Growing up Mum would have a loaf of bread perfectly timed to be pulled out of the bread-maker as my brother and I charged through the back door from school. In my eyes there isn’t anything quite so homey as the smell and taste of freshly baked bread.
As I’ve grown older I’ve loved working with bread and these bread rolls are one of my go-to’s when feeding our farm team. The recipe makes 12 good sized rolls ready to be pulled apart and crammed full of cold meat and coleslaw. I hope you find them as tasty and versatile as we do, and they become a staple in your household/farm too.
Preparation time - 20 minutes + approximately 2 hours rising time
Cook time - 15 minutes
Serves - 12
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups warm water
2 tbsp active dried yeast
4 tbsp honey or sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
7 cups high grade flour
Method:
Making with a stand mixer:
In your stand mixer bowl add the water, yeast and honey or sugar. Stir to combine and leave to sit for 10 minutes until the yeast has risen to the surface and frothed up.
Add the remaining ingredients and knead on a medium speed for 10 minutes. If you press the dough gently with your finger it should spring back immediately.
Cover the bowl with a plate or tea-towel and place in a warm place to allow the dough to double in size. I often use our hot water cupboard.
Use your clenched fist to gently punch down in the centre of the dough to deflate the gasses.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and shape into a long log.
Cut the log into 12 even pieces and using your hands, gently roll and shape into round bread rolls.
Place the rolls evenly spaced onto a lightly greased baking dish, cover with a tea-towel and allow to rise again in a warm spot, until doubled in size.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 10-15 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped and are a golden brown colour.
Kneading by hand:
In your largest mixing bowl add the water, yeast and honey or sugar. Stir and leave to sit until the yeast has risen to the surface and frothed up.
Add the remaining ingredients and use a wooden spoon to form a craggy, roughly combined dough.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 10-15 minutes. Push the dough away from you using the heel of your palm and then rolling it back towards you. Press the dough gently with your finger, the dough should spring back and be silky and soft to touch, otherwise keep kneading.
Once your dough has been kneaded place it back in the bowl, cover with a plate or tea-towel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. I like to use the hot water cupboard.
Use your clenched fist to gently punch down in the centre of your dough to deflate the gasses.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and shape into a long log.
Cut the log into 12 even pieces and using your hands, gently roll and shape into round bread rolls.
Place these rolls evenly spaced onto a lightly greased baking dish, cover with a tea-towel and allow to rise again in a warm spot, until doubled in size.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 10-15 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped and are a golden brown colour.
Notes:
After removing the cooked rolls from the oven you can brush melted butter over them.
Try brushing a combination of melted butter and garlic for a delicious pull apart garlic bread for mopping up soups or stews.
