Monday, February 27, 2012

Bread Roll Blossom

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Do you know that moment in the morning when you still lie in bed – not full asleep but not yet quite awake? The duvet has just the perfect temperature. Not too warm and not too cold and your thoughts go into wondrous directions bordering from sheer fantasy to deep discussions with yourself, salutary and bright – gone within a gasp. I like to think of that moment as the closest overlap between conscious and subconscious possible. Between what is really going on in my mind and what it wants me to believe is going on.

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My feelings about that moment are rather bittersweet. Mostly because it usually happens just a wee moment before the alarm goes off and the rough and unforgiving tristesse of reality hits your face like you have never seen it coming. As you may have realised by now, I am a sleep person - not a morning person. In fact, I would love being a morning person, with the day still calm and young, everything and everybody just waking up. But I am simply not. I am a mess. I'm nauseous, my head hurts and I am so far away from mental clarity that nothing else but grunts and moans are able to leave my mouth. Please don't ask me questions right after I woke up. Please don't bother me too much for at least an hour, actually. I will hate you. I may hurt you. But probably not. I will hurt you in my mind, indeed, and debate about it with my subconscious the next morning at 7:59 am right before the alarm sets off.

Breakfast. Thank you for existing. This post's recipe is nice for a Sunday breakfast or brunch. Cut into halves and piled on with whatever is needed to fix your matutinal cravings. While it looks special, it is ridiculously easy to bake – there is most probably no other way to use yeast more fool-proof than here. I can also see them on a picnic (spring cannot come fast enough...) or for a party.

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Bread Roll Blossom
Adapted from here (German).
Makes about 3 blossoms or 21 single bread rolls à 75g (2.6 oz). I halved the recipe and made one blossom and some single rolls.

  • 42g fresh yeast (also called cake yeast. This would make 1.5 oz. Can be substituted with 0.6 oz/18 g/ 6 ¼ ts active dry yeast)
  • 500ml (17 fl. oz) warm water
  • ½ tbsps. sugar
  • 1kg (35.3 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsps. salt
  • 8 tbsps oil (I used sunflower seed oil)
  • Topping of choice (I used poppy flower, sesame and sunflower seeds; optional)

  1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar.
  2. Add flour, salt and oil. With your hands, knead until well combined.
  3. Let dough rise for half an our, knead well again afterwards.
  4. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
  5. Form dough into balls the size of your choice (mine were about 75g or 2.6 oz).
  6. Dip rolls in topping of choice and then lay on baking sheet lined with parchment paper in shape of a blossom - one in the centre and six around – with the edges barely touching (you can lay them in any shape you want of course or add another row to make it bigger. You can also skip the dipping part and sprinkle topping onto rolls, just make sure it sticks a little).
  7. Bake on centre rack for 25-30 minutes. 
Enjoy!

29 comments:

  1. oh dear lord! those breads are so perfectly shaped. I suck at baking breads and this is tempting.. super tempting!

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    1. Thank you, kankana! I just rolled them into balls and that was it. These are so easy to do, even if you really suck at baking breads like you said, I'm more than certain you would be able to bake these! ;)

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  2. I am absolutely in love with how these toppings adorn the beautiful rolls! A simply luscious morning treat and a perfect brunch, "let's talk about these" rolls! I am a terrible morning person myself, at least until I have had ample
    caffeine :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Alisha! And boy are you right about the caffeine! Coffee is the main requirement to come even close to what others may consider 'functioning'. ;)

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  3. These rolls look amazing, what a great idea for a dinner party too where guests can pick their own choice of topping. Beautiful.

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  4. Hi Tobias! Your rolls are perfect. After kids were born there is no more "sleep in" and there is also no more "weekend" as they wake up at the same time no matter if it's Sat or Sun. I miss the little moment of lying down on bed... nowadays I get sudden attack by my kids jumping on top of me. I not only get shocked but I also injured since they are getting big... Anyway, let's get back to this delicious rolls. Your detail to attention is amazing. This is such a beautiful post. The recipe is short and looks easy, but not sure in reality if I can make these rolls! Very intimidating! ;-)

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    1. Wait, it should be attention to detail (wrong order!). It's actually time for me to sleep. =P

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    2. Lol you little mistake there was adorable, Nami! ;)
      Oh my, sounds like okaa-san needs a little break from time to time. I'm just imagining bruised and tired little Nami hobbling out of bed to make breakfast. :<

      Thank you for your kind words! And the recipe really is as easy as it looks. ;)

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  5. I'm definitely not a morning person either- I'm never truly awake until at least midday :) I know waking up early means that I get a lot more hours during the day, but I can never seem to drag myself out of bed too early...unless I have to! But wow- your alarm only goes off at 7:59?? That's not too early :P I wake up at 5:30 for my 8am lectures *sigh*

    I love breakfast too- it's the only thing that gets me out of bed! haha..Your buns look so pretty and soft (mine always turn out looking pretty ugly!!)! And I love what you've done with the alternating pattern :D

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    1. I'm never truly awake until at least midday

      Lol that sounds so much like me! On really bad days, it feels like it takes until evening until I've somewhat gained 'mental clarity'.

      And 7:59 is just an example. ;) The time I need to get up is never consistent haha. But 5:30 really is HARDCORE! Are you living so far away from uni or does it take so long for you to get ready? :B

      The earliest I really need to get up is 6:30.

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    2. I live a bit less than 2 hours from uni (when using public transport), so I need to leave the house 2 hours earlier to get there on time.....and it takes me about half an hour to get ready :) I don't really attend my 8am lectures anymore! haha... I usualaly get up at 7 now, and get to to uni about 20 minutes late :D

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  6. Your rolls do look amazing! I really do like what you did with the various toppings, there is something here for everyone's tastes. This does look a lot easier than some yeast roll recipes I have seen, so I must try your version here-delicious post!

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  7. oh my these rolls look good. I am dying to just pull one off and some butter and eat it in 3 bites.

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  8. I'm with you - I am SO not a morning person!

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  9. I also love that bit in the morning. And, like you, I really wish I was a morning person, but I'm just not. I'm not a terrible morning person, but I'm more of a night owl. These rolls look incredible! Gorgeous photos!

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  10. Hi Tobias! Oh my.. The rolls are baked to perfection and they are so proportionate in size. Cute and round. Absolutely cute.. Bet it's fluffy and moist, and oh so delish when serve with a small cube of butter. Yummmm!!! xoxo Jo

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  11. Those rolls look so attractive made with the different seed toppings. Bravo!

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  12. Thank you so much for the Leibster. I've posted about my award and given them out to five other blogs. :) http://www.unhipsquirrel.com/2012/03/rosemary-roasted-brussels-sprouts.html

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  13. These rolls look amazing! I love the pull-apart look. I just want to grab a roll and butter it up like crazy!

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  14. Reading your post, I almost felt it was me!!
    I have yet to bake a bread in my life and these rolls with a variation of toppings are tempting me to no end! Can't wait to try these.

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  15. We made similar ones at a bread course recently. Love how perfect yours look :)

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  16. These rolls look gorgeous! Really would be perfect for a spring picnic!

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  17. I adore bread roll, especially a flavorful ones like this!

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  18. These good looking rolls are on my list to make this weekend (we finally can use new oven by Tuesday-I hope). Your photos are splendid!

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  19. oooh! Your bread looks gorgeous! I love how your bread turned out. I wonder what the texture's like! Is it a softer roll? :)

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    1. Hi and thank you! :)

      They are on the softer side, yet not as fluffy as a sweet breadroll maybe. The outside is slightly crispy and the insight has a firm softness to it if that makes sense so you can easily cut them in halves and top or spread them at will.

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