Sub Rolls

This is my first experiment with enriched dough, and the result is a bread that is chewy and soft without the crusty exterior found with focaccia and typical baguettes. These are perfect for sandwiches and are best on the day of baking. 

Ingredients

Makes 4 rolls:

• 400g bread flour

• 260ml semi-skimmed milk (65% hydration)

• 8g diastatic malt powder

• 20g olive oil

• 8g salt

• 6g instant yeast

• 10g honey

Toppings:

• 1 egg white

• Salt

• Sesame seeds (optional)

• Parmesan (optional)

• Dried herbs (optional)

• Garlic powder (optional)

• Chili flakes (optional)

Directions

Forming the dough:

1. Combine flour, oil and honey in a bowl and add to food processor.

2. Combine milk, yeast, diastatic malt powder and salt in a glass/bowl and stir to mix. Then add to food processor.

3. Process for about 30 seconds and check for window paning to signify gluten development. This is quite a lot of dough, so it may need to be processed in 2 batches depending on the food processor size. Keep processing until it passes the window pane test.

Dough rise & gluten development:

4. Add the dough to an bowl and cover. Allow to rise for about an hour.

5. Shape into 4 cylinders by flattening out into disks, rolling up, closing the seam and rolling out further to desired length. Place on a cornmeal lined baking sheet.

6. Leave them to proof for about an hour, but be aware that they should not be handled before cooking, so proof in the exact position you want to cook in. Allow enough room for rising. Handling them after they have proofed will ruin the shape and texture. 

Preparing to bake:

7. Pre-heat oven to 190°C and place a metl dish on the bottom rack.

8. Score the cylinders at a 45° angle with a very sharp blade. 

9. Create an egg wash from 1 egg white and a splash of water. Brush over the dough cylinders.

10. Assemble toppings (a good mixture is dried herbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, chili flakes and salt). Apply over the dough cylinders.

Baking:

11. Place baking sheet with dough in the oven and add a few ice cubes to the metal dish at the bottom. This creates a steamy environment in the oven and promotes oven-spring. 

12. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate the baking sheet. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the outside is fully browned. 

13. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. If making a sandwich from them, be sure to wrap in parchment paper for best results.