Originally from Paul Hollywood’s
Bread.
Makes 7 rolls.
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
7g salt
10g fast-action dried yeast
60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
320ml cool water
130g dry-cure back bacon rashers, rind removed
150g Stilton, at room temperature, crumbled
1. Put the flour in a large bowl and add the salt to one side of the
bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter in small pieces and mix
with your fingers. Add 240ml of the water and mix it into the other
ingredients using the fingers of one hand and a clawing action. Now add
the remaining water a little at a time until you have a soft, sticky
dough and you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You
may not need to add all of the water; it will depend on the absorbency
of the flour you’re using.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for
5-10 minutes (or longer if you’re a beginner). It will become less
sticky as you knead and eventually turn into a small ball with an
elastic texture.
3. When the dough is smooth and stretchy, put it into a large bowl.
Cover with cling film or a tea towel and leave to rise until doubled or
tripled in size – at least 1 1/2 hours, but it can take up to 2 or even 3
hours.
4. In the meantime, heat your grill to medium-high and grill the
bacon rashers for a minute or two on each side until cooked. Set aside
to cool, then cut into small pieces (you need 90g).
5. Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock
back by folding it in on itself repeatedly until it is smooth and all
the air has been pushed out. Use your hands to mix the crumbled Stilton
and bacon into the dough, really crushing them in so they are evenly
distributed.
6. Roll the dough into a long sausage and divide it into 16 equal
pieces. The easiest way to do this is to cut the roll in half, then cut
each piece in two, then repeat twice more. You can weigh the dough to be
sure the pieces are the same size, and they’ll cook evenly.
7. Now roll each piece of dough into a ball between the palms of your
hands. Alternatively, you can shape each one into a ball by rolling it
around on the work surface using the cupped palm of one hand (or use
both hands to roll two balls at a time).
8. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment or silicone paper,
unless you have good non-stick trays. Place a roll in the centre of each
tray and arrange 7 rolls around it, so they are almost touching. The
rolls will come together as they rise to form a tear-and-share loaf.
9. Put each tray of rolls inside a large plastic bag, making sure
there is plenty of space above the rolls so they won’t touch the plastic
and stick to it as they rise.
10. Leave the rolls to prove, or rise again, until they have doubled
in size and come together. This will take about 1-1 1/2 hours. The dough
is ready for the oven if it springs back when you push a finger into
it. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220C.
11. Spray the rolls with water, using a spray bottle, and then dust
with flour. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or
until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the
bottom. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
