Braided Milk Rolls

Cooking piece:

1. The so-called cooking piece ensures a moist crumb and better elasticity of the later baked goods. It is particularly suitable for “soft” milk rolls or breads. For this, water, milk and flour are mixed in a COLD saucepan and then heated at medium temperature while stirring constantly. Then continue until the mass gets a pudding-like consistency. The starch of the flour binds, that is, some of it “gelatinizes”. The cooking piece must then cool down to approx. 25 ° and can then be processed further immediately.

Dough:

1. Mix all ingredients – except for the softened butter – in a bowl. Add the piece of cooking and knead everything into a smooth dough with the dough hook of the hand mixer or the food processor. Then add the softened butter and continue kneading until you have a smooth, shiny dough that turns smoothly away from the bowl wall when you knead. This can take about 5 minutes. Then transfer the dough into a new, well-oiled bowl, seal it tightly and place it in the illuminated oven for at least 90 minutes. The dough volume must more than double.
2. After the rest time has elapsed, put the extremely soft dough out of the bowl on a lightly floured work surface and gently roll it again with the flat hands that have also been floured. Fold it up several times. Then cut out 30 portions of approx. 35-39 g each from the dough.
3. 3 servings are always required for a roll. Now shape each into a roll with a length of 22 cm. Cut each roll in the middle, so you get 6 pieces of equal length for braiding, but they are slightly elongated. So handle them carefully so that they don’t get too long and thin. They should keep their length if possible. To braid, first place 2 sticks of dough vertically next to each other. Then put another one – starting from the left side and at the top of the two verticals – across the vertical. Now lift the right one from the vertical, place the upper, transverse one underneath and put the raised, vertical one down again. Then lay a second underneath the first one across. Now, however, the left vertical dough must first be lifted and the 2nd horizontal strand of dough underneath it. Then you lift it up and place it over the 2nd right vertical strand. So you have the starting cross and can weave in the remaining 2 strands. There have to be 3 vertical and 3 crosswise (see photos) with as little space as possible. It sounds worse than it is. But the dough is super easy to braid and makes it easier to lift and put down.
4. When the small lattice is ready, use a spatula to gently push the outer ends under the braid towards the center to form a bun. Place the blanks at a greater distance on a tray lined with baking paper or foil, cover with a cloth and put them into the oven, which is only lit, for another 40 minutes.
5. Then preheat the oven to 175 ° convection. Whisk the egg with the water, brush the blanks with it and slide it into the oven on the 2nd rail from the bottom. The baking time is 20-25 minutes. They should have a beautiful, golden brown color and are then a little eye-catcher on the breakfast table.

A little hint:

1. With the “crooked amount” of 1.5 eggs I have often opted for a whole egg and an additional yolk. However, experience has taught me that the protein is important even if you need half an egg. So I beat 1 egg in a cup, determine the weight, whisk it vigorously and then take half of it.