Morning Bread Rolls

Most of the preparation for these bread rolls is done the night before baking allowing to finish it up in the morning and possibly have the rolls for breakfast. Only tasks left to do is shaping, a little resting and baking. This still takes just under two hours though, so it needs to be prepared by someone who doesn't have to eat for two hours after getting up. ;-) Preparation is also relatively easy: combine everything, mix, shape, bake.

Main Dough

• 180g (6 3/8oz) all purpose wheat flour
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) durum wheat semolina
• 110g (3 7/8 oz) light rye flour
• 150ml (2/3 cup)water
• 150ml (2/3 cup) milk
• 4g fresh yeast or 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 1/4 tsp of sugar and 25ml (7/8 oz) of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes
• 8g (1 tsp) salt
• 8g (1 tsp) olive oil
• 1 tsp diastatic malt powder (optional, helps with the rising)
• whole grain rye flour for dusting

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and give it a quick stir. Then knead with a dough hook on lowest speed for 10 minutes. Increase speed to 2 and knead for another 5 minutes. Then cover with lid or plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Let rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours; the volume should have increased quite by then.

Place cold dough on floured surface and cut out 8 pieces. Stretch each piece with your fingertips to about 3x5 inches. Try to avoid pressing out all the fermentation gases while doing that.

Put each piece in front of you with the short side facing you. Then fold the far end in a little bit towards you and press it on. Then fold the new far end over again. Repeat that step until you created a relatively tight cylinder. I think I folded each piece about 4 times or so.

Roll each roll in whole grain rye flour and place with the seam down on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with linen cloth and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 250°C (485°F).

Turn all the rolls over so the seam is up and place on the middle rack of the oven. Spray a lot of water in and bake for 10 minutes. Oven the oven door to let out steam, close it and bake for another 5 minutes. Then open the oven door a little bit and back 5 more minutes.

Let cool on a cooling rack.

Original recipe (German language) in "Das Brotbackbuch" by Lutz Geißler, published by Ulmer Eugen Verlag.