Name: Braided bread rolls
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 1 tsp yeast fast-acting yeast; 1 tsp sugar; 120 ml milk/water combo lukewarm; 225 g strong white flour bread flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 25 g butter chilled and cubed; 1 egg beaten; 1 tsp olive oil; 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4.
In a small glass, mix the yeast, half the sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm milk/water, cover, and leave for about 20 minutes, until frothy.
Sift the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the chilled butter until the mixture looks like crumbs.
Make a well; pour in the yeast mixture, half the beaten egg, and a little of the liquid.
Stir into a dough, adding more liquid a little at a time.
Knead on a floured surface for about ten minutes.
Coat the bowl with the olive oil, turn the dough in it to cover, then cover the bowl with a damp tea towel.
Leave in a warm place for 1 1/12 hours, until doubled.
Turn it out and knock out the air.
Divide into three pieces and roll each into a long strip.
Cut the strips into four short lengths and braid them into four plaited rolls.
Set them on a baking sheet and let them rise for another 20 minutes.
Mix a teaspoon of water into the leftover egg and brush it over the rolls.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden and hollow-sounding when you tap the bottom.
Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

Prep 2 hours 20 minutes, cook 20, total 2 hours 40. Keep 2 days; warm in the oven to crisp. Freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 4 servings; yeast fast-acting yeast counted as active dry yeast (packet 7 g), strong white flour bread flour counted as metric weight. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.

Braided Bread Rolls