixed in with the dough, increase the speed to 4. Continue to let it beat for approx 20 mins, or when the dough reaches the window-pane stage.

Add in the shredded carrots, and mix on speed 1 to blend it into the dough.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling wrap and and let it proof till doubled in size. This will take about 60 mins.

Remove dough and punch out the gas. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Each dough is about 164-165 grams. Roll and shape into balls. Let the doughs rest and relax for 15 mins. *Dividing the dough into equal portions will ensure all 3 parts can rise to the same height during the 2nd proof

On a lightly floured surface, flatten the round dough and roll it out. The rolled dough will still be circular in shape. Take the dough from the top and fold it towards the centre. Pinch down the seams. Take the dough from the bottom and fold it towards the centre. Pinch down the seams. You would have a longish dough now.

Flip over the dough, so that the side with the seams face the floured table. Roll out into a longish shape. Then roll up the dough swiss-roll style. Do the same for the two remaining doughs.