Spanish Crusty Bread Rolls Recipes

SPANISH BREAD

Steps:

• If using active-dry yeast, activate the yeast first. Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. If the mixture starts bubbling and increases in volume, the yeast is active and alive. If not, repeat this step with a new packet of yeast.
• If using instant yeast, mix the yeast directly into the flour.
• Weigh or measure out your flour into the bowl of your stand mixer. If using different types of flour, mix well.
• Add in the salt and sugar. Mix on low using the paddle attachment.
• Add in the softened butter and mix on low speed until distributed evenly.
• Add in the instant yeast/activated yeast. Drizzle in the water. Start with 9 tablespoons/135 ml (include the water in the yeast mixture in this if you have activated the yeast.) If the dough is still too dry, slowly drizzle in more water until the dough is well moistened, but not too wet.
• If you have added too much water, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
• Cover the bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour.
• Change to the hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes (with autolyse) to about 15 minutes (without autolyse.) Then test the dough by pinching a piece and stretching into a square. If you get a window pane, your dough is ready. If not, continue kneading and testing every 5 minutes.
• Once the dough is ready, scrape down and form the dough into a ball. Using the same bowl, cover and set aside for an hour or until it has doubled in size. Set in a warm area if your kitchen is too cold. In winter, I heat the oven quickly (turn on 1 minute at 100°C) and turn off and leave the light on. Then I put the bowl in the oven.
• Or bulk rise in the fridge overnight.
• Same note for the yeast as above.
• Weigh or measure out your flour into the bowl of your stand mixer.
• Add in the salt and sugar. Mix well with a wire whisk.
• Add in the butter, and work into the flour with your fingers. To do so, use your finger tips and rub the flour and butter together.
• Once the butter is incorporated, make a well in the middle and add in the water and yeast. Start with 9 tablespoons/135 ml (include the water in the yeast mixture in this if you have activated the yeast) and mix in with a rubber spatula. If too dry, slowly add in more water a little at a time until you get a shaggy dough.
• Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to autolyse for at least 30 minutes (up to an hour).
• After the autolyse, turn out the dough onto your work area and knead for 2 to 5 minutes.
• Cover again and set a timer for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, do a series of stretch and folds.
• At this point, you may then continue with the bulk rise. Set the dough aside for an hour or until it has doubled in size. Set in a warm area if your kitchen is too cold. In winter, I heat the oven quickly (turn on 1 minute at 100°C) and turn off and leave the light on. Then I put the bowl in the oven.
• Or bulk rise in the fridge overnight.
• An hour before you will form the rolls, make the filling.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook for a minute. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, sugar, salt. Continue cooking until a thick paste forms.
• Set aside in a shallow bowl until cool.
• You will need extra breadcrumbs.
• Pre-shape the Spanish bread
• Divide the dough into 12 pcs, roughly 44 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball and set aside. You do this by tucking the dough into the bottom to form a taut ball and then placing the dough on your work surface and roll around by cupping each dough into your palm.
• Place them neatly in a row/rows.
• Once all the dough has been pre-shaped into balls, we will now make the rolls.
• Divide the filling into 12. I usually do this by drawing lines into the filling, kind of like cutting a cake.
• Start with the first ball made, shape it into a flat, inverted triangle using your fingers and the heel of your palm. Get one piece of filling and spread it out into the middle of the triangle, leaving an edge of about a centimetre unfilled. Roll it tightly, starting at the wider end. Pinch the end to ensure it does not unfurl when baked.
• Coat in the breadcrumbs and arrange on your lined baking sheet seam side down, making sure there is space in between as these will still rise. Cover with a dry kitchen towel and let rest until it has puffed up a bit (but not doubled), 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on how cold your kitchen is.)
• While the rolls are proofing, preheat oven to 375°F/180°C. When the rolls are ready, bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

FRENCH BREAD ROLLS TO DIE FOR

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

CRUSTY ROLLS

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine 1 cup warm water (about 110°F), sugar, salt and yeast.
• Let stand until yeast is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in 2 egg whites, 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add 2 1/2 cups more flour and stir until incorporated.
• Scrape dough (it will be soft) onto a well-floured board and dust with more flour.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as required to prevent sticking.
• Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn over to coat.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down, then knead briefly on a lightly floured board to expel air.
• Divide dough into 20 equal pieces and shape each into a ball that is smooth on top.
• As you shape balls, dip bottoms in cornmeal.
• Set about 1 1/2 inches apart on an oiled 12x15-inch baking sheet.
• Rub tops lightly with oil, drape with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat 1 egg yolk (discard remaining yolk or reserve for another use) with 1 tablespoon water to blend.
• Brush rolls lightly with egg yolk mixture.
• Move 2 oven racks to the lowest positions in oven.
• When rolls are ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°F, put another large pan on lowest rack and add at least 1/4 inch of boiling water.
• Bake rolls on second rack (above rack containing pan of water).
• Bake until richly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer rolls to a rack to cool.
• Serve warm or cool.

40-MINUTE DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix water and yeast together in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• Stir in egg. Add flour slowly until a dough forms. Roll dough onto a floured surface and knead until round and elastic. Cut dough into 12 pieces and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes.

SPANISH ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix all filling ingredients together.
• Slice the rolls in half horizontally.
• Pull some of the insides out of each half roll to form a hollow.
• (I save these bread pieces for a bread pudding.).
• Fill rolls with cheese by putting a mound of the filling in a bottom and putting the top on top.
• Wrap each roll in a piece of foil, using a sandwich wrap to seal it.
• Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.
• If you freeze them, allow about an hour for the cooking time, although the time can be adjusted according to how crispy you like them.

SPANISH CRUSTY BREAD ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix the yeast in the warm water let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.
• Add the salt with the flour and sieve into a large bowl.
• Using your fingers, mix in the extra virgin olive oil.
• Slowly pour in the mixed yeast & work the dough with your hands (to a firm dough.
• Place the dough on a flat floured surface . Knead the dough until it becomes firm and elastic.
• Grease the bowl and place the dough inches Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel/cloth and set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume.
• Once dough has doubled in size, remove the dough & knead it again on a floured surface, knock back to remove air pockets, until the dough feels smooth.
• Return the dough to a covered bowl and let it rest 10-15 minutes should be sufficient.
• Cut the dough as desired to form rolls or balls and place on greased baking sheet(s). Cut slits in top of bread as desired.
• Let bread raise on baking sheet 30 minutes.
• Place in a very hot oven (450 degrees F) for 30 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls become brown & sound hollow when knocked on the bottom. Remove the bread from baking sheet & allow to cool.

RUSTIC SPANISH BREAD (PAN RUSTICO)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt and set aside.
• Pour dry yeast into a warm ceramic cup. Heat the water in a pan until it is very warm, but not hot. Pour approximately 4 ounces of water into the cup with yeast and stir with a fork until the yeast is completely dissolved.
• Pour yeast-water mixture and all but 1/2 cup water into a very large mixing bowl. Add flour to bowl gradually, continuously mixing with a wooden spoon until all flour is absorbed, adding the remaining water as needed. The dough should have a smooth texture and form a ball.
• Using a paper towel, coat the inside of a large bowl with olive oil or vegetable shortening. Cover the bowl with a wet dish towel and place in a warm spot in the kitchen. If your kitchen is drafty and cold, allow the dough to rise in the covered bowl in a warm oven (approximately 150 F) with the door open. Let rise for 30 minutes.
• Cover cutting board with a generous amount of flour to prevent dough from sticking. Turn dough out onto the cutting board. Flour hands and knead with heels of hands.
• When the dough has a consistent texture and forms a ball, divide into 3 pieces. Form dough into rounds or oblong shapes. Place on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Allow to rise in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes. While dough is rising, heat oven to 375 F / 190 C.
• Cut slits in top of loaves just before baking. When the oven is hot, place bread on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and brush with beaten egg white. Return to oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Bread should turn a light golden color.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to touch, slice with a bread knife and serve.

SOURDOUGH GLASS BREAD (PAN DE CRISTAL)

Steps:

• Autolyse
• Mix the flour and water together in a bowl, cover, and let sit for 1-2 hours.
• Mixing, Gluten Development, and Bulk Fermentation
• Add the sourdough starter, salt, and oil to the dough. Fold the dough over itself and press and stretch the dough to work in these ingredients. Pause if the dough starts to tear.
• Give the dough a few minutes of Rubaud mixing (video above) to strengthen and fully mix it. When the dough is smooth and uniform, cover and let it rest 30 minutes.
• Do four rounds of gluten development such as coil folding, with 30-minute rests in between. During the first round of folding, I transferred my dough to a straight-walled container to track the rise. Stretching and folding or coil folding work nicely on this dough. There is a video link after this recipe if you want to see gluten development techniques on an even wetter dough.
• Let the dough rise until it has expanded by 70-80%. For a warm dough (low 80s), this was about 5 hours after mixing in the sourdough starter. At cooler temps, this may take longer.
• If you'd like to retard the dough i.e. refrigerate it overnight before shaping, do this at about 60% dough expansion, and let the dough warm up again in the morning for about an hour before shaping.
• Shaping and Final Proof
• Prep a piece of parchment paper that is about the size of your baking stone or steel (an upside-down baking sheet can be used if you don't have a stone or steel, but beware of temp limits on non-stick sheets).
• Heavily flour your work surface and then gently scrape the dough out onto it.
• Use a bench knife to shove some of the flour under the oozing dough as you stretch the dough into a rectangle that's about 1 inch think. With your hands, lift and maneuver the dough to determine that none of it is stuck to your work surface. If it is, add more flour to your bench knife and work it underneath the dough.
• Heavily flour the top of your dough and then cut it into two long narrow strips.
• Sprinkle flour on the two cut surfaces and ensure they are not sticking to your work surface.
• With a bench knife and a dough scraper (spatula might work too), scoop up both ends of a dough and transfer it to the sheet of parchment paper. The dough will scrunch up but as you lay it down, you can stretch it out again like an accordion. Repeat with the other dough.
• Flour the tops of the doughs again and cover with a tea towel.
• Let proof for about 1 hour or longer if your dough is cool. My dough was in the low 80s.
• Baking
• Set up your oven with a baking stone or steel on the second-to-lowest shelf and a cast iron pan (for steam) on the highest possible shelf, likely the second from the top.
• Preheat this oven setup for about 45 minutes at 500F.
• When the final proof is complete, brush off any excess flour on the doughs, and slide the parchment paper onto a peel or baking sheet with open sides like this one or upside-down baking sheet.
• Boil 1 cup of water and set it near your oven.
• Load the doughs onto your baking stone. Wearing oven mitts to prevent steam burns, pour the boiling water into the cast iron pan and close the oven door.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 500F.
• Lower the oven temperature to 410F and bake for 20 minutes more.
• If you want a darker crust, feel free to bake longer.
• Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door, and leave the bread inside for another 10 minutes. This helps the crust get more crunchy.

EASY BREAD ROLLS

Steps:

• Tip the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and oil into a bowl. Pour over 325ml warm water, then mix (with a spatula or your hand), until it comes together as a shaggy dough. Make sure all the flour has been incorporated. Cover and leave for 10 mins.
• Lightly oil your work surface and tip the dough onto it. Knead the dough for at least 10 mins until it becomes tighter and springy - if you have a stand mixer you can do this with a dough hook for 5 mins. Pull the dough into a ball and put in a clean, oiled bowl. Leave for 1 hr, or until doubled in size.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a long sausage shape. Halve the dough, then divide each half into four pieces, so you have eight equal-sized portions. Roll each into a tight ball and put on a dusted baking tray, leaving some room between each ball for rising. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 40 mins-1 hr or until almost doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. When the dough is ready, dust each ball with a bit more flour. (If you like, you can glaze the rolls with milk or beaten egg, and top with seeds.) Bake for 25-30mins, until light brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

PARMESAN CRUSTED DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Grease 12 muffin cups.
• Place Parmesan cheese into a shallow bowl.
• Cut thawed bread dough into 12 pieces, then cut each piece into 3 more pieces, for a total of 36.
• Roll each piece into a ball and dip into the melted butter.
• Gently press the buttered dough ball into the Parmesan cheese.
• Place 3 coated balls into each prepared muffin cup.
• Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, 5 to 7 hours, depending on the room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

SANDWICH ROLLS

Steps:

• Place yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer; whisk to mix. Add flour and salt.
• Knead with dough hook until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough ball and easily pulls away from the sides and the hook, about 5 minutes. (If still too sticky, add a bit more flour and knead a few more seconds.) Transfer dough to a work surface and form into a smooth ball. Place dough back in the mixing bowl. Drizzle the dough and sides of bowl a few drops of vegetable oil. Spread a film of oil over the surface of the dough.
• Cover the bowl and transfer to a warm, draft-free place until dough is doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Form into a rectangle shape and cut into 6 equal pieces. Using your cupped hand and the work surface, roll each section of dough into a smooth round ball. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rest 15 minutes.
• Flatten dough balls into 6- or 7-inch long ovals. Starting with a long edge, roll the dough into a cylinder, applying extra pressure to the ends to form pointy tips for a classic French roll shape. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets (do not crowd them) and cover with clean dry towels until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
• With a very sharp knife, score each roll about 1/4 inch deep along one side somewhere between the side and the top. Spritz loaves lightly with water from a spray bottle.
• Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes. Spritz loaves again and rotate pans for a more even bake. Bake until loaves are golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely before cutting.