Hotteok

一天到晚不停吃

不吃不眠 ???

If you've not taken a bite of these sweet breads, drop whatever you're doing now and head down to the nearest Korean store and treat yourself to one. Over here in Singapore, there are only the frozen ones in the supermarkets. Neither a pancake nor a bun, the texture is soft and chewy with sinfully sweet fillings. My first encounter of the recipe is at Vivian Pang blog and had marked it since last year. Using her recipe as a reference, I adjusted a little here and there for easier remembrance of the ingredients weight and also took out a third of the plain flour, water and yeast with a pinch of sugar to prepare the sponge. The sponge is left on the counter for two hours before the final mix.

Korean National Pride

process management

While many still use straight method to prepare dough, I still prefer a sponge starter in any bread making. The fermentation process strengthen the yeast cells for better performance. Straight method has always failed me even I wanted to gave it some faith and they have to be consumed within the same day of frying. The pancake becomes dry the next day with straight method. The procedure of preparing hoddeok is almost that of buns making except less kneading and proofing which is a great joy to me and Ken (my cake mixer). Is a 90% hydration dough and so a slight sticky but manageable.

fermented yeast....military activation

whisper sweet nothings....every lady's delight

Last year Autumn Festival, I hoarded a few bags of yam lotus paste when many were rushing for them at the vendor store. A one and half kg bag is hybernating in the freezer and I shall use them here instead of the brown sugar and walnuts filling. The red bean paste is also leftover from the mooncakes making in September 2015.

geisha facial kit

I gathered the dry ingredients all in a mixing bowl and pour in the milk and few dashes of sesame oil. Out of personal taste, I pour in some coconut milk and less of fresh milk maintaining same liquid weight. Just knead the dough till well combined. The dough is so soft that you can skip the use of the cake mixer . This glass bowl is chosen for photographic purposes.

a puritan mind...unfilled space

Satan's knocking

entrapment

For easier handling of the dough, I placed it in a plastic bag (8" x 12")and fastened with a clipper at the top of the bag, leaving lots of space for the proofing. Placing the bag in a light warm oven speed up the proofing time to just around 15 mins...less agony of waiting than left on table counter.

panic room

defeat of the oppositions in Singapore politics

Be sure to punch or squeeze out the air and gives a light knead after proofing or else big pockets of air creates big holes in the dough.

I prefer a smaller hoddeok . 40g dough and 18g fillings is the perfect combination for the non-indulgent eaters. Smoothen each ball before wrapping the filling. I like to use the stretching from the top to the bottom method than rolling it around on the pastry board. It is more comforting to my rocking wrist !

Seal the edges well after placing the red bean paste in the centre and smoothen the ball again.

i miss my curvy bums

relaxation in between works

Let these little bums proof for five mins before frying in some oil over medium low fire. I actually almost burned the other side of the pancakes using medium fire.