“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” – M F K FIsher

I love the smell of baking bread at home. Good bread with fresh butter. The king of all feasts, according to me. I just love Toast and butter anytime.

At home, we are quite fussy when it comes to bread. It’s whole wheat bread, bought diligently and stored in the fridge. When I have time on my hands I bake focassia, bread, and of course small Bread rolls for the weekend. Just love baking and if the end product turns out awesome, my day is made and I am a truly happy soul.

Well, this is a relatively new recipe of mine, tried and tested umpteen times, so go ahead and bake your bread roll. Any shape, any size. Sesame seeds or poppy seeds can be sprinkled on top after the egg wash. Get creative.

Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• Flour -11/2 cups

• wheat flour -1 cup
• Salt -1 tsp
• Active dried Yeast -1 tbsp
• Sugar -2 tbsp
• Lukewarm water -3/4cup
• Any Vegetable Oil-2 tbsp
• Curd -2 tbsp ( not sour)
• Chilli flakes and minced garlic -1 tbsp each
• Warm water and milk mix- 1/2

METHOD:

• Mix both the flours together. Keep aside 1/2 cup.
• In a small bowl, take sugar and yeast, mix lightly and add 3/4 cup of LUKEWARM water, mix lightly, cover with a rounded lid, and keep for 10 minutes till frothy and bubbly.
• Meanwhile, into the flour add curd and vegetable oil, chilly flakes, garlic and yeast mixture. Knead well with hands on a floured surface for 5-7 minutes till light and soft. If sticky add a tablespoon of flour and mix well to a smooth,elastic and pliable dough.
• Take a dish, oil the surface lightly, take the dough lightly smoothen the dough with OILED palm and place it in the bowl. Cover with cling film or moist towel and keep it in a warm place to double in size. ( 1 &1/2 – 2 hours)
• After 2 hours, place dough on a lightly floured surface, if sticky add some flour( 1/2 c kept aside), punch out all the air and knead again. Shape into rolls and keep on a greased plate covered with a moist cloth for 1/2 -45 minutes till double in size.
• Bake in a preheated hot oven 200 deg.c for 10-15 minutes. ( bottom heat alone)
• While preheating the oven place a small dish of water at the lowest
• This is to generate some steam while baking the bread rolls later.
• Place the rolls above the steam rolls and bake.
• After 10 -15 minutes, lightly brush the rolls with an egg wash. ( yolk of an egg beaten lightly) and bake further till golden brown, could take another 5-10 minutes depending on your oven.
• For the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the top and bottom coils together and bake so that the top gets evenly browned.
• Remove and brush lightly with spice oil.

For the spiced oil

• Take 2 tbsp of olive oil and warm lightly.
• Remove from flame, add finely chopped garlic, chilly flakes and chopped coriander/ cilantro.
• Keep aside.

CHEFS TIPS:

• All the ingredients should be fresh, most importantly, the active dried yeast.
• Care should be taken to see that the temperature of the water is just warm (10-15 seconds)
• While kneading the dough, it could get very sticky but keep at it. If required add a tablespoon from the 1/2 cup of flour kept aside and knead further.
• The ideal place to rest a dough would be in a closed cupboard or even in your Microwave where circulation of air is restricted.
• Prepare the spice oil and keep aside.
• Do not be in a hurry.
• The steam bath is essential to bake the bread rolls.
• Do not forget to turn on the top coil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.( depends on your oven temperature and how brown the rolls are)

• Try different flavours and seasonings .
• You could add mixed herbs, basil, rosemary, thyme etc.
• Bakes around 12 rolls.

Till my next post,

Cheers

Rose