Bread Soft Rolls (Baps)
Bread Rolls
Mamta Gupta
Once you have made a simple bread or a few bread rolls, you will realise how easy they are and how much tastier than the shop bought ones. They are additive free as well. Here is a simple recipe used by many before us, with a few minor alterations, worth a try. I have reduced the amount of sugar and salt and used olive oil in place of butter. Once you have made plain rolls, you can try flavouring them, add other things (see under optional ingredients).
Makes 1 large loaf or 10-12 rolls.
Ingredients
500 gm. strong white bread flour
320 ml. water at room temperature
10 gm. instant or fast acting yeast
7-10 gm. salt
30 gm. olive oil (you can use butter, if you prefer)
25-30 gm. sugar
Optional-any of these can be added to the dough after the first rising:
1-1/2 tbsp. melon/ sunflower seeds or raisins/chopped apricots/dry figs or chopped sun-dried tomatoes etc.
1 tsp. dry herbs of choice. Sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary is a good combination
Caramelised onions
3-4 garlic cloves/slice and pan fried in olive oil
Instructions
I make the dough in my bread maker until the first rising (follow your machines instructions). You can use your food processor or the Easy Bread method, which requires almost no kneading.
Hand Kneading: Place flour in a large mixing bowl and add oil, instant yeast, salt and sugar in separate corners of the bowl. Add water and mix, until it comes together. Now turn it out onto a floured or oiled work surface.
Using heal of your hand, press down and push the dough away from you. Fold it back to the centre. Give it a 90 degree turn. Repeat stretching, folding back and turning 90degree. Use your body weight to do this, rather than your arm muscles, less tiring. I learnt this on a bread making course. Continue this process until the dough is very smooth, almost shiny, about 10-12 minutes. When ready, the dent made in it with your finger should not spring back.
Leave it in a bowl at room temperature covered with a towel, until it has at least doubled in size.
Shaping the rolls: Take it out onto a floured work surface and knock it back. Any additions like seeds, herbs etc. should be made here.
Divide* the dough into 8-12-14 portions, depending on the size of rolls you want. Shape them into balls or oblongs (for hot dogs). Make sure that any seam is facing downwards and the rolls look smooth. You can sprinkle a few seeds on top, if using.
Place rolls on a tray lined with silicone or wax paper, leaving space between each to give them space to expand. Allow to double in size. You can sprinkle a little flour on top.
Baking: Pre-heat oven to 210C/410F/Gas mark 6-7. If you put 200-300 ml. of water in a tray at the bottom of the oven or spray water inside the oven just before you put the rolls in, you will get rolls with a crispier crust.
Bake until golden in colour on both sides-12-14 minutes. Take out and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Once cool, they can be frozen. The fridge is not suitable for keeping breads, it dries the breads out. Bread loaf can be sliced and then frozen; you can take out the slices you need and toast them directly in a toaster, no need to de-frost.
Notes
*If you want to make a loaf, shape and place it in a loaf tin or on a baking tray and bake at 210C for 30-35 minutes. If tapped, it should sound hollow.