Claire’s Sour Cream & Chive Rolls
This week, I made some bread for a Lasagna Love event. For me, it’s a great way to cook for fun and give the food out to people who truly could use it. Is it the most impactful way to make a difference in the world? Probably not. But since I’m already making too much food constantly anyway, I’m happy to have found an outlet that means something. Not that I don’t enjoy feeding doctors and nurses on a regular basis.
Since I signed up in excitement to make 2 breads and dessert, I split up the work and will freeze these until next week. With the ~pantry challenge~ in full swing, I made two substitutions: ricotta for sour cream, and onion flakes (received by mistake from a Costco delivery) for the chives. Big enough to change the identity of the end result, I think, but it still yielded a plush rol with a nice oniony aroma that isn’t overly rich.
Haven’t decided on a dessert yet. I don’t want to just make chocolate chip cookies but also don’t want to go too froufrou. Maybe gooey butter cake? It’s not too common around here but always a crowd pleaser.
Claire’s Sour Cream & Chive Rolls (except not really?)
In this recipe, Claire -like other Western chefs have done increasingly in recent years - is utilizing the milk roux/tangzhong technique borrowed from fluffy Asian breads. Pre-cooking a small amount of the flour with the liquid gelatinizes the starch. This means that flour can hold onto a lot more moisture than the dough could if the two were mixed together directly. You are supersaturating the dough essentially.
To make milk roux/tangzhong/yukone, add in a pot:
113g water
113g whole milk
43g bread flour
Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens into a gluey paste that no longer looks wet. It might resemble mashed potatoes to some people, according to the recipe.
Transfer to a shallow plate/bowl, and allow mixture to cool before using.
I chilled this in an ice bath while I scaled everything else.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add:
2 Tbsp tepid milk (if it feels hot to you, it’ll be deadly for your yeast)
1.25 tsp instant yeast (1.5 tsp if active dry)
1 cup sour cream (I used ricotta after straining out most of my liquid)
2 eggs
12g salt
650g bread flour
4 Tbsp (half stick) of softened butter
milk roux, from above
1 cup onion flakes (if using chives, add later/see below)
Knead on low for 8-10 mins, or until the dough is “smooth and supple.”
Proof in a warm place until it doubles - about 1 hr.
My perfect proofing box is the over-stove microwave with both the microwave and stove lights on. (Close microwave door just before it clicks shut to leave light on)
If using chives, add chives: (I skipped this step obv)
Roll out the dough into a 12-inch square, and sprinkle 1 cup of chopped chives in an even layer.
Fold the square up several times, enclosing the chives in a loose log.
Using your hands, pinch down the sides and flatten the roll up into a fat rectangle.
Portion the dough:
Weigh the dough and divide into 24 pieces.
OR roll the dough into a 6” x 16” rectangle, and cut into 24 squares (8 by 3 grid).
Form the rolls by rolling/shaping them into a tight round ball.
This is an extremely high-yield technique to master! You’re creating even tension on the surface so your bread proofs and expands evenly. It’s good practice, even for the bulk proof.
Place into a generously buttered 9x13-inch dish. (4 by 6 grid) - so many numbers!
Proof again until they are nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. (Preheat your oven!)
The poke test: gently poke to see if they feel light and airy. They shouldn’t feel like they’re bouncing back. And the indentation you left will slowly fill back up, almost completely.
Brush with egg wash (1 beaten egg, pinch salt, some water), and hit it with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Bake at 375F until tops are deeply golden brown.
25 to 30 mins with one rotation around halfway through.
Optional: bush with butter immediately out of the oven.
Cool on a wire rack! Or else the bottoms will go soggy.
NOTES:
The ricotta was… fine? It didn’t really lend a lot of character to the final product. I think sour cream would have provided a nice tang, whereas ricotta was just more milkiness - but there’s nothing wrong with that!
For the dough, keep in mind the average overall temperature after adding all the ingredients. It’s not good to start at too cold a temperature. Your roux shouldn’t be too hot, but if it’s a little warm, your butter and eggs can be a little cold. Friction from the kneading process will also warm up the dough too.
I don’t “proof” my yeast, even when using active dry. You’re supposed to? But it’s never made a difference for me as long as I knew the yeast isn’t dead. I keep mine in the freezer and use it regularly, so I sort of just trust that it’s alive. If you’re unsure, you can do a little test with warm water, some sugar, and some yeast to see if it foams after a few minutes. Without sugar, it won’t look foamy but should still smell yeasty after it sits.
You don’t have to make exactly 24 rolls! Adjust bigger/smaller to your liking. It’ll even do as a loaf. Look up some videos on how they shape Hokkaido milk loafs (it’s usually several smaller rectangular pieces rolled into tight logs, then proofed into one mass in a loaf pan).
Overall, a pretty easy effort and a solid riff on Hokkaido milk bread. And a forgiving recipe for swapping out dairy products, and flexibility is always a plus. Recommended for beginners!
Next up: the failed banh mi recipe into mini “french” rolls. They might not be perfect banh mi, but they’ll make nice dinner rolls!