Haeffekrunz Hay Fa Kruns Recipes

HAEFFEKRUNZ (HAY-FA-KRUNS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Sprinkle a dash of sugar on top to feed it. Set aside to proof.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add flour and make a well in the middle. On top of the flour, add sugar, salt, butter pieces and lemon zest.
• After yeast is bubbly, pour into the well and sprinkle a little flour on top. Add beaten eggs to yeast in center. Using a wooden spoon, start stirring in the eggs, adding/pulling in a little bit of flour from the sides. When you can't stir it anymore, begin to add the warm milk and keep stirring and adding milk until it's impossible to stir.
• Now, using your hands, keeping adding milk and blending in the flour until the dough is soft and barely tacky but not wet. You may or may not use all the milk (depends on the weather).
• Turn out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Knead for about 10 to 15 minutes to develop the gluten properly. Dough should spring back quickly from touch. Put into a lightly oiled bowl, turn once and cover with plastic wrap (touching the dough) and a towel. Place in a warm area to rise for at least one hour (should double in bulk).
• When fully risen, remove and divide dough in two. Set one aside under a warm towel. With the remaining piece, divide it into three equally-weighted pieces. Set two aside. Using a heavy rolling pin and your hands, begin to roll the dough into a rectangle. (Size doesn't matter, just so long as it isn't longer than a 1/2 sheet pan.) It should be very thin.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the whole piece in melted butter. Liberally sprinkle on the cinnamon/sugar mixture and spread some raisins (if you want) over the whole piece. Carefully roll up the dough lengthwise. Pinch the seam together and place on 1/2 sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper. Cover with a warm towel. Repeat the process with the other two pieces of dough.
• When all three are done, braid the "strands" loosely together. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm place to rise again for at least 30 minutes.
• Repeat the whole process with the other half of your dough batch.
• Paint the braids with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Bread should be deep brown and slightly hollow when tapped.
• Slide the bread on the paper off the pan onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to the touch. Remove paper.
• If you want to pack it for a gift, allow it to cool completely. Then wrap tightly in good plastic wrap, then in foil. Cover with pretty cellophane and tie each end with curling ribbon.

HEFEKRANZ (YEAST WREATH)

Steps:

• Break the eggs into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add cooled milk to equal 2 cups liquid. Beat in the sugar, yeast and 3 cups of the flour. Let rest for 20 minutes.
• Stir in the salt, butter, lemon zest, raisins and 2 cups flour. Stir until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out of the bowl and knead,using the last cup of flour if needed, to make a smooth , elastic dough. (You can do the whole process in a stand mixer, too!) . Halfway through, let the dough rest while you lightly oil a bowl. Bread dough loves a short rest! Return, knead again until you have a smooth elastic dough. Place in the bowl let rise until doubled, punch down, let rise again. Dough is ready when you poke your finger in and indent remains.
• Turn it out onto a table divide into 3 equal pieces (I use a scale). Roll into ropes an inch in diameter, letting the dough relax if you need to, to relax the gluten. Braid and form a wreath, tucking the ends into each other as best you can. Place on a greased baking sheet cover with a damp cloth or lightly greased cling film let rise for 45 minutes. Glaze with the egg wash and sprinkle the almonds over top a generous amount. Put in a cold oven turn oven to 400 degrees for 15 minutes, turn oven down to 350 and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Remove, cool and serve or store until you are ready for this wonderful bread.

FA GAO

Steps:

• Fill a 12-inch skillet or wok with about 2 inches of water, then place a 10-inch bamboo or metal steamer basket in the skillet. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom insert. If it does, remove some of the water. Leave the steamer setup on the stove. Spray ten 3-inch fluted egg tart molds with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk the brown sugar, oil and 3/4 cup hot water in a large mixing bowl until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Set aside the sugar syrup until completely cool, about 10 minutes.
• When the sugar syrup is ready, sift the all-purpose flour and rice flour into the syrup in 3 additions, whisking between each addition until there are no dry spots. Stir together the baking powder and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl until there are no dry clumps of baking powder. Whisk the baking powder slurry into the batter in 3 additions until there are no streaks of slurry. Fill the prepared egg tart molds to the top (about 1/4 cup of batter per mold).
• Bring the water in the skillet to a rolling boiling water over high heat. Set 5 of the molds in the steamer basket, cover and steam until the cakes rise and the tops crack open and resemble a flower, about 15 minutes. (Don't open the lid while the cakes cook; doing so interferes with the rising.) Transfer the molds to a cooling rack. Replenish the water in the skillet as needed and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Set the remaining 5 molds in the steamer basket and repeat the steaming process.
• Serve the cakes warm or at room temperature, unmolding them only when you are ready to eat them. They can be kept, covered in their molds, in the refrigerator for up to a week and reheated by steaming over simmering water for about 10 minutes.

PAU PAU'S STEAMED CUPCAKES (FA GAO)

Steps:

• Prepare your steamer setup: Fill a heavy-bottomed pot (the same diameter as your steamers) with 3 to 4 inches water. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Line 10 individual 3-inch cupcake molds with paper liners and arrange in 2 bamboo steamers.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the pancake mix, flour, brown sugar and water until smooth. (The batter should be thick but runny.)
• Divide the batter evenly between the molds, filling each about three-quarters full. Stack the bamboo steamers and cover with the lid. Steam for 15 minutes. Lift the lid, remove the steamers and allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.