Perfectly Easy, No Mess Sandwich Rolls



Finally!

 Cooking to me is a very scientific process.  I identify a problem, I research recipes and then form a hypothesis that the process of baking will actually turn out what I want.

Such it has been to find the perfect sandwich bun.  My problem was that I didn't want to pay almost a dollar each for rolls from a bakery when I find myself stuck with plenty of time at home, waiting for my visa. 

Researching a good roll recipe turned out to be more of a task then I originally thought.  I tried enough crazy recipes that I've gone through around 3 bags of flour and the birds in our yard are getting obese.

I finally did find one that was nearly perfect.  Another half bag of flour later and I think the sandwich roll recipe is ready to release to my friends.  The rolls are easy, simple and have a nice consistency that holds up well to being sliced and toasted.  Here is the recipe I modified, as well as tricks that I use to make it a one pot, basically mess free undertaking.  Let me know how yours turn out!

Perfect Sandwich Rolls

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg beaten

2 tbs butter

1/cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp yeast

Heat milk to warm in a lidded pot, and add all the ingredients except flour.  Turn off heat, replace lid and give the yeast a chance to 'bloom'.  When the yeast is starting to multiply add your flour in to the pot, mixing well in between cups.  When the dough is getting too stiff to turn, dump the pot out to knead the rest of the flour in.  Return the ball of dough to the pot, replace lid and let rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Once risen, punch down your dough and roll it to 3/4 inches thick, and make rounds.  Place these on a cookie sheet and let them rise until doubled again, around an hour.  Brush tops with butter, milk or egg white to brown, or add sesame seeds etc.

Bake at 176 Celsius/350 Fahrenheit for 15- 20 minutes.

My hints:

I use the inside of an empty cereal bag to knead my dough on so I don't have to flour up a counter and make a mess.  When the dough has risen in my pot, I simply turn it out onto my flattened bag and knead.  The dough doesn't stick, and if I have flour or mess left over it's easy to tip it back into my flour bin.  

When I need to roll the dough out, I turn it out onto the same flattened bag, and fold the bag over it and flatten my dough out by hand rather then use a rolling pin.  I use a glass to cut the rounds.  When I set them on the baking tray to rise the final time, I cover them with the same cereal bag instead of wasting plastic wrap. 

When I'm all done, I fold the bag up for next time.  It makes baking so easy and mess free, and I don't have to store and buy a bunch of special tools either.  Enjoy!