Recipes
Crispy German Bread Rolls

Crispy German Bread Rolls

Name: Crispy German Bread Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 buns
Ingredients: 550 g plain flour; 1 packet dried yeast; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 30 g butter; 320 ml water

Eduard LáskaBakeryGerman Cuisine x se líbilo

These German bread rolls with a glossy crackly crust and an airy crumb are among the very best of morning baking. The secret behind their crackling crust is steam in the oven and a properly risen yeast dough. You can make them at home without a bread machine or any special equipment. They pair just as well with breakfast butter and marmalade as they do with sausages or a proper schnitzel.

Příprava: 30min

Vaření: 25min

CELKOVÝ ČAS: 55min

Step by step process

Preparing the dough

1
For the German bread rolls, first prepare the dough. Pour the flour, dry yeast, salt, and sugar into a large bowl and stir briefly. Add the softened butter. Then gradually pour in lukewarm water, mixing as you go. Keep going until the loose mixture comes together into a smooth, slightly tacky dough.
TIP:
Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined and don't mix for long, or the dough will be stiff. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid and the texture improves.
2
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for about 10 minutes, until it is smooth, supple, and elastic. It should gradually stop sticking to your hands. When you press it with a finger, it should slowly spring back. Then shape it into a tight ball.

Rising and shaping

3
Place the ball in a greased bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm spot, away from drafts, for about 60 minutes. It should double in volume. Once it has risen, gently press the dough down with your fingertips. This releases the excess air trapped inside.
4
Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Round each one into a smooth ball. Arrange them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Flatten each into the typical oval shape and score a shallow cut on top with a sharp knife. Cover them again and let them rise for a second time, about 30 minutes.

Baking with steam

5
Heat the oven to 230 °C and place a heatproof dish on its floor. Slide the tray into the oven. Pour a cup of boiling water onto the hot dish so that steam fills the inside. Bake for the first 10 minutes with this steam. It keeps the surface moist and helps the rolls expand.
6
After ten minutes, carefully remove the dish of water. Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust turns deeply golden, glossy, and crisp. Let the finished rolls cool on a wire rack. This lets the crumb settle and set before you slice into them.