MINI BREAD ROLLS

I love baking bread. I am always on a hunt for a new recipe to try in my kitchen. Who does not love the aroma of freshly baked bread flooding every room and adding to the warmth of home? Baking bread for me is therapeutic. Last Sunday I decided to make mini bread rolls. These small size rolls are a pleasure to bake. I bake these keeping in mind my children. The rolls make very comfortable size bites for kids. Slit open and coat them with butter or cheese spread. Or simple spread a generous amount of home made marmalade or jam. Either way, they taste yum. I love having them with honey.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup refined flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon yeast

1 cup water

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional)

A little butter to smear on the rolls when done (vegans can avoid this)

Method

Heat the water and add sugar. To the lukewarm water, add yeast. Stir well and cover. In the meantime, sieve together wheat flour, refined flour and salt. Add oil and mix well. Check sugar yeast mixture. It should turn frothy in 10-15 minutes. Add this to the flour and knead well. Kneading takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If the dough feels dry, add warm water and knead. It should be smooth and very soft. Grease a round cake tin. Make small size balls of the dough and place in the tin. Keep enough gap between the balls. Cover the tin with a cling film or a damp cloth. Keep in a warm place for an hour. The rolls should rise by now. Brush the top of the rolls with water using pastry brush and sprinkle sesame seeds.  Bake the bread rolls in the pre heated oven at 190 degrees for 25 minutes. Once done, leave them in the oven for five minutes. Remove from the tin and smear butter on the upside of the rolls.

I use instant yeast for baking. Earlier, I used to work with dry yeast which is highly unpredictable. Many a times it has played spoilsport by refusing to become frothy. Instant yeast works well. The dough needs only one rising.