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| Original Picture Source: Tsum Tsum Plush Gallery, Disney Apps. Retrieved on http://apps.disney.id/tsum-tsum-plush-gallery. |
I am obsessed with Tsum Tsums (pronounced "tsoom tsoom"). Their full name is actually "Disney Tsum Tsums" and they refer to a selection of the cuddliest, most adorable stuffed toys based upon popular Disney & Pixar characters. The oblong, pill-shaped plushies were initially released in Japan (of course, where else?) and their name is derived from the Japanese word tsumu, which means "to stack", because they conveniently bounce and stack up on each other. So... their name actually means "stack stack" - isn't that cute? For all of you 90's babies out there, they remind me of our generation's childhood craze for Ty's Beanie Babies... except that many adults go bananas over these (not that they can't go bananas over Beanie Babies. That's perfectly okay too). As the craze gradually sweeps over North America, Tsum Tsums are starting to have an insane collectability value. As far as I know, however, they're only available through US' Disney stores at the moment (the original ones at least - other similar plushies can be bought online but the quality really isn't the same).
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| Example of a Tsum Tsum Gameplay - looks at all those adorable faces staring back at you |
Disney has also released a mobile game app version of these cute fellas (called Tsum Tsum too). The game is a bit like a cross between Candy Crush and Dots, and while I didn't get hooked on either of those games, I am absolutely head over heels for this one. Basically, you can collect Tsum Tsum characters by collecting points (and coins, concurrently) in the game. As your collection grows, you can choose which main Tsum you want to play with - called MyTsum. Each Tsum Tsum character happens to have a special power which you can activate if they are set as your MyTsum. In a 60 sec-gameplay, that special effect can be a game changer - it can help you collect more points, get more time, etc. Aaaah, that game, I swear, is my daily dose of cuteness therapy (we should all have one of those - especially as we start "adulting").
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| Tsum Tsum Pooh Bear Buns! |
I initially wanted to channel my newfound obsession into making 3D Chigiri-Pan Tsum Tsum bread, but quickly found out that it was too far beyond my bread-shaping skills (remember my GoT DireWolf bread?). My second idea was to draw those cuddly little faces on macaron shells... then I remembered that I had already failed at making those famous French cookies twice. In the end, I resorted to simple melted chocolate decoration to create my Tsum Tsum face, BUT I'm glad I went this route. The buns are made with the Tangzhong method, but using some cake flour instead of 100% bread flour. This allowed the final texture to be just a teensy bit moister than it would normally be, and the bun felt like a pillowy doughnut. I might have gone the safest route, but this is probably one of my proudest bread baking trials (it's that good :3)!
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| Pooh Bear Buns filled with Eggless Lemon Curd! I'll admit I feel slightly bad tearing his face in half... |
The eggless lemon curd was another experiment that I wanted to add to my recipe repertoire. I love citrus flavors, but lime/lemon curds often use eggs as a main thickener. This eggless version is a lot stickier than what I expected curd to be (is it supposed to be this cohesive? I thought it'd be slicker), but once cooled and refrigerated it is more malleable (well, as malleable as curd can be). I'm not sure how curd is supposed to be eaten - I guess I thought this would be like a richer jam? A spoonful of the stuff alone was extremely adhesive - like peanut butter, except with a tangy taste. As a filling for the buns, however, it was perfect. I'm guessing that as long as it is combined with bread or an accompaniment it will be all good... which means: no eating straight from the pot (dammit). Flavor-wise, it's delicious.
Psst! I found this nifty guide on using yeast, written by The Kitchn. If you're new at yeast-risen bread baking, you might like this read: http://www.thekitchn.com/working-with-yeast-be-not-afra-72256
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| Tsum Tsum Pooh Wink ;) |
Tsum Tsum Pooh Bear Buns filled with Eggless Lemon Curd
Ingredients:
Tangzhong:
25g bread flour
100 ml 15% cream or whole milk
Pooh Bear Buns:
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (7g)
35 ml warm water
1/8 tsp white granulated sugar
280g bread flour
50g cake flour
30g butter
40g white granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
50 ml plain yogurt
85 ml whole milk
1 tsp ground turmeric
(Optional) 2 drops yellow gel food coloring
Lemon Curd Filling:
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
2 tablespoons cornstarch
50 ml warm water
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
12g lemon zest (~3 lemons)
1/4 cup lemon juice (of 1 large lemon)
Preparation:
Tangzhong (Roux):
1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and cream. Whisk thoroughly until the flour is completely dissolved and there are no more lumps.
2. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously. As the paste heats up, it will thicken. The traditional tangzhong method is to heat the paste up to 65 degrees C for it to be ready. Alternatively, if you don't have a thermometer, you can sort of "eye it": stir the paste until concentric "lines" start to appear. It should have to consistency of a soft pudding. After a couple of times making it, you'll get the feel of it I promise.
3. Once your tangzhong reaches the desired consistency/temperature, set aside for it to cool. Cover the paste with plastic wrap, making sure that it plasters the paste directly so that it doesn't dry out. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours (and ideally overnight). You can keep the paste for maximum 3 days.
3. Once your tangzhong reaches the desired consistency/temperature, set aside for it to cool. Cover the paste with plastic wrap, making sure that it plasters the paste directly so that it doesn't dry out. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours (and ideally overnight). You can keep the paste for maximum 3 days.
Eggless Lemon Curd:
1. In a small bowl, mix the warm water, tapioca starch and cornstarch. Whisk to thoroughly combine until there are no more lumps left.
2. Transfer the mixture in a small pot and cook on low-medium heat. Stir in the granulated white sugar and start whisking, stirring continuously and aggressively (if you stir too lightly, thick lumps of cooked starch will start appearing and it will be really hard to combine them into a smooth mixture).
3. Once the mixture has thickened and become translucent, it is cooked. Make sure to whisk out all the lumps until it is completely homogeneous. It will initially be fairly thick and sticky. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Give it a last stir to incorporate them into the curd.
4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Right off the pot, it will appear very sticky. It becomes smoother once it has cooled down.
1. In a small bowl, mix the warm water, tapioca starch and cornstarch. Whisk to thoroughly combine until there are no more lumps left.
2. Transfer the mixture in a small pot and cook on low-medium heat. Stir in the granulated white sugar and start whisking, stirring continuously and aggressively (if you stir too lightly, thick lumps of cooked starch will start appearing and it will be really hard to combine them into a smooth mixture).
3. Once the mixture has thickened and become translucent, it is cooked. Make sure to whisk out all the lumps until it is completely homogeneous. It will initially be fairly thick and sticky. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Give it a last stir to incorporate them into the curd.
4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Right off the pot, it will appear very sticky. It becomes smoother once it has cooled down.
Pooh Bear Buns:
1. Proof your yeast: In a small bowl, mix the warm water and white sugar. Sprinkle the dry yeast on top and set aside in a warm place (yeast is happiest between 70C-90C. If your house is too cold - under 50C it becomes dormant -, place it in a preheated oven or close to a heater). It should become foamy within about 10 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flours, white granulated sugar, salt and ground turmeric.
3. Form a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the milk, yogurt, activated yeast and yellow coloring if using. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and start it on low speed. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high as your dough starts to form. Once it has become smoother (about 10 minutes), add the butter. Knead for an additional 5-10 minutes until your dough becomes smooth and elastic. Do the windowpane test for readiness by stretching a small ball of dough between your fingers. If you can stretch it into a thin membrane, the dough is ready. If it breaks before your can fully extend your fingers, it needs more kneading (See more info and step-by-step pictures for the windowpane test here).
4. When the dough is ready, shape it into a ball (it shouldn't be too hard - your dough should have a propensity to pull itself back into a ball-shape). Put in a well-oiled bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place and let it rise for 2 hours.
5. When your dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and deflate it by pressing it down and kneading for 1-2 minutes. Then, weigh it and divide in 10 portions.
6. Divide one of those 10 portions into another 15 smaller portions (these will be the ears and tails of Pooh). Form those 15 smaller portions into balls and set aside. Cover loosely with plastic wrap to avoid drying them out.
7. Take one of the remaining 9 bigger portions of dough and shape it into a ball. Using a rolling pin, flatten it into a roughly round circle. Add a tablespoon of the lemon curd in the middle, ball it up and seal. Roll the dough between your palms, pressing lightly to firm up the seams and reshape it into a nice ball. Place in a corner of a pan.
8. Repeat process for remaining 8 portions of dough. You'll end up having 6 Pooh heads and 3 Pooh butts. Once the main body parts are done (bigger portions of dough), it's time to attach the ears and tails.
9. Using a toothpick, prick tiny holes around the edges of the ears and tails to attach it to the main body part.
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| Shaped Pooh Buns - Risen after 2 hours of proofing |
10. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let rise again for 1.5 to 2 hours.
11. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Take off the plastic wrap and loosely cover top of the pan with aluminum foil (I just placed a sheet over it). Bake for 35 minutes.
12. Let it cool 5 minutes after taking the pan out of the oven. Then, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for an additional 10 minutes.
13. In the meantime, melt some chocolate for the facial decorations.
14. Use your Tsum Tsum picture of choice as a guide to draw the Pooh faces (I used a toothpick as drawing tool).
These buns will remain soft and moist, if well-covered, for 2-3 days only.
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