Recipe

Photo credit: The Not So Creative Cook

There is nothing more satisfying than biting into a freshly baked bread roll and it will be even more delicious if the bread roll is stuffed with gooey cheese. Cheese bread rolls are a great choice for a quick breakfast before work or school and it is also a great accompaniment for your tea or coffee.

These bread rolls are also perfect for young children because the cheese is a great source of calcium so if you have kids and you want to give them a snack, these cheese bread rolls would be a delicious option. The bread rolls are also a great offering at a party because of the small sizes.

Cheese bread rolls are popular in the Philippines, and in Southeast Asia, almost every country has its variation of a cheese bread roll. You can easily get cheese bread rolls from your local bakery, but nothing beats freshly baked bread rolls. They are easy to make and even easier if you have a bread maker or a stand mixer.

Bread making can be intimidating to first-time bakers but all you need to do is to make sure that you have the right ingredients and to not over-knead the dough. If you follow this recipe properly, your cheese bread rolls will come out soft and fluffy.

Ingredients

·         3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (You may need more flour to dust your work surface and the mixer)

·          2 tsp instant yeast or 18g fresh yeast

·         1/3 cup sugar

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed up to 110-120 F

·         1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

·         1 room temperature egg, beaten

·         1 egg yolk with a tbsp milk, for the egg wash

·         16 slices cheddar cheese (Eden cheese is a great choice)

·         Optional: sugar and softened butter to top the cheese bread rolls

Method

1.      Combine the flour, sugar, and yeast into the bowl of the stand mixer or the bread maker. Mix until lightly combined. Stop the mixing, add the salt, and continue to mix until combined.

2.      Add in the beaten egg, melted butter, and warm milk. Lightly mix using a wooden spoon.

3.      If you are using a stand mixer, attach the bowl to your stand mixer and install the dough hook attachment. Turn on the mixer and knead the dough until it is smooth and not sticking to your fingers. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of flour depending on the texture of the dough.

4.      If you are using a bread maker, place the bread maker bowl in the machine and choose either the knead or mix program on your machine. The program will differ depending on your machine so follow the instructions from the manufacturer.

5.      Once the dough is well kneaded, roll it into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl and lightly grease the top of the dough. Cover with cling film or a lint-free kitchen towel and place the dough in a warm place for up to an hour or until doubled in size.

6.      Prepare and set aside a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with flour.

7.      When the dough has doubled in size, punch out the air from the dough to remove the gas.

8.      Transfer the dough to a work surface that is lightly dusted with flour. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion of dough into a ball and flatten it to 1/4 inches thick.

9.      Use a knife or pizza cutter to divide each dough into 8-10 triangles. Stretch out each triangle dough to about 6-7 inches long while keeping the triangle shape.

10.  Place a piece of cheese on the wider part of the triangle and roll it away from you. You will have a roll that is shaped like a croissant. Continue this action with the rest of the dough.

11.  Place the bread roll onto the prepared baking sheets and cover with a lint-free kitchen towel. Let the dough rise again for up to 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 F.

12.  When the dough is ready, carefully brush the tops of the bread rolls with the egg wash mixture. You can also top the rolls with some sugar and butter but if you choose to do this, just bread the rolls without the egg wash.

13.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the top of the rolls are golden brown.

14.  Let the cheese rolls rest for about 5-10 minutes before enjoying. If topping the bread rolls with sugar and or butter, let the rolls cool down for longer than 10 minutes to avoid the butter from melting.