Crispy, airy rolls

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1,000 g wheat flour, type 550
• 200 g spelt flour, type 1050 or wheat flour type 1050
• 42 g fresh yeast or 2 sachets of dry yeast
• 1 tbsp baking malt (can also be omitted)
• 22 g salt
• 700 ml water

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes

makes 24 pieces

It took a long time and numerous attempts before I found the perfect bread roll recipe. Dissolve 1/2 cube of yeast (21 g fresh yeast or 1 sachet of dried yeast) in 200 ml warm water and knead with 300 g wheat flour type 550 for about 5 minutes until you have a soft dough. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Then knead briefly to make room in the bowl. Mix 700 g wheat flour type 550 with 200 g spelt flour type 1050, 22 g salt, and 1 heaped tablespoon of baking malt and add to the pre-dough. Dissolve 1/2 cube of yeast (21 g fresh yeast or 1 sachet of dried yeast) in 200 ml warm water and knead with the remaining ingredients, the pre-dough, and another 300 ml warm water until you have a smooth, not too firm dough. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Knead again vigorously by hand and briefly. I always throw the lump of dough onto the table quite roughly several times. Halve the dough, cover and set one half aside, and divide the rest into 12 portions. Cover and let the portions rest for 5 minutes, then roll them into rolls. Roll them in poppy seeds or other seeds if desired, and let them rise on a baking tray lined with baking paper, covered, for 35-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 250°C (top/bottom heat). Cut a deep slit (at least 2 cm) in the center of the risen rolls with a very sharp knife and moisten them well with a watering can. Place on the middle rack of the oven, ensure there is plenty of steam, and bake for 20-30 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 220°C. Work with the other half of the dough in the same way while the first rolls are rising. Once the first rolls have been taken out of the oven, bring the heat back up to 250°C before adding the second tray. The rolls have a truly perfect crispy crust and a light, elastic, and moist crumb. Of course, you can halve the recipe, but I always make a batch to freeze and bake in the morning. It works really well to bake the rolls in the evening, let them cool, place them in a plastic bag, and then moisten them briefly the next morning until they’re crispy again. They taste like they were freshly baked, and you don’t have to get up hours before breakfast.