Brotchen Rolls Recipes

GERMAN BROTCHEN ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes.
• Mix in shortening, salt and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with dough whisk or heavy spoon for 2 minutes. Fold in egg whites. Gradually add flour 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from bowl. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic with bubbles.
• Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Deflate the dough, form into a round and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and form into oval rolls about 3 1/2 inches long. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Place an empty baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with the 2 tablespoons of milk to make the egg wash. Lightly brush the risen rolls with the egg wash. Place 1 cup of ice cubes on the hot baking sheet in the oven and immediately place the rolls in the oven.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

BRIOCHE ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, yeast, and 1/2 cup bread flour in the bowl of a mixer. Mix until just combined. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, the all-purpose flour, and salt to cover; do not mix. Let stand for 45 minutes.
• Using the dough-hook attachment, mix dough to combine. Add 4 eggs, and continue to mix until dough is smooth and does not stick to sides of bowl, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining egg. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until incorporated. Continue mixing until dough is smooth and comes together in a ball around the dough hook, about 5 minutes more.
• Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, and cover with plastic. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough, and re-cover. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough again, re-cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and punch down. Working in batches (refrigerate remaining dough as you work), evenly divide dough into thirty-two 1-ounce pieces. Punch down each piece using the palm of your hand, and press each into a tight ball using the heel of your hand.
• Butter small Turk's-head or similar shaped cast-iron pans. Place dough balls inside molds (dough should fill three-quarters of each mold section). Loosely cover pans with plastic; let stand in a warm place until dough balls are soft and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly brush tops with egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and continue to bake until tops are dark gold (time will vary depending on size of pans). Remove from oven, and immediately remove brioche rolls from pans, by gently tapping, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

BROTCHEN (GERMAN ROLLS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Pour 2 1/2 cups flour into a large bowl and form a well in the center.
• In a separate container, mix yeast, sugar, and two tablespoons water (water comes from the 1 cup above).
• Pour yeast mixture into the well but do not mix with the flour at this time.
• Cover bowl with a cloth and set it in a warm place for 15 minutes to rise.
• Add remaining water and oil and beat until mixed. Add SALT.
• Turn dough out onto counter and knead until smooth. Adding remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed.
• Put dough in bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. (about 30-40 minutes).
• Punch down and divide dough into 12 parts.
• Shape into oval rolls and place 3" apart on greased and floured cookie sheet.
• Cover and let rise until double in size.
• Beat egg white and 1 tsp water with a fork until frothy and brush onto rolls.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• The time is an estimate, depending on how fast your dough rises.

BROTCHEN -TRADITIONAL GERMAN BREAD ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes.
• Mix in shortening, salt and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with dough whisk or heavy spoon for 2 minutes. Fold in egg whites. Gradually add flour 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from bowl.
• Turn onto a floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic with bubbles.
• Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Deflate the dough, form into a round and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and form into oval rolls about 3 1/2 inches long. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Place an empty baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with the 2 tablespoons of milk to make the egg wash. Lightly brush the risen rolls with the egg wash. Place 1 cup of ice cubes on the hot baking sheet in the oven and immediately place the rolls in the oven.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.