Delicious soft sandwich rolls (20% wholemeal)

 

Sandwich rolls are a cross between brioche and bread. They’re soft, sweet, savoury, and are delicious for sandwiches, burgers, or hot dogs. I always though these rolls were an industrial invention which wasn’t possible to make at home (like those supermarket blueberry muffins... how to they make it taste like that?). Actually, I realised, making these rolls is the easiest task ever. They’re a lot easier to make than bread, barely require any shaping or specialist equipment. They taste amazing and easy to bake.

And here’s a twist. This recipe has 20% wholemeal flour in, so although no 50/50 like traditional wholemeal breads, they will have some fibre content, and still taste like white bread. Instead of milk, I used milk powder as I was low on milk. If you want to use milk and don’t have milk powder handy, then replace 125 grams of water with milk (1/2 a cup).

If you are familiar with bread, you may realise that these rolls have around double the amount of yeast, salt, and sugar you’d normally expect in a normal loaf of bread. This results in a much sweeter, saltier bun, which you will see, is delicious! Also, the added yeast reduces the fermentation time greatly, making this one of the quickest ways to make rolls I have come to find!

I strongly recommend you try these! I have had these plain, with butter, hummus, hot dogs, a burger, and I’ve enjoyed every combination. Make these rolls if you are in a hurry, or make them if you are going to a picnic, or if you are planning to have a barbecue! You won’t regret it!

Recipe

White bread flour                 400gr

Wholemeal bread flour       100gr

Water                                      290gr             

Instant yeast                         2.5tsp

Sugar                                       30gr

Butter                                       40gr

Salt                                         2 tsp

Milk powder                           2 Tbs

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Knead the dough until well developed, around 10-15 minutes, or in a mixer at medium speed for around 6 minutes. The dough is going to be tough! Cover bowl with cling film and let ferment for 1 hour. 

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease slightly. After that, pour the dough onto work surface, flatten, and stretch to about 3 cm thick. Cut into 80gram triangle or square pieces (or any other shape) and place on tray, about 2 cm apart from each other.

Flattened, about 1 inch thick

The rolls will stick to each other towards the end of the proofing, which will reduce the amount of crust, giving a less crusty, softer roll.

Before proofing

Let the rolls proof for about 90 minutes. Preheat oven to 200C so as to be heated at the end of the 90 minutes.

After proofing for about 1 hour

Generously brush the top of the rolls with water. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the top is golden. Place on cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Just out of the oven, after baking for 16 minutes

These rolls make great sandwich rolls, burger or hot dog buns, as they are soft and tasty.

Show them off to your friends at a barbeque or picnic!

Enjoy!