Happy holidays!!

youI was home in Brisbane for a few days for my sister's birthday. For four days I made bread day in day out, night in night out and I got the nod of approval from them. It was blissful to feed your family and to be responded to with enthusiastic grunt that escaped speechless chewing mouths.

So I'm back now in Sydney and my appetite for cooking is numbed by the pressure from not knowing who exactly are coming for the party at my place tomorrow and if the cutlery will suffice. On top of that the champagnes I ordered didn't come, they ran out (how could they run out??!!). For tomorrow I will just make chocolate chip bread rolls and I'm posting my recipe for bread dough which you can also use for pizza base. The sugar is a bit excessive but I think it complements the savoury taste of the toppings very nicely.

Midnight bakery bread dough

Ingredients
250 g plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
250 ml H2O
25 g butter, cubed

Direction

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and make a well in the center.
   
2. Pour in the water and mix with hand until all ingredients are mostly lumped in together. At this stage the dough should be really sticky but fear not.
   
3. Add in the butter and knead. If the dough clings on your skin, feel free to dust some flour over, but don't over do it.
   
4. Keep kneading the dough until it's sort of elastic. There's one stage where you're able to push a hole in with your finger and the indentation will bounce back. When your dough reaches this stage, leave it to rest for about 3 hours. I prefer to use plastic container or bowl because plastic is a sucky conductor of heat so your dough won't be dry on the outside or form any "skin". Don't forget to cover the bowl with damp kitchen towel.
   
5. Now, your dough should be at least doubled in size. Push down and just knead the dough briefly.
   
6. Cut the dough into the size of half an adult fist (or a little fist) and just shape it anyway you like and leave to rest for about an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius for 10 minutes.
8. Bake and watch.
   

Bonne chance et Joyeaux Noel!!