How to make Sourdough Ciabatta? Easy Sourdough Ciabatta Bread Recipe

How to make Sourdough Ciabatta? Easy Sourdough Ciabatta Bread Recipe  

"Sourdough is easy!" is something I thought I'd never say. 

My sourdough journey started over a year ago with countless failings at manipulating this gluey glob of flour and water.

But many thanks to family and friends for their unwavering support and taste testing even my most awful bakes.

My conclusion, is that it takes time. 

It really does take a while for sourdough starters to develop flavour, gain strength and to become really vigorous in order to give the breads their much needed lift. Best practice is to feed it at least once, the night before to "awaken" the microbes within.

Another secret to successful bread baking is to understand bakers percentage - the lingo do-it-yourself dough punchers, like myself, use to communicate with each other.  

That, coupled with patience and an intimate understanding of how it all works, works wonders, literally.

In this video, I show you how to make sourdough ciabatta using an easy sourdough ciabatta bread recipe. It's a high hydration dough, slightly stickier than usual but the principles are the same.

Again, it's good for just one loaf so feel free to adjust upwards.

INGREDIENTS:-

185g    bread flour

143g    ice cold water

50g      sourdough starter

4g        pink salt

METHOD:-

1. Mix everything together

2. Stretch & fold the dough twice, at half hour intervals

3. Shape by folding it like an envelope

4. Put it in a lined loaf pan, the same one you're gonna bake in

5. Leave it in an air-conditioned room, 21°C - 26°C, overnight

6. Put it in fridge, preheat the oven at 250°C for about 30 minutes

7. Once internal oven temperature hits 220°C, bake bread for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown

I pray you'll have good success at baking this delish sandwich loaf, goes great with cured meats and fresh tomatoes. Gosh! It even tastes good on its own or with some extra virgin olive oil, on the side.

Do let me know how you go and tag me @lovelynettetan so I too can ogle at your creation.

Sincerely.

Love, Lynette Tan

HOW TO USE THE KONJAC SPONGE GUIDE | 5 BEST PRACTICES

HOW TO USE THE KONJAC SPONGE GUIDE | 5 BEST PRACTICES  

This, is what I would call the lazy woman's way to great skin! And you can use it to deep cleanse, daily!

This week, let's talk about how to use the konjac sponge plus five best practices. No worries, it's 100 per cent natural, suitable for all skin types. Yet, it's gentle enough for everyday use. You could use it to deep cleanse your pores, daily and promote blood circulation on your face.

The konjac sponge is plant derived and it originated from Yunnan, China. Fast forward to today and you can find it practically anywhere - at your personal care store or pharmacy.

I finally learnt how to use it after years of abusing it so here are some great tips to extend its longevity.

5 Best Practices

1. Always soak in warm water for at least one minute before use
2. Gently squeeze and wash sponge in warm water for a further minute, get rid of excess water then apply your favourite face wash directly onto it and wash your face in circular motion
3. Rinse it clean, get rid of excess water, store in fridge until next use
4. Sterilize it in hot water, for a few minutes, at the end of each week
5. Compost it after six to eight weeks or when it starts disintegrating. Replace after three months.

Till my next video, have a beautiful day!

Love,
Lynette Tan

P.S: Watch the video above and subscribe for more!

How to Make Popcorn at Home like the Movies|BEST Movie Theatre Popcorn

How to Make Popcorn at Home like the Movies|BEST Movie Theatre Popcorn

It's the school holidays again! So, I thought I'd do something different with the kiddos. 

I mean, who doesn't love popcorn, right? 

This week, I show you how to make popcorn at home like at the movies. Yes, this is possibly the best movie theatre popcorn recipe because you know and you know exactly what's in there! No surprise there!

As promised, here's the simple, easy to follow recipe. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/4C     organic popping corn

1/2t       pink salt

2T         extra virgin olive oil, EVOO

Optional:

1/4t turmeric

1/4t black pepper

1/4t chilli powder

1/4t cajun mix

1/4t garlic powder

Alternatively, you can omit the pink salt and use 2T salted butter instead of EVOO, and add 1/4t of Italian herbs.

METHOD:

1. Pour EVOO into medium saucepan, heat pot at medium heat for one minute

2. Add popping corn, ensure that they're well coated with EVOO and are in a single layer

3. Cover with heavy lid

4. After the first corn pops, lower the heat

5. Shake the pot once in a while to ensure that the popping corn is still in a single layer

6. When the sound of popping corn slows to a standstill, it's done!

7. Add desired seasoning, serves 4 cups

Try it and let me know how you go. Till next week, stay beautiful and healthy, naturally!

💗Love, Lynette Tan

Sourdough VS White Bread | Why Sourdough Bread is Good for You

Sourdough VS White Bread | Why Sourdough Bread is Good for You

The first ever sourdough was discovered in ancient Egypt at around 4,000BC, according to LA Times, quite by accident, really.

A baker left some flour and water mix sitting around and promptly forgot about it till the wild yeast in the environment had worked its way through most of it. To his amazement, the odd mix puffed up when it was cooked. Hence the rise of sourdough.

Today, we see the rise and rise of sourdough breads in cafés, restaurants and even at home!

But before I get into the nitty gritty of how to make a good sourdough, let's talk about why sourdough bread is good for you.

Sourdough is more flavourful

The complex, vinegar-ish flavour is what distinguishes sourdough from normal white bread. The long fermentation process produces these organic acids, as byproducts, that give it its peculiar tang. I get that it's an acquired taste but heck, it's 100% natural!

Sourdough is more nutritious

Apart from it being way more satisfying than normal white bread. Sourdough has a higher nutrient profile than normal white bread. Problematic anti-nutrients inherently present in grains interfere with mineral absorption in our bodies. But, the natural fermentation process pre-digests these toxic enzymes so we can more readily access the grains' innate vitamins, minerals and nutrients. That, makes sourdough a much gentler substitute to regular white bread especially for those with food sensitivities and digestive issues.

Sourdough increases digestibility

Because of the long fermentation process and the breaking down of notorious anti-nutrients, the pre-digested grains are more easily digested than regular store-bought bread. They also cause noticeably less bloating.

Sourdough is good for your gut

It's both a probiotic as well as a prebiotic. Although much of the probiotic is destroyed by the high heat in the oven, much of the fibre or prebiotic remain intact. These become fodder for your good gut bacteria making you feel satiated so you stay full for longer... giving your microbiome a much needed boost.

Sourdough regulates blood sugar

Sugars and starches are exactly what fuels the fermentation process. The wild, natural yeast and bacteria feed on sugars and starches present in the flour converting them to alcohol and carbon dioxide, which make the sourdough rise. But, what it doesn't do is spike blood sugar.

And those are five good reasons why sourdough bread is good for you. Still not convinced? Here's more food for thought.

Sourdough is made using only water, flour and salt. 

Whereas commercial white breads are made using a long list of ingredients - chemicals and preservatives - so they can last longer. I wonder how long more they'll stay in our bodies?

White Bread

wheat flour

sucrose

palm oil

skimmed milk powder

common salt

dextrose

baker’s yeast

emulsifiers

ammonium sulphate

sodium chloride

calcium sulphate

thiamine

riboflavin

niacin

hydrogen reduced iron

calcium propionate

Everybody's switching to sourdough. Switch to sourdough, today!

7 Popular Smudge Proof Lipstick Brands | Transfer Proof Lipstick Test

7 Popular Smudge Proof Lipstick Brands | Transfer Proof Lipstick Test

The lipstick is probably a girl's first makeup. It certainly was mine.

I remember playing with my mum's red lipstick when I was a little girl - I knew where she hid them.

And lipsticks are fun because they add a pop of colour on your face, instantaneously!

The challenge then is keeping it on and not having it rub off on your mugs, your clothes or your face masks.

This week, I try seven popular smudge proof lipstick brands to see if they pass the ultimate transfer proof lipstick test.

I try on a different lipstick each day. Apply it. Wait for it to dry completely before wearing my mask. Each mask is worn for at least thirty minutes before it's removed and labelled.

Day 1 - Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, KVD Vegan Beauty

Day 2 - Stay All Day Liquid Liptstick, Stila Day 3 - Powermatte Lip Pigment, Nars Day 4 - Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color, Fenty Beauty Day 5 - Mattetrance Lipstick, Pat McGrath Day 6 - Cream Lip Stain, Sephora Collection Day 7 - Liquid Matte Lipstick, Huda Beauty

After one week of testing, here are the results.

#7 - Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color, Fenty Beauty

#6 - Mattetrance Lipstick, Pat McGrath

#5 - Stay All Day Liquid Liptstick, Stila

#4 - Cream Lip Stain, Sephora Collection

#3 - Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, KVD Vegan Beauty

#2 - Powermatte Lip Pigment, Nars

#1 - Liquid Matte Lipstick, Huda Beauty

The one that worked the best for me is Huda Beauty. There was no noticeable stain left on my mask and no lipstick smudges on my face.

Which one of the seven brands have you tried? What other brands would you recommend? Comment below.

Subscribe for more weekly health, beauty and lifestyle articles coming your way really soon!

Love,

Lynette Tan

P.S. Follow @lovelynettetan for more!