Bread making is one of life’s simple pleasures, but a great luxury. Time, effort, and love, all put into one wholesome loaf. Or in this case, many tiny rolls, eagerly awaiting to be served with a nourishing bowl of soup, or a simple sliver or vegan butter.
It truly is amazing to realise how much can be made with a handful of ingredients; a bit of flour, some water, a touch of fresh yeast, and salt. And while I do love a slow rise, I do have to say, these rolls do come together fairly quickly, in less than hour and a half, to be precise, so they do make a good choice for a late brunch or even picnic.
Supremely soft, with a lovely, golden crust, and a slight hint of sweetness, they are perfect just served on their own, really, but also delicious as a part of a meal. And if the need arises, they make great sandwich buns for lunchboxes.
Ingredients
200 grams plain flour
100 grams wholemeal flour
50 grams spelt flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
30 grams granulated sugar
20 grams fresh yeast
250 millilitres warm water
35 millilitres vegetable oil
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Preparation
Crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl, sprinkle in the sugar, and add in the warm water. Whisk nicely, and leave the bowl in a warm place for about 15 minutes, so the yeast can activate. Sift the flours twice into a large bowl, add in the salt, and whisk well, to combine it all. Make a well in the very centre, pour in the bubbly yeast along with the oil, and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until bread dough starts to form.
Once you cannot stir anymore, proceed to knead the dough in the bowl, with your hands, until it forms a ball. However, depending on the flour, your dough might need a tablespoon or two of additional water, or a bit more of plain flour, until it comes together and becomes soft, but not sticky. The finished dough should be very supple. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
Turn the dough out on a well-floured surface, knead it briefly, and shape it into a rough ball. Weigh and divide it into 12 pieces, and shape each of them into a tight ball. Arrange the rolls on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, generously mist them with cold water, and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes in a warm spot, while the oven is preheating. Just before baking, mist them again with cold water, abundantly sprinkle them with sesame seeds, and bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for 12-15 minutes. Yields 12 soft dinner rolls.
