Gula Melaka Butter Cake

Whenever I want to bake on Sundays, I would need to find an easy recipe to do so, because I only have mornings to do my baking. It's been a while since I bake a cake for my in-laws, so I decided to bake this Gula Melaka Butter Cake, also known as Palm Sugar for Gula Melaka. Thanks to Victoria, the cake was really fragrant and nice. 

I also made a Gula Melaka swiss roll incorporating the palm sugar into the whipped cream. I used Jeannie's recipe for the vanilla swiss roll. Thankfully, the swiss roll turned out well, the gula melaka in the whipped cream was really light and nice, not too sweet for our palate.
swissroll_gulamelaka01
cake_gulamelaka06
Recipe for Gula Melaka Butter Cake, adapted from Victoria Bakes.
(Makes 3 mini and 1 regular)

Ingredients:
A
200g Gula melaka (Palm sugar), chopped
100g Coconut cream
B
250g Unsalted butter
23g Brown sugar
C
5 Eggs, large
D
200g Top flour (or cake flour)
1/2tsp Baking powder
1/8tsp Baking soda
cake_gulamelaka01
Method:

1. Place A in a saucepan with low heat. Stir until gula melaka has melted and bring to a gentle boil. Let it cooled totally.
2. Sift D and set aside.
3. Place B in a mixing bowl and beat till light and fluffy.
4. Add in C in 3 batches. Ensure they are thoroughly mixed in each batch.
cake_gulamelaka02
5. Alternate A & D in 3 batches, ending with D. (I sieved out A as there was some charred bits.)
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans - 3 mini and 1 regular pan loaves.
7. Bake in preheated oven of 160C for 40-45mins. I removed the minis from the oven after 40mins and continue baking the regular for another 5 mins.
cake_gulamelaka03
8. Let it cool before cutting and serve.
cake_gulamelaka04 cake_gulamelaka05 cake_gulamelaka07

Whole wheat Rye Artisan Boules

boules_wholewheatrye02
It is still in my interest to bake artisan breads. Breads that command a longer fermentation with little or no sugar and yeast. I referenced "Flour Water Salt and Yeast" by Ken Forkish for this bread. The recipe was adapted from his Whole wheat loaf. Somehow, I mixed in coarse and fine whole wheat with the quantity of water stated, and the dough was way too wet. So I added more plain flour until I do not know the exact quantities anymore. I have to admit, the bread turned out to be really good. Unfortunately, I do not know how to replicate this bread again. >_<"
boules_wholewheatrye05
I did twice stretch and fold with an interval of 30mins each. Then I put it into the fridge for 24hours for cold fermentation. After 24hours, I took out from the fridge and divide it into two, weighing about 548g each. And let it proof in floured bannetton for a further 45mins. Then I baked it in a pre-heated oven of 220C with dutch oven. Dutch oven here refers to the dough being enclosed in a "container", trapping the steam within. After 20mins, I removed the dutch oven and continue baking it on baking stone for a further of 20mins at 200C.

boules_wholewheatrye03
The bread turned out to be really crispy outside and soft inside. It produced a crackling sound when removed from the oven. I am proud that the crust was very well baked. And one of the boule has a pretty scoring. I hope I can continue my artisan bread baking as none of my family likes this type of breads.

boules_wholewheatrye01 boules_wholewheatrye04 boules_wholewheatrye06 boules_wholewheatrye07