Sea Salt Butter Rolls

Step 1

To make tangzhong, place 20g high protein flour and 100g water in mixing bowl, cook for 3min/75°C/spd 2 and let stand for 10-15 minutes until temperature lowers down to 40°C.

Step 2

Once temperature hits 40°C, add milk, cream, sugar, honey, egg and yeast, then mix 30 sec/spd 2.

Step 3

Add remaining high protein flour, milk powder, salt and butter then mix 30secs/spd Then proceed to knead 4 min.

Step 4

Transfer dough to a pastry mat, shape into ball and let proof in a warm place covered loosely with clingwrap/damp towel until doubled in size (approx 45-60 mins).

Step 5

Prepare tangzhong by mixing flour in water and whisk together in a pot, ensuring the mixture is well combined with no lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently to prevent burning and sticking while you cook.

Step 6

The mixture will gradually become thicker. Once you notice that some “lines” appear in the mixture for when you stir with the spoon, it’s done. Your tangzhong is ready.

Step 7

Transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap sticking onto the surface of tangzhong to prevent it from drying up. Let cool.

Step 8

After tangzhong has cooled down, approx 15-20 mins later, add all ingredients into breadmaker; first the wet ingredients (tangzhong, milk, cream, egg, honey), then the dry ingredients (in order of sugar, salt, milk powder, flour, yeast).

Step 9

Select "dough" mode and let knead until all ingredients come together, usually I let it knead for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 10

Then add in the butter, continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. My breadmaker's dough kneading cycle is 23 minutes.

Step 11

Transfer dough to a pastry mat, shape into ball and let proof in a warm place covered loosely with clingwrap/damp towel until doubled in size (approx 45-60 mins).

Step 12

Punch down dough to deflate. Divide dough into 9 equal portions and pre-shape into round balls (detailed video tutorial on how to shape dough into round balls here from 5:16 onwards). Let rest for 15 minutes.

Step 13

Roll out each round ball into a flat, oval shape. Aiming to form a triangle, fold ⅓ from right edge to the middle, creating a slightly bigger portion on the bottom end closer to you, then repeat with similar steps with ⅓ from left edge.

Step 14

Turn it over on the other side, and further elongate dough but rolling with your palms. Then use a rolling pin, to flatten and roll out dough into a big teardrop shape that is even on both sides.

Step 15

Starting from the fatter end of the teardrop, roll the dough towards the skinny end. Pinch the end to ensure it is secured. Watch above video for visual guidance.

Step 16

Place the shaped rolls seam side down, diagonally onto the baking pan lined with parchment paper. All rolls should face the same direction.

Step 17

Proof for 40 minutes, until doubled in size. Dough should be poofy and touching each other. Towards the last 15 minutes, preheat your oven to 180℃. (TIP: Setting your timer to go off after 25 minutes to preheat oven, then a further 15 minutes works best for me!)

Step 18

After dough has doubled in size, brush egg wash on surface, sprinkle some sea salt flakes and bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Step 19

Remove from oven, and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pan and transfer onto a wire rack to let cool. Brush with some melted butter for a shiny finish - this is optional but recommended.