We love a good rye bread with soft, chewy interior and crisp, crunchy crust. If you do also, this breads for you.
It’s simple to make, it’s the first overnight rise that takes time. Combining the ingredients takes 15-20 minutes, then rise for 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight and the next day let it rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then bake for ~30 minutes.
Light Rye Bread – KAB
INGREDIENTS
• 340g (1 ½ c) lukewarm water • 280g (2 ⅓ c) bread flour • 163g (1 ½ c) light rye flour • 28g ( ¼ c) nonfat dry milk • 1 ½ tsp table salt • 1 ½ tsp instant yeast • 1 ½ tsp Deli Rye Flavor, optional • 25g (2 Tbl) vegetable oil • 1Tbl caraway seeds
METHOD
Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Combine the flours with the remaining ingredients with the warm water. Mix until there are no dry spots and all of the flour is moistened. The texture of the dough will be soft and sticky due to the pumpernickel flour.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then refrigerate overnight, or for up to 48 hours.
Grease your hands, and scoop the dough out onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Shape it into a ball or boule and place it, smooth side down, in a floured brotform. Let the dough rise, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.
About 45 minutes before the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F with an appropriate Dutch oven.
When the loaf is fully risen, remove the hot Dutch oven bottom from the oven, carefully grease it, and tip the risen ball of dough into it. Make several slashes in the dough. Cover with the lid, and place it on a middle rack in the oven.
Bake the bread for 25 minutes. Check the interior temperature with a digital thermometer. When fully baked it should register at least 195°F. If not, remove the lid and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the loaf should be lightly browned.
Remove the bread from the oven and turn it out of the crock onto a rack. Cool for several hours before slicing.
Every time I make this no-knead artisan bread I confirm it is the best loaf I ever made, and this mornings bake is no exception. There are only 4 ingredients and they come together, including weighing, in 10 minutes, then an hour ferment, followed by a stretch and fold and shape for 10 minutes and baked for 20 minutes. (10 minutes with Dutch Oven cover on and ~10 more minutes uncovered to brown and create a great crust) until internal temperature is 190-200F.
There is nothing exciting about a simple chicken salad sandwich, unless the bread was fresh from the oven and the lettuce was picked in the backyard minutes before eating, then it is exciting and special.
The bread is my standard artisan boule. I planted the lettuce in early September and it’s ready for harvest. Gotta love it.
It’s been a while. I was on whatever retired people call an extended trip, when “vacation” seems wrong somehow. To me, vacation is an excused absence from work, even if you are self employed.
Anyway, it’s a new month and Sally has a new challenge. This month it is the above mentioned bread with savory fillings. This is my first attempt at a savory bread, but am a huge pizza fan.
I will admit I was skeptical about this bake. I thought “PIzza Bread” was a bit of a stretch, but, WOW, was I wrong. It is delicious and the texture is perfect AND it tastes like pizza. This is both and winner and keeper.
Vacation Photo (not part or the contest)Pizza BreadSliced Pizza Bread
Crusty No-Knead Pizza Bread with Hot Honey Butter – Sally
INGREDIENTS • 40g (3⅓ c) bread flour, plus more as needed for shaping and pan • 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast • 2 tsp Kosher salt • 1 tsp granulated sugar • 2 tsp dried oregano • 1 tsp dried basil • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional • 135g (~1 heaping c) 43g chopped pepperoni+ 34g sun-dried tomatoes, and 52g + 52g olives + 2 Tbl grated jalapeños • 113 (1 c) shredded mozzarella cheese • 360g (1 ½ ) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C) Optional Hot Honey Butter • 113G ( ½ c; 8 Tbl) unsalted RT butter • 63g (3 Tbl) honey • 1 Tbl confectioners’ sugar • ⅛–¼ tsp flaky sea salt or coarse salt • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
METHOD
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (if using). Using a silicone spatula, mix in the chopped add-ins (pepperoni, sun-dried tomatoes, olives) and mozzarella cheese. Pour in the water and gently mix together using a Dutch whisk. Shape into a ball.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature. Allow to rise for 3 hours. The dough will just about double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles. Place the risen dough, still covered, in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. The dough will puff up during this time, but may begin to deflate after 2 days. That’s normal.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using generously floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe for high heat. Place the ball of dough with parchment paper, seam side down, inside a medium-size banneton so the dough doesn’t spread out as it rests. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
During this rest, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy-duty pot in the oven for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside.
After 30 minutes, using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears), score the dough with an X, about 1/2 inch deep. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the scored dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and placing it all—the parchment paper included—inside the pot. Cover with the lid.
Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for around 10–15 minutes more until the bread is golden brown. The bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Because of the heavy add-ins and cheese, this bread is flatter than most boules. But this just means a higher crust to interior ratio! Slice and serve with homemade hot honey butter, if desired.
Make the hot honey butter: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, starting with only 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a small pinch of red pepper flakes. Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. Taste. Add more salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Tightly cover leftover hot honey butter and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 months.
Bilbo and Frodo lived in the Shire, in the village of Hobbiton, in their home called Bag End. For those who don’t know their last name was Baggins and Bag End was a play on their name. While I love both the books and movies, I actually prefer Bag Uette. No one lives there, but everyone loves them anyway.
These are classic French Baguettes made with AP flour for the soft interior and baked hot for the crisp crust. They require at lease 12 hours of fermentation so it’s best to start it the night before you plan to devour them.
Baguettes Classic French
INGREDIENTS
• 500 g all purpose flour • 360 g water • 10 g salt • 3 g instant yeast about 1 tsp • 25 g honey about 1 Tbsp
METHOD
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Over a period of 1½ hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, flipping the dough upside down after each set.
Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight for about 12-14 hours.
Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles each ~10 inches long. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500F, with a baking stone positioned in the upper half the oven and a bread pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold into a cylinder, sealing the seams as you roll. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them from the center towards the ends to desired length, about 14-15 inches.
Place on a lightly floured couche, seam side up. Cover and proof at a room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has sufficiently proofed. Press dough with a finger. If it springs back slowly it is sufficiently proofed.
Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper, seam side down and dust off excess flour. Using a bread lame, a sharp knife or a razor blade, make 5 diagonal scores on each baguette. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts.
Open the oven, taking caution not to get burned by steam, and slide the baguettes and parchment paper off onto the baking stone. Close the oven and reduce temperature to 475F. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the water pan, rotate the baguettes, drop the temperature to 450F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
This is my basic Artisan Bread recipe from PreppyKitchen with modifications to make it Italian Bread. This bread substitutes AP flour for the bread flour, reducing the protein and gluten resulting in a softer, finer, more delicate crumb. Rather than using a dutch oven, it is baked on a stone with boiling water added to a pan in the oven to provide steam.
The final product is a soft, flavorful crumb with a nice crackling crust.
Artisan Bread
INGREDIENTS • 450g (3¾ c) bread flour divided (For Italian Bread use AP flour)) • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast • 10g (1¾ tsp) kosher salt • 360g (1½ c) warm water between 120°F and 130°F (360 grams)
As an alternate add 2 tsp sugar, mix the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let set 10 minutes. Thoroughly mix in the flour and salt, cover with a towel and let sit for ~1 hour until doubled in size. Bowl fold as in step #4 below. Shape the dough, place into a greased loaf pan, slash the top, and let rise an additional 30 min. Bake 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the top is a golden brown or internal temperature is 190°F. METHOD
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, yeast, and salt, stirring with a dutch dough whisk to combine. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain. a. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours. b. Alternatively, for an overnight rise: After mixing the dough, cover and refrigerate until doubled in size. This will take about 8 hours but will keep in the fridge up to 24 hours total.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
If refrigerated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Using wet hands, reach down one side of the dough to the bottom of the bowl, pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over the center toward the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams together at the center of the dough ball.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, placing it seam side down. Shape into a boule or batard, depending on the intended use. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper lined banneton and sprinkle it with flour. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and form each into a small batard, place in a parchment paper line French bread form) Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven while it preheats.
Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough. Very carefully place the dough with the parchment paper directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
Bake for 15 minutes. (If making 2 smaller loaves shaped in french bread forms, slide the loaves from the bread form directly only the baking stone and bake for ~20-25 minutes, on an oven rack positioned in the upper third of the oven then check internal temperature.) Remove the lid and bake until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature is about 195°F (~11 to 12 minutes more.) Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper to help, and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing
I saw this recipe on YouTube while listening to my favorite podcaster Sean Carroll, Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins, and theoretical physicist and cosmologist, which has nothing to do with this post!
This bread is lower hydration than I usually bake, but the video looked so good I couldn’t resist. The percent bread hydration determines the gluten development, higher hydration equals more gluten development which yields more open and airy crumb structure in the final product. My pain de cristal is 100% hydration (equal parts water and flour,) while my standard artisan bread is 80% (360g water divided by 450g flour) and this bread is 69%.
This recipe called for a large, lidded baking pan, which I don’t own. (I know thats hard to believe there is some baking equipment I don’t have.) I do have two 16” round cake pans and used one for the bottom and one for the top. I attached binder clips around the perimeter of the upper pan and used the clips to center and hold it in place on the lower. (I am quite proud of my Yankee ingenuity.)
These rolls, while delicious with a wonderful crunchy crust were a bit small for a hearty sandwich. I will probably scale the recipe up by 50% rather than only make 3 per bake. They are too good to only have 6 small rolls.
Quick Artisan Rolls
INGREDIENTS • 220g (1c) water • 2g (½ tsp) instant dry yeast • 320g (2 ½ c) bread flour • 6g ( 1 tsp) salt
METHOD
Mix water and yeast, let rest 5 min.
Add flour and salt and mix until there’s no more dry flour
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
With a wet hand do 4 bowl folds then lift and slap the dough back into the bowl 6 times
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
Repeat the bowl folds and lift and slaps
Repeat the bowl folds but perform a gentler lift and slap. The dough is now much more elastic and smooth.
Let the dough rise about 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
Dust work surface and surface of the dough, (especially the perimeter) with flour
Gently transfer the dough onto the floured work surface and fold it into a log then divide in 6 equal parts
Brush off any excess flour, gently flatten and fold it tightly into a ball
Pinch to seal then roll against work surface with cupped fingers to tighten the surface of the dough
Let the balls rest for 10 minutes uncovered
Roll the dough into a longer shape with your palm
Place it on the baking pan
Lightly sprinkle flour over the bread
Smooth the flour with your hand
Score the bread with a sharp blade or knife
Sprinkle a little water around the bread to make steam
Cover with another tray of the same size
Bake at 430°F (220°C) for 20 minutes
Remove the top tray
Bake for 10 more minutes until the tops are a nice light brown and the internal temp is 195 F.
Well, it’s the first of the month and Sally, of Sally’s Baking Addiction, posted her challenge for June. Below is her recipe slightly modified to suit my recipe format (i.e. weights are first and volume second and abbreviations as I like. I figure the recipe is for me to use, so why not?)
Sally’s pictures were much better than mine, but then, I bet she has made this before. Nice separate lemon and blueberry flavors.
Dough • 160g ( 2/3 c) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C) • 7g (2 ¼ tsp) yeast • 75g (6 Tbl) granulated sugar, divided • 71g (5 Tbl) RT unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp-size • 1 tsp lemon zest • 1 large RT egg • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 358g (2 ¾ c) bread flour or AP flour, plus more as needed Blueberry Filling • 170-180g ( ¼ c) fresh blueberries (do NOT use frozen) • 75g 6 Tbl) granulated sugar • 1 tsp lemon juice • Crumble Topping • 24g (3 Tbl) bread flour or all-purpose flour • 38g (3 Tbl) packed light or dark brown sugar • 28g (2 Tbl) unsalted butter, cold and cubed Brush on Assembled Loaf • 1 egg white, beaten Lemon Icing (Optional) • 120g (1 c) confectioners’ sugar • 1 ½ Tbl fresh lemon juice • 1 Tbl whole milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
METHOD
Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes, until foamy and frothy on top. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix the dough by hand using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.
Add the remaining sugar, butter, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup (130g) of bread flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together. As the mixer runs, add another 2–4 Tablespoons of flour (up to 2 and 3/4 cups total) depending on how wet the dough looks. This should be a very soft and almost creamy-feeling dough. Do not add more flour than you need.
Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 6–8 full minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
1st rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl tightly and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment until nearly double in size, about 3–4 hours.
While the dough is rising, make the blueberry filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice together in a small saucepan with tall sides over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, pressing the blueberries against the sides of the pan (stand back in case they splatter!). Once the blueberries are mostly smashed and the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and allow to come to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. (If you have a candy or instant-read thermometer, the mixture should reach about 215–220°F.) You should have about 1/2 cup (around 160g). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. The filling will thicken as it cools. You can transfer it to a shallow heat-safe dish and place it in the refrigerator to cool down quicker. Set aside.
Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter.
When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to a 9×15-inch rectangle. Note: Should it run over the sides of the dough, the blueberry filling can stain a work surface. If needed, transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Gently spread the blueberry filling mixture on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Using floured hands, tightly roll up the dough to form a 15-inch-long log. Place the log on its seam. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Place in the prepared loaf pan.
Loosely cover shaped babka. Allow to rise until it’s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, at least 1–1.5 hours.
Make the crumble topping: Mix the brown sugar and flour together in a small bowl. Add the cold butter and, using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. (Cold crumbles are best!)
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Brush the surface of the babka with egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10–12 holes all over the top of the loaf; this helps prevent an air bubble gap in the interior layers. Sprinkle with crumble topping.
Bake: Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. The surface of the bread browns quickly, so I recommend loosely tenting the pan with aluminum foil around the 30-minute mark. To ensure the bread is done at 50 minutes, give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before icing, or slicing and serving. A serrated knife is best for slicing.
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Drizzle over the babka.
Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Notes
Freezing Instructions: Baked babka (without icing) freezes wonderfully. Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped loaf overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then unwrap and warm to your liking. You can also freeze the dough. After punching down the dough in step 7, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then punch the dough down again to release any air bubbles. Continue with the rest of step 7.
Make-Ahead Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3. Place into a greased bowl (use nonstick spray to grease). Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to come to room temperature, then let it rise until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Continue with step 6. You can prepare the blueberry filling and crumble topping ahead of time as well. Let the filling cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Refrigerate or freeze the topping for up to 1 week.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush
Yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star is an instant yeast. Any instant yeast works. You can use a 1:1 substitution of active dry yeast instead with no changes to the recipe. Rise times will be slightly longer if using active dry yeast. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs. Find it online:
I never heard of Dutch Crunch Bread before our son, Dan asked me about it. Frances, our D.I.L., brought him a sandwich from San Francisco, made with this bread, one of his favorites.
I checked the internet (of course) and was pleased to see King Arthur Baking had both a recipe and video. I made it the same morning and was overjoyed at the result. A great crunch from the topping and a soft chewy crumb from the basic dough.
I made a nice roast beef sandwich for that day’s lunch and froze 3 rolls to make toast a couple or days later. Let the rolls warm to room temperature, then slice lengthwise I toasted it for breakfast.
Definitely a keeper!
Rolls with ToppingFinished RollsRolls ready for sandwich or toast
Dutch Crunch Bread
INGREDIENTS Dough • 503g (4 c plus 3 Tbl) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour • 331g (1 1/3 c plus 2 Tbl ) water* • 15g(1 Tbl plus ½ tsp) granulated sugar • 2 Tbl (28g) butter or 2 Tbl (25g) vegetable oil • 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast • 12g (2 tsp) table salt *For cooler months (air and flour temperature around 65°F), use 85°F to 95°F water. In warmer months (air and flour temperature around 75°F), use 65°F to 75°F water.
Baking • yellow cornmeal or King Arthur Semolina Flour, for dusting
Topping • 113g (1/2 c) water, lukewarm • 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast • 12g (1 Tbl) granulated sugar • 1 Tbl (12g) vegetable oil • 6g (1 tsp) table salt • 107g (3/4 c) white rice flour
METHOD
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, mix all the dough ingredients together until thoroughly combined and homogeneous. Knead briefly with a wet hand in the bowl, 1 minute or so.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then perform a bowl fold: Use a wet hand to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Give the bowl a quarter-turn (90°) and repeat 3 to 6 times, until you’ve circled the dough and it’s become resistant to stretching. (The dough will be rough at this stage.) Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl. The dough temperature should be between 74°F and 78°F. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Knead the dough in the container or on a work surface to form a cohesive, smooth mass, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl and allow it to rise at room temperature until it feels marshmallow-y and light, 45 to 90 minutes.
While the dough is still in the bowl, lightly sprinkle it with flour. Use a bowl scraper to release the sides of the dough so that it can come out of the bowl without pulling or tearing. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top, then divide it into 8 pieces (about 113g each). For larger hoagies, divide the dough into 4 pieces (about 226g each).
To preshape the dough: Use lightly floured hands to pat each piece of dough into a rough square. Fold the left and right sides in to meet in the middle, then press to gently seal. Starting at the top, fold the rectangle towards yourself in 3 motions, pressing gently after each fold, to create a 5″ cylinder with the seam-side down. The entire time you work, apply flour as needed to make sure the dough is moving easily on the work surface. Cover and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Let the preshaped dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal or semolina.
To shape the rolls: Starting with the first piece of dough you preshaped, flip it over so the seam is up. Pat it into a rectangle with the long side facing you. Fold the top long edge into the middle, then fold the bottom edge into the center to meet it. Fold the top of the dough down to the bottom edge and press to seal with the heel of your hand. Roll the log against the surface to make an even tube about 7 1/2″ to 8″ long. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the shaped rolls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly.
Loosely cover the baking sheets and set aside to rise for 30 minutes. While the rolls rise, make the crunch topping.
To prepare the crunch topping: In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients until homogenous. Set aside until the dough completes the 30-minute rise; no need to cover it. Before use, stir to deflate and check the consistency: It should be thick but not tight, somewhere between pudding and ketchup. Adjust with additional water or rice flour as necessary.
To apply the crunch topping: Portion 1 tablespoon of the crunch topping onto the center of the rolls. (If making the large hoagie-sized rolls, use 2 tablespoons of crunch topping per roll.) Use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently distribute the crunch topping evenly over the surface and down the sides, stopping just shy of where the roll meets the pan.
After applying the topping, allow the rolls to rise for an additional 45 to 75 minutes, until jiggly and wobbly. (No need to cover.)
Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
Put the rolls in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 425°F.
Bake the rolls for 18 to 24 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until the tops are deeply colored and mottled in appearance and the sides are golden. Cool briefly and enjoy.
Storage information: Dutch crunch rolls are best eaten fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days and reheat or toast before using; freeze for longer storage
aBatteredOldSuitcase 