It has been a while since I made bread for the family and over the weekend, I did just that. It took me about 4 hours (including proofing time) from start to end but the result was well-worth. Even when these Cocktail Sausage Roll were consumed the next day, my trusty taste testers commented they were still light and soft (whew!). The rest of the sausage rolls did not last time the third day.
Thanks to the two-step sponge and dough method, I was able to mimic that soft, sweet texture of bread rolls you’ll usually find in Chinese bakery shops.
This two-step bread making process is also call the half-sponge method, which the old bakers use long long time ago. Oh, this recipe is really versatile, you do not need to stop at just filling it with sausages.
I made a spring onion plaited roll for mom as it is one of her favorite fillings.
You could make them into plain dinner rolls, tuna buns, or any other type of fillings you fancy, it is that versatile.
My batch of tuna buns.
Ingredients:
Sponge Dough –
7 g active dry yeast
2 tbsp (30 g) sugar
110 ml warm water (approx. 45°C)
300 g bread flour
65 ml whole milk
Bread Dough –
130 g bread flour
6 tbsp (85 g) sugar
80 g beaten egg (approx. from 1 ½ large egg)
70 g unsalted butter – cut into cubes, softened at room temperature
Filling –
16 – 18 pieces pork sausages / chicken franks
Egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk)
The line up.
Add sugar and yeast to the warm water and stir briefly. Cover the bowl and allow the yeast to proof for 5 – 10 mins or until foamy.
In a large mixing bowl, add in bread flour, milk and yeast mixture.
Using a hook attachment from a stand mixer or handheld mixer, mix the dough until it just comes together as ball and no longer stick to the sides or the bowl.
Shape into a ball, place back into the bowl and cover with cling wrap or foil. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 90 mins for until it doubles in size. I like to leave it in a preheated oven at 45°C.
Note: If your oven does not have this function, simply place the bowl in an oven with a glass of hot water and close the door.
When the dough has doubled in size, add in remaining bread flour, sugar and beaten egg. Leave the butter out for now.
It should look like this.
Add in the ingredients for bread dough.
Turn on the mixer and continue to mix until it just comes together as a ball.
Add in softened butter and continue to mix until dough is no longer sticky and becomes elastic (approx. 10 mins). It should pass the window pane test.
Shape into a ball again and allow the dough to rise again for another 60 mins.
Remove dough from the bowl and transfer onto a clean work counter dusted lightly with some flour.
Punch out the air in the dough and cut into 16 pieces.
Each dough ball should weight about 50 g.
Shape the dough into round balls and use a rolling pin to flatten and roll into a long strip. It should be about 3 times the length of the each sausage.
Roll the strip into a rope and wrap it around the sausage, leaving about ½ inch at both ends of the sausage.
Place the sausage roll on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
Repeat with the rest of the sausages and dough. Try to leave at least 1 inch spacing between each roll.
Cover with a cloth or cling wrap and allow the rolls to rise for another 40 mins.
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
Brush a light layer of egg wash on top of each roll and sprinkle with generous amount of white sesame seeds if desired.
Transfer into the oven and bake for 15 mins or until the top is golden brown.
Allow bread to cool in the tray for 10 mins before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3 Comments
Hi! can i replace the Yeast to instant yeast, the amount still the same?
Hello! Yes, same amount. Just add the instant yeast into the flour during the first stage of mixing.
Yes and yes. These look SO good. I mean, come on, who can resist any kind of pig in a blanket!?