Soft White Rolls
Soft White Rolls
I’ve been forever searching for the perfect soft white roll (or bap as we like to say in the UK!) and I’ve finally got it!
We use two different techniques to increase the softness of the dough – a tangzhong which is a very popular technique, but also scalding the flour, which is one you don’t see as much. The combination gives you a roll that stays soft for days – perfect for a BBQ or a picnic sandwich. You can also shape it as a hot dog roll too.
If you want to add some seeds, simply wet the dough balls when you’ve rolled them, then roll them in sesame or poppy seeds before you proof them!
Ingredients
Method
Into a medium saucepan, add the flour and milk and whisk on a medium heat until a thick paste forms.
Scoop it out of the pan, and into a bowl to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooled tangzhong, bread flour, salt and yeast. Work the mixture together with your hands, just to break up the tangzhong into the flour.
Into a medium saucepan, add the milk, condensed milk, cream and egg and whisk it together.
Heat the mixture, whisking occasionally, over a low heat until it reaches 46-48C (114-118F) on a digital thermometer. It is really important to not go above this heat, as above 50C and you will kill the yeast when you add it in.
Once at temperature immediately remove it from the heat and pour it directly over the dry ingredients.
Quickly stir it together with a rubber spatula until there are no more bits of dry flour in the bowl. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and rest it for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add in the cold cubed butter and attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Knead on a medium low speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally for about 8-10m. The dough should start pulling away from the side of the bowl when it is ready.
Scoop the dough onto your work surface and shape it into a rough ball. Lift it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with cling film. Proof the dough at room temperature for 1 hour.
In the mean time, lightly grease a L15" x W10.5" x H1" baking tray and line it with a sheet of parchment.
After an hour, scoop the dough out and cut it into 105g pieces. The dough will be quite soft but try to avoid adding any flour if possible as this will make it slightly harder to shape the dough balls.
Using a bench scraper can make it much easier to shape the dough into tight balls.
Once you have formed the balls, it can help to lightly flour your hands to lift them up and place them onto a tray. You will get 12 buns in total. Space them out evenly across the tray.
Cover the tray and then proof the dough balls for about 2 hours, or until they look very puffy and are touching. Pre-heat the oven to 175C/340F non-fan assisted just before they are ready.
Very lightly flour the top of the buns using a sieve (this is just decorative so not much is needed), and then bake them for 25 minutes. They should be golden on top but still slightly pale on the sides.
Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in there for 5 minutes, before lifting onto a wire rack to cool fully.
These can be stored in sandwich bags and will stay fresh or they can be frozen and defrosted at room temperature.
Ingredients
Directions
Into a medium saucepan, add the flour and milk and whisk on a medium heat until a thick paste forms.
Scoop it out of the pan, and into a bowl to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooled tangzhong, bread flour, salt and yeast. Work the mixture together with your hands, just to break up the tangzhong into the flour.
Into a medium saucepan, add the milk, condensed milk, cream and egg and whisk it together.
Heat the mixture, whisking occasionally, over a low heat until it reaches 46-48C (114-118F) on a digital thermometer. It is really important to not go above this heat, as above 50C and you will kill the yeast when you add it in.
Once at temperature immediately remove it from the heat and pour it directly over the dry ingredients.
Quickly stir it together with a rubber spatula until there are no more bits of dry flour in the bowl. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and rest it for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add in the cold cubed butter and attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Knead on a medium low speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally for about 8-10m. The dough should start pulling away from the side of the bowl when it is ready.
Scoop the dough onto your work surface and shape it into a rough ball. Lift it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with cling film. Proof the dough at room temperature for 1 hour.
In the mean time, lightly grease a L15" x W10.5" x H1" baking tray and line it with a sheet of parchment.
After an hour, scoop the dough out and cut it into 105g pieces. The dough will be quite soft but try to avoid adding any flour if possible as this will make it slightly harder to shape the dough balls.
Using a bench scraper can make it much easier to shape the dough into tight balls.
Once you have formed the balls, it can help to lightly flour your hands to lift them up and place them onto a tray. You will get 12 buns in total. Space them out evenly across the tray.
Cover the tray and then proof the dough balls for about 2 hours, or until they look very puffy and are touching. Pre-heat the oven to 175C/340F non-fan assisted just before they are ready.
Very lightly flour the top of the buns using a sieve (this is just decorative so not much is needed), and then bake them for 25 minutes. They should be golden on top but still slightly pale on the sides.
Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in there for 5 minutes, before lifting onto a wire rack to cool fully.
These can be stored in sandwich bags and will stay fresh or they can be frozen and defrosted at room temperature.
Can’t wait to try it. Will let you know how it goes.
Enjoy!!
Do you need the condensed milk ..does it add sweetness ? Or for what purpose
Thanks
You can skip it if you don’t have it
These look unreal! Can’t wait to try. Scalded flour? Is this a technique?
Yup!
I from Mexico. I made the recipe and the bread is delicious.
Great!
Looks great! Can the dough be proofed overnight in the fridge?
yes, just lower the yeast to about 10g fresh/5g instant!
Will rebake this recipe on my day off…
Enjoy!
Made this recepie as cinnamon rolls an they were AMAZING, now I am doing it as a Mexican sweet bread called Concha’s, will let you know how it goes
lovely!!
There is no fresh yeast where I live. Can I is another type of yeast?
Instant yeast is perfect, just use half the amount!
For the Tangzhong it doesn’t mention heating instructions, what are they?
Are we almost making a roux without the butter ?
Thanks!
sorry just a medium heat!
I love using the tangzhong method, and your liquid ingredients are intriguing! If allowing to rise in the refrigerator overnight, I understand you recommend reducing the amount of yeast, but at which point is best to rise in the fridge — before or after dividing/shaping into balls?
After shaping into balls!
Made the soft white rolls yesterday.. they are amazing exactly like yours soft and Squishy.. and still soft the next day .. I used canned coconut milk instead of condensed milk. TZANGong you very much Matt 😆 🤣
Yessss so glad!
These are certainly worth the work! So soft, so good. I baked them apart (not touching each other) and am using them as buns for pulled pork sandwiches. So good. I’m going to shape some hoagie style and try them with an Italian beef–though it might not hold up to being dunked in the au jus! I’ll have to figure out how to toughen them up just a bit–maybe leave out the scald.
So glad!!
Hi, do you think I can make a whole loave with this recipe? Thanks.
I’m afraid I didn’t test that
I made these last night and they came out perfectly! My daughter and I devoured them with fresh butter and were in bread heaven. You’re my favorite chef online I just love everything you do.
So glad Wendy!
Hi Matt, I love this recipe. If we wanted to make it gluten free would we just substitute?
I’m afraid I haven’t tested GF flour
I made this recipe today exactly as written, and it came out perfectly. I served the buns with pulled pork and slaw. They are just as good as Mat promises. I did use an assisted oven and there were no issues.
So glad!