Rolls | Broetchen

helle Broetchen | 18 light rolls | 75g each

One of my favorite things about breakfast in Germany is Broetchen, or rolls.  The ritual of retrieving fresh rolls from the bakery at the crack of dawn.  The decision-making of whether this roll or that roll goes better with a savory complement of salami and cheese or a sweet complement of butter and marlemade.     

The two recipes below are base recipes for wheat-based rolls that can be coated with various toppings for variation in flavor, texture, and eye appeal.  The first recipe is for light wheat rolls, which I enjoy coated with stone-ground rye flour, sesame seeds, or muesli (rolled oats, sesame, flax, and sunflower seeds).  The second recipe is for dark wheat rolls, which I enjoy coated with stone-ground wheat, bran, or poppy-pretzel salt. 

Of course, you can easily convert your favorite loaf recipe to a roll recipe.  A few things to remember.  The hydration of a wheat roll is lower and generally ranges between 58% and 66% in order to prevent lateral spreading, as the shaped dough is no longer supported by a banneton.  The weight of an individual roll generally ranges from 40g to 100g.    

Note the recipes below call for two preferments - a poolish and a levain.  If one were to use only a poolish, the enriching flavor of the sourdough would be missing.  If one were to use only a levain, the crust would be too thick.  By using both preferments, the desired balance of flavor and texture is achieved.

Levain 

mother = 5g  

AP flour = 52g

water = 52g 

Mix well. Cover with perforated lid.  Let mature overnight, 10-12 hours.  

Poolish 

yeast = pinch (instant), or 1g (fresh) 
AP flour = 186g 

water = 186g 

Mix well. Cover with perforated lid.  Let mature overnight, 10-12 hours.

Dough

poolish = 371g

levain = 104g

AP flour = 430g

whole wheat flour = 74g

rolled oats = 74g

water = 319g

salt = 15g

yeast = 2g (instant) or 6g (fresh)

MIX: Soak the oats with water, poolish and levain for 15 minutes in the mixing bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix 5 minutes slow and 5 minutes fast. 

BULK: 2 hours, with one stretch and fold at the mid-way point

DIVIDE/SHAPE:  scale out dough into 75g pieces, shape into rounds, press tops onto soaker tray (sheet pan lined with wet towel), press tops into tray full of desired coating, place roll on lightly sprayed sheet pan.  

PROOF: 2 hours, until indent with finger comes back slowly and half way

BAKE: 460F with steam for 17 minutes, then without steam for an additional 2-3 minutes

dunkle Broetchen | 18 dark rolls | 75g each

Levain 

mother = 6g  

AP flour = 56g

water = 56g 

Mix well. Cover with perforated lid.  Let mature overnight, 10-12 hours.  

Poolish 

yeast = pinch (instant), or 1g (fresh) 
AP flour = 202g 

water = 202g 

Mix well. Cover with perforated lid.  Let mature overnight, 10-12 hours.

Dough

poolish = 404g

levain = 113g

AP flour = 145g

whole wheat flour = 403g

water = 290g

salt = 16g

yeast = 2g (instant) or 6g (fresh)

organic malted barley syrup = 16g

MIX: Place all ingredients into bowl, mix 5 minutes slow and 5 minutes fast

BULK: 2 hours, with one stretch and fold at the mid-way point

DIVIDE/SHAPE:  scale out dough into 75g pieces, shape into rounds, press tops onto soaker tray (sheet pan lined with wet towel), press tops into tray full of desired coating, place roll on lightly sprayed sheet pan.  

PROOF: 2 hours, until indent with finger comes back slowly and half way

BAKE: 460F with steam for 17 minutes, then without steam for an additional 2-3 minutes

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