It’s my favorite time of year again! Time to start up the grill and make some burgers and hot dogs. Naturally, that means you need to have some homemade soft buns to go with them. No supermarket flavorless crap will do :).
I decided to use a Tangzhong made with milk, along with some cottage cheese and olive oil for added softness. Freshly milled Stardust whole wheat, durum, and spelt were milled using my trusty Mockmill 200 as usual. A small amount of the bran was sifted out of each one for the main dough using a #30 drum sieve, and the flours were re-milled at the finest setting. The Durum for the levain and Tangzhong were not sifted.
I used my Ankarsrum to mix up the dough and baked the rolls on sheet pans straight from the refrigerator after an overnight rest. You can finish the bulk in the refrigerator and shape the rolls the next day if desired.
I was very happy with how these came out. They are excellent with burgers or hot dogs, or simply with some butter or cheese for breakfast.
Formula
Levain Directions
Mix all the levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.
Let it sit at room temperature (I used my proofer set at 75°F) for around 5-7 hours or until the starter has almost doubled. I like to use the starter as soon as it has peaked. You can refrigerate it and use it later or the next day, but it may lose some of its strenght if not used right away.
Tangzhong Directions
Add the milk to the Durum flour in a small saucepan and cook on medium-low until the starches gelatinize and it starts to thicken. It should be like wall paste when done. Remove from the heat and cool until it’s about room temperature. You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Main Dough Procedure
Note: I use an Ankarsrum Mixer, so my mixing order is slightly different from that of a KitchenAid or other mixer. Add all the water to your mixing bowl except for about 1/4 of the water. Add all the flour to the bowl and mix on low for 1 minute, until it forms a shaggy mass. Cover the mixing bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes. Next, add the levain, Tangzhong, cottage cheese, olive oil, and most of the remaining water (as needed), and mix on medium-low speed (about speed 4) for around 15 minutes. Let it rest for another 20-25 minutes. Now add the salt and the remaining water if needed, and mix on speed 4 until you have a nicely developed, smooth dough. Don’t be afraid to mix longer. I have found that upfront gluten development is key if you want a nice open crumb.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, or proofing container, and do several stretch and folds. Make sure the dough is as flat as possible in your bowl/container, and measure the dough in millimeters and take the temperature of the dough. Based on the chart from http://www.thesourdoughjourney.com, determine what % rise you need and make a note. If you have a proofer, decide what temperature you want to set it at and what rise you are aiming for.
Do a set of coil folds after 30 minutes, and a second one 30 minutes later, and then one set of stretch and folds, 30 minutes later. It’s important to build the layers of gases by doing the coil folds.
Once the dough reaches the desired bulk rise, shape into rolls as desired. I made mine around 140-150 grams each. Place them on a baking sheet(s) and cover with a moistened lint-free kitchen towel or spray some plastic wrap with non-stick spray and cover. Refrigerate them overnight.
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450°F an hour beforehand and prepare for steam. When ready to bake, use an egg wash and sprinkle with your toppings of choice. Prepare your oven for steam. Bake the rolls until they are golden brown. Switch the trays midway through for even browning if necessary.
Take the rolls out of the oven when done and let them (it), cool on a baker’s rack for as long as you can resist.
mookielovesbread 
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