Sourdough Sesame Rolls

I’ve been fine tuning this recipe for a few months and finally getting to a good place. It was a lot of trial and error, and ultimately deciding that I should remove all added fats (olive oil or butter) to let the fermentation happen unaltered. I also ratcheted up the autolyse time up to 6 hours which seemed to have a big effect on the airiness of the crumb and softness of the bread.

Mix together 400 g of water and 530 g of bread flour and set to autolyse for up to six hours. Add 20 g of salt and 90 g of active sourdough starter and start working into the dough with your hands or with a rubber spatula until more or less homogenous. Let rest for 45 minutes. You’ll want to fold the dough two more times (with your hands) over the course of the next 1 - 2 hours to develop the gluten. By the end the dough should be very smooth and should not stick to your hands while folding. Cover and rest overnight at room temperature. 

In the morning transfer the dough to a clean working surface dusted with flour. Divide the dough into 4 - 6 equal parts depending on the size and shape of the rolls you’re making. Shape each piece being careful not to degas the dough. Set the balls onto parchment paper and sprinkle each piece with plain sesame seeds or poppy seeds depending on your preference. Cover and let rise for 2 - 3 hours.

Set oven to 450F. Using a bread laim, score each dough ball. Bake for 30 minutes with a heat proof bowl of water in the oven to create ambient moisture. Remove rolls from oven and allow to cool before slicing. 

Wood Fired: Because of the difficulty of keeping consistency in a wood fired oven, I parbaked the rolls in a conventional oven for 20 minutes, and then moved them into the wood fire to finish them off. This reduces the risk of burning but gives the bread a nice rustic flavor and crust.