A large, cottage-style loaf is traditional, but here I’ve used the same shape to make daintier, individual rolls. They’re the ideal size for serving with soup or cheese, and freeze really well, too.
Makes 10
23⁄4 cups (500 g) bread flour, plus extra for dusting
7g packet easy-blend (fast-action) dried yeast
11⁄2 tsp salt
3 tbsp (45 g) butter (room temperature), cut into small pieces
sunflower oil, for greasing
1 egg, beaten
about 1 tsp poppy seeds, for sprinkling
1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in about 11⁄4 cups (300 ml) hand-warm water in a steady stream, while mixing together with a butter knife. Gather the dough together, adding a few more drops of water, if needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Put it in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 11⁄2 hours or until doubled in size. Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Cut the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces. For each piece of dough, cut off one-third with a sharp knife, then shape both the smaller and larger portions into balls. Put the larger balls on the baking sheets and sit the smaller balls on top. Flour the handle of a wooden spoon and push it through the center of each stacked roll. (See Make neat rounds, steps 1 and 2.) Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, for 40–45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). Brush the rolls with the egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds (see Make neat rounds, step 3). Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 425ºF (220ºC). Bake for another 10 minutes or until the rolls are golden and firm and sound hollow when tapped on the underside. Cool on a wire rack.
LITTLE COTTAGE ROLLS
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Make neat rounds
1 Sit the large balls well apart on the baking sheets, so they can rise without touching, otherwise they will lose their shape. Place the smaller balls on top of the larger ones.
2 To secure the top ball to the bottom one, and prevent it from toppling over in the oven, push a floured wooden spoon handle right through the center of both balls.
3 When the rolls have doubled in size, for a glistening glaze brush them all over with beaten egg using a pastry brush, then add a light sprinkling of poppy seeds.