Bread Rolls

Nothing is better than freshly baked Bread Rolls. These are the perfect combination of soft rolls with a slightly chewy crust. A great everyday roll!

The freshest most delicious bread rolls

I think many people will agree that you really can’t beat freshly baked bread. These bread rolls are absolutely no exception to that rule.

Whether you call them bread rolls, cobs, barms, baps, teacakes, batches or stotties; they are even better when you make them yourself at home!

Don’t be put off my thinking making bread is difficult. With this recipe and step by step instructions, you will have the most perfect and tasty bread rolls.

This is fantastic recipe to start with if you are a bread beginner because it is simple and there is very little shaping involved. I think everyone will be able to make something roll shaped!

Which kind of yeast can be used for these bread rolls?

There are three types of yeast. All could be used for these rolls, but you will need to know how best to use them.

• Instant yeast – also sometimes known as easy bake yeast. This is the yeast I always use because I think it is the easiest to use. It is ready to use straight away, you just need to add it with the rest of your ingredients. This is the best yeast to use if you are ever using a bread maker.
• Active dry yeast – similar to instant yeast, but it has to be dissolved in water or milk to activate it. Sugar can be added to speed up the activating process. It usually takes 5-10 minutes for it to get nice and bubbly which means it is then ready to use.
• Fresh yeast – less commonly used in home baking but very popular in commercial bakeries. Fresh yeast isn’t as readily available and has to be kept in the fridge. Whereas instant and active dry yeast have a long shelf life, fresh yeast doesn’t. You can’t substitute the same amount of fresh yeast as the other two so if a recipe doesn’t specify fresh yeast you will need to convert it to work out the amount you need.

Although I don’t always pay a huge amount of attention to best before dates, you need to with yeast. Yeast is ‘alive’ and if it has died, it won’t help your bread to rise no matter how long you wait!

If you are ever not sure if your yeast is alive, just add it to some water and leave for 5-10 minutes. If after a few minutes you have bubbles you are good to go; if it doesn’t you need to buy more yeast.

Can I still make Bread Rolls without a stand mixer?

You can definitely still make these rolls without a stand mixer. A stand mixer makes it easier and a lot less effort, but isn’t an essential piece of equipment.

If you knead the dough by hand you will get exactly the same result. You may just feel a little tired after ten minutes of kneading!

There are quite a few tips on the best kneading techniques. As I said I am no expert, but I like to use my palms as much as possible when kneading.

You are really just looking to stretch the dough to form the gluten so your bread rises. Use whichever technique works for you until you have a smooth dough that springs back when you poke it.

crusty or soft rolls?

These rolls are quite hard to describe; they are neither crusty or super soft. When they come out of the oven they sound like they are going to be quite crisp when you tap the tops. But they soften as they cool and become become really delicious.

The trick of getting this softer texture is putting the rolls quite close together on the baking tray. This means that during their second prove they grow in size and touch slightly. Then when they are baking they join together even more.

The end result is a lovely soft roll with a slight crisp crust.

Proving times can vary

Giving a specific proving time is tricky because there are many variables! If your kitchen is warm, your dough can prove more quickly and if it is cold it can be much slower.

For the first prove, you are looking for your dough to double in size. For the warmer months of the year, I cover my dough and leave it to prove on a sunny window sill.

However when it is cold, it needs a bit of help! Turn the light of your oven on only and leave the covered dough in there with the door closed. The light will create a slight warmth which will help speed up the proving process.

Can I make the rolls different sizes?

You can make these Bread Rolls whatever size you would like. The size in the recipe will make nine medium sized rolls. I think this is the perfect size for sandwiches or for Pulled Pork rolls.

If you would like to make the rolls bigger, I would still recommend weighing each roll so you can get even sized rolls when baked. Just make sure you tap them on the bottom and check they are hollow when they have finished baking. If they don’t sound hollow, cook for a few more minutes.

You can also double the batch to make 18 rolls. This is ideal for a family as the rolls are a good size for children to have one and they’re not too big for adults to have two at a time.

How long will these rolls keep for?

As with most bread, these rolls are at their best the day they are baked or the day after. They will still be good for up to three days but they will become less fluffy.

If you don’t think you will eat them all within this time, I would recommend freezing the rolls.

How to freeze Bread rolls

These rolls couldn’t be more simple to freeze and they do freeze very well. However I do think that fresh bread is always that little bit more delicious than bread that has been frozen.

Once they have completely cooled, add them to a container or bag and freeze them for up to three months.

When you are ready to defrost the rolls leave them at room temperature for a couple of hours.

how to serve bread rolls

Now I know you probably don’t need suggestions on how to eat bread rolls, but here are some of my favourite ways to enjoy them.

Leftover meat from your roast dinner is absolutely delicious in these soft rolls. Beef, chicken or gammon are all absolutely fantastic. Don’t forget to add some stuffing if you’ve got leftovers of that too! You could even add some honey mustard mayo too.

If you’re looking for a warm filling, how about my air fryer fish fingers or sausages. Add your sauce of choice and you have the perfect bunch or lunch.

Don’t forget the classic way of serving them – as a burger bun! They would be great for my bacon cheese burgers, turkey burgers or halloumi tray bake burgers.

Other recipes you might like

• Poppy & Sesame Seed Bread Rolls
• Easy Flatbreads
• Rosemary & Salt Fougasse
• Garlic & Parsley Dough Balls
• Cheese Scones

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