All Homemade Kaya Bread

Kaya is the traditional name for coconut jam. Kaya on toast is a popular snack amongst Singaporeans and Malaysians. Made with egg custard base, Kaya is usually flavoured with pandan and tastes really good with a spread of butter on toasted bread.

I've made kaya from scratch for a multicultural day organised by my son's childcare. For this day, parents are invited to bring in a traditional food for the kids to taste. I'm proud to say that this kaya is all made from natural ingredients. Being dairy-free and gluten-free, most kids got to taste it and my son was telling me that he and his friends like it very much.

As mentioned in my previous post, I was convinced that water roux method or gluten gelatinisation for bread making is not absolutely essential to retain the freshness and texture of bread. This basic and easy bread dough recipe from an Asian bread baking book, Bread Code does not require any bread improver, water roux or gluten gelatinisation, yet the bread texture is spongy and delicious.

I've incorporate my home-made kaya into these bread dough. The breads are very soft and delicious for our afternoon tea and retain their texture very well on the next day when we had them for our breakfast.   

Munching these kaya breads are really nice, they make me feel like "home".

My home-made Kaya

Here's the Kaya recipe from the book, Local Kueh by the publisher, Novum Organum, Singapore

10 eggs
380g sugar
450ml coconut milk
80ml pandan juice  
(I'm actually very surprised that I can buy fresh pandan leaves in Melbourne!)

Mix eggs and sugar till sugar dissolves. Add coconut milk and pandan juice and stir till well blended. Strain mixture into a metal mixer bowl.

Place the mixer bowl on a pot half filed with water. Bring to boil and stirring continuously till kaya becomes thick and sticky.

I made 2 small jars with half the recipe and process the jam slightly for a smoother texture.


Here's the basic bread dough recipe from Bread Code by Wendy Kor (Biligual edition)  
(with my modification in blue)

Ingredients:
Make 12 large buns

A
500g bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast

B
60g sugar
5g salt
5g milk powder

C
1 egg
250g water

D
50g butter

Mix A at a slow speed for 1 min. Add B and mix for another 1 min.

Add C and and mix at slow speed for another 1 min, then medium speed for 5 min or until dough texture is formed.

Add D and continue to mix for 10-15 min or until dough is shiny and springy. Allow dough to prove for 40-50 min or until dough size is doubled (I did mine for 60 min).

To shape, divide dough into 12 portions, let them rest for 15 min. As shown in the following illustration, Step 1, roll each dough into long oval shape. Step 2: Spread kaya on the dough. Step 3: Roll up shorter end of the dough like a Swiss roll and fold one opened end onto other. Step 4: Cut the folded area and open the cut side of the dough to expose kaya circular swirl and place dough on greased baking tray and allow them to prove for 40 min or double in size.

Brush a layer of egg wash on the bread and bake at 180°C (fan forced) for 12-15 min or until golden brown.

Happy Baking
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