enJOY it

Bread no. 16 : cheese rolls … my own invention!

Adjustments : I spent ages (a.k.a. 10 minutes) looking for a good cheese roll recipe online and nothing seemed right. While they're fabulous, I didn't really want Brazilian cheese rolls. I just wanted wheat bread rolls with a cheese center. So I decided to make it up (scroll down for recipe).

Notes : the plan was to make these to go with our dinner. I got started late so I completely adjusted the rise time. I also spent most of the prep and bake time reminding Paul that these might not work out and our dinner would be carb-less.

Review : but hooray, hooray! They turned out! We loved them. Loved them. And they were quick and relatively easy. They tasted fantastic right out of the oven but were still good day two. (Although they probably would have been better after a minute in the toaster oven.)

As mentioned, this was a made up recipe. I've only used it once with success, so I hope it works for you too! I started with the soft sandwich bread and rolls recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day but I made enough changes that I feel comfortable posting here.

Recipe makes 12 good-sized rolls.

• 1/2 TBSP instant yeast
• a little less than a cup of lukewarm milk (I used skim, but anything works)
• 2 C wheat flour
• 1 C white flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 TBSP white sugar
• 3 TBSP vegetable oil (or melted butter)
• 1 egg
• about a cup of cubed cheese (I used Dubliner and some good provolone)

Whisk yeast into milk and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients, egg and oil/butter into a bowl and then poor in the milk mixture. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon until combined then knead thoroughly with your hands (about 5 minutes). If machine mixing, use the dough hook. Dough should be soft and tacky, but not sticky. If it's too sticky, add a bit of dough. If it's too try add a tablespoon of water. (I kneaded by hand and needed to add a tablespoon of water.)

Form dough into a ball and let it sit in a plastic wrap covered bowl for at least 2 hours (but probably not longer than 6). I keep mind in the oven (while it's off) to rise.

When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 400*.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and "flatten" them into small circles. Tuck about a tablespoon of cubed cheese pieces into the flattened dough and then fold the edges up to form a dough ball with the cheese inside. Place the dough balls into a buttered muffin/cupcake tin.

Be sure to keep the dough you are not currently working with covered with a towel so it doesn't dry out.

Bake for about 14 minutes. Rolls will become light brown and an inserted toothpick will come out clean. If not, bake for a few more minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!