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Almost too good to be true .................
.................... almost! But guess what? .................... it is true, and your going to love this delicious truth! A fabulous bread dough that can be used for multiple purposes, requires no mixer, no kneading and takes only five minutes to stir together! Got YIP? (yeast-induced-phobia - those who have it know exactly what I'm talking about) .......... No problem - these five minute breads seems to break all the failure rules!
I've posted a number of Five-Minute Bread recipes. If you haven't gotten on the bandwagon. it's time to take the leap. These recipes are all from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day books, written by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. I was quite skeptical myself in the beginning, but my first attempt sold me and I've been running with these wonderful breads ever since.
There's a funny story that occurred shortly after I first discovered this amazing technique and recipe arsenal. I had flown to Cincinnati for a rendezvous with my mom, three sisters and sister-in-law. Sadly, we are scattered from one end of the country to another and don't often have the sweet opportunity to spend time together. We love hanging out and catching up with each other. There's always lots of laughs and because there seems to be a "cooking gene" in my family (my sisters are all fabulous cooks - my brothers got the gene too!), whenever we're together, the conversation always turns to food and great new recipes we've discovered.
I was crazy excited about this Five Minute Bread and tried to explain it to them; you just throw everything in bowl, stir it up with a large spoon or heavy-duty whisk, let it sit out to rise and then form it into whatever shape suits your fancy. THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME! (just like you probably don't!) We had grown up with homemade bread but my mom did it the old-fashioned way that took most of the day.
So I whipped up a batch right before their eyes; when the delicious aroma wafted through the air and I pulled out a golden, crusty loaf that looked just like it came from a fancy European bakery, well, let's just say they became believers......... ardent believers!
But here's the funny part of the story; one of my sisters went home, bought a twenty-five pound bag of flour and started making this yummy bread for everyone she knew............... I'm thinking perhaps, even for people she didn't know, people off the street........... you see, it wasn't more than a few weeks later when we spoke - and she shared that the twenty-five pound bag was empty, gone, zippo! ....... and you think I'm a crazy cook!?
Buttery Brioche Sandwich Rolls - the Five Minute Way!
¾ cup hot tap water, water should feel hot when you stick your finger in it but not so hot that it you have to pull it out immediately.
2 ¼ teaspoons granulated yeast (1 packet)*
¼ cup honey
4 large eggs
¾ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons salt
3 ¾ cups flour, plus more for shaping rolls
1 large egg, mixed with 1 teaspoon of water (for egg wash)
seeds, I used a mixture of sesame, golden flax and red flax seeds
Directions:
1. Mix the yeast, honey and hot water in a fairly large lidded container. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until mixture is starting to bubble a bit. Add eggs, melted butter and salt. Mix in the flour. I like to use a large heavy duty whisk like this one but a wooden spoon works well also.
2. Cover lightly with lid and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 ½-2 hours. Dough will rise up and then collapse a bit. That's when it's ready to be used or stored. If not using right away, cover dough with lid but not airtight – gases need to escape – and place in fridge. Dough can be used right away but I think it's easier to work with when chilled as it becomes more firm. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
3. When you're ready to bake, remove from fridge and shape into rolls; I like to put about ½ cup of flour on a large dinner plate. Scoop up plum size pieces of dough (keep in mind they will double in size as they rise and bake). Coat each piece with the flour and working above the plate, shape each piece into a round ball by stretching the surface of the dough and tucking it under. The surface will be smooth and the bottom bunched up. Place balls on parchment paper** lined or greased baking sheets, flattening out each ball with your hand and leaving 1 ½-2 inches between each roll.
4. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise for 40-60 minutes or until doubled in size. When almost double, preheat oven to 350˚F.
5. When doubled in size, remove towel and paint surfaces of rolls with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of water.) Sprinkle immediately (before egg wash begins to dry) with seeds, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly (if you can)!
Notes:
* ~ I buy the large commercial packages of yeast at Sam's Club or Costco. I think this yeast works better than the little packets at the grocery store although they will work fine. It's dirt cheap, infinity cheaper than the little grocery store packets, and can be stored indefinitely in the freezer. I keep a small amount in a glass jar in my refrigerator and store the rest in the freezer. I've been doing this for many years and haven't ever had it go bad.
Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Pat Calhoun says
What recipe would you use for large hamburger/sandwich rolls?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Pat, I like this one- https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-buttermilk-brioche-buns/
kathleen allen says
I've been loving your recipes but these rolls, while edible, were dense and small. I weigh when I bake and use yeast a lot so I know it was fresh. I think the short one rising time may have affected them. They were in a warm place but even though I tripled the rising time they did not rise. I used another recipe, in the past, and it had two rises plus a great idea. Put a pan in the oven as it heats and a half cup of water in the pan when the rolls go in. This creates steam as the rolls bake. They were perfect every time. I'm always trying new recipes and your recipe sounded good and easier. Anyway, thanks for all you do. I have so many of your recipes I love. Kathy
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Kathleen. I'm glad you're enjoying the recipes.
Carrie says
Oh, my gosh these are good! I can't believe how easy they were to make - I kept thinking that surely I was missing something - but I shrugged and followed the recipe. I ended up with fantastic sesame buns that I can think of so many ways to use. This is the first recipe I've tried from this site, but it sure won't be the last. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! They are deceptively easy, Carrie! I'm so happy you had great results and enjoyed them! Welcome to The Café! 💕