Chicken Sliders

This is one of my favourite burger patty recipes as it is so simple to put together and the addition of grated apple into the ingredients gives the meat a juicy and tender texture.  

Definitely something my family enjoys having for a relaxed weekend lunch!

Chicken Sliders
(makes 4)

Ingredients
1 Tbsp light olive oil
40g onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, chopped
225g minced chicken
15g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
40g grated apple
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1) Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Allow to cool. 

2) Mix the chicken, breadcrumbs, apple, salt and pepper with the cooled onion and garlic. Shape into 4 burger patties.

3) Heat a little oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat and fry the patties until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes each side.

4) Serve on burger buns with lettuce, tomato and cheese slices with mayonnaise. 

Red Bean Hedgehog Buns

These gorgeous little hedgehog buns are simply too adorable and irresistable, don't you agree? They're not just fun to make but I'm sure will bring delight to little ones in the family!

Red Bean Hedgehog Buns  (recipe adapted from Poh Ling Yeow's cookbook)
(makes 15)

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture
1 tsp dry yeast
20g caster sugar
100ml warm water

Dough
350g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
30g castor sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
100ml warm water

300g red bean paste


Method

1) To make the yeast mixture, combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, adding a tiny amount of the warm water to emulsify into a rough paste before mixing with the remaining warm water.

2) Cover with cling wrap and set aside for 10 minutes or until surface of the mixture is covered in bubbles.

3) To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk briefly to mix the dry ingredients and make a well at the centre.

4) If you are mixing by hand add the yeast mixture, vegetable oil and most but not all of the 100ml warm water to the well and gather the dry ingredients into the centre until mostly incorporated into a lumpy mass. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding a little extra water or flour if required, until you have a smooth, pliable dough that is not sticking to the benchtop.

5) If using an electric cake mixer, tip all the ingredients, withholding a small amount of the water, into the mixing bowl and mix with a dough hook on 1st speed for about 3 minutes or until smooth.

6) Transfer the dough into a large oiled bowl (glass is best) and cover with cling wrap. Allow to prove or rise in a warm, draught-free spot for 2-3 hours or until double its original size.

7) To make a hedgehog, punch the dough down and tear off a golfball-sized chunk of dough (about 40g), shape it into a ball, squash with the palm of your hand, then, using your fingers, ease the circle into a 5mm thick teardrop shape.

8) Place a teaspoonful of red bean paste (about 20g) at the round end of the tear, then gather the sides in and begin pinching into a ball but then follow the pinching to the pointy end to form a teardrop shape.

9) Sit it with the seam facing down, then with a very sharp pair of tweezers, position the eyes and nose at the pointy end with 3 sesame seeds and push in lightly to make sure the seeds are secure. (if the seeds do not stick, dab a bit of water on the dough before sticking in the seeds)

10) To create the quills, use the sharp tip of scissors to snip partially into the dough in arcs that begin around the face, then work gradually towards its bottom. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

11) Rest each hedgehog on a small square of baking paper and allow to prove for 30 minutes or until double in size, then place in a large steamer, cover and steam for 10 minutes over high heat.

12) Serve immediately.

Mini Wholemeal Burger Buns

Recently I read in the news that a mould test done on some fastfood burgers found that one particular popular cheeseburger remained unchanged even after 15 days left sitting at room temperature in a plastic container! There was no mould on it at all! I can only imagine how much preservatives must have gone into it to keep it looking good.

Determined to stay away from fastfood burgers after reading this bit of news, I decided to make our own burger buns to go with our homemade meat patty. We definitely can eat these burgers with peace of mind ...

Mini Wholemeal Burger Buns
(makes 20)

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cup strong bread flour
1 1/4 cup wholemeal flour (or you can replace this with bread flour,
                                                  if you prefer normal white burger buns)
1/3 cup milk powder
3 tsp instant yeast
breadcrumbs or sesame seeds


Method

1) Place warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle yeast over. Stir in sugar and leave to ferment for about 15 minutes.

2) Combine flours, milk powder and salt in a mixer bowl.

3) Pour olive oil into fermented yeast and add to flour mixture.

4) Knead with the dough hook using an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp, clean tea towel.  Leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

5) Knock the dough back and transfer to a lightly floured surface.

6) Divide into 20 equal-sized pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, roll in breadcrumbs or sesame seeds  and lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover and rest for 10 minutes.

7) Bake in 160C for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


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Alternatively, if you have a breadmachine, you can follow these procedures:-

1) In the pan of the bread machine, add ingredients in the order listed above.

2) Select bread type setting to dough/pasta to make the dough.

3)When the cycle is complete, transfer dough into a lightly floured surface.

4) Divide dough into pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, roll in breadcrumbs and place in a baking pan.

5) Let rise until almost double in size.

6) Bake in 160C for 20 minutes or until golden brown.