Scottish Morning Rolls
Here's how to make a batch of traditional Scottish morning rolls that are incredibly soft, with a deep, slightly chewy crust. They're perfect for breakfasts!
Servings: 6 Rolls
Equipment
- Digital Food Probe
- Stand Mixer
- Dough Scraper
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 350 g Strong White Bread Flour (See Notes)
- 7 g Fine Sea Salt
- 10 g Caster Sugar
- 5 g Dried Active Yeast (See Notes)
- 230 g Water (@38°c/100°f)
- 30 g Lard (At Room Temperature)
- Fine Semolina (To Sprinkle On Top)
Instructions
Dough
- Add the flour, salt & sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk to combine then set aside.
- Next, add the water & yeast into a jug, whisk to combine then leave for 5-10 minutes, to go frothy.
- Give the activated yeast another whisk then pour into the flour. Mix on a medium speed, using the dough hook attachment until the dough is smooth & starting to come away from the sides of the bowl. This will take 3-4 minutes.
- With the mixer still going, add in the lard a small amount at a time, incorporating each piece fully before adding more. Once all the lard has been incorporated, keep mixing until the dough passes the window pane test. This will take another 5-10 minutes of kneading.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a tea towel & leave to double in size at room temperature. This will take 1-1½ hours.
Shaping
- Line a large baking tray with baking parchment then dust with semolina. Set this aside for now.
- Once risen, knock the dough back then transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, each weighing around 100 grams.
- Take a piece of dough & bring the edges into the middle. Flip the dough over & use cupped hands to shape into a tight ball. Dragging the seam on the work surface helps increase surface tension.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the ball of dough out into a disc that is roughly 3 cm wide & 2cm thick. Place the dough onto the lined baking tray then repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough.Make sure to leave a couple of centimetres space between each roll. Arrange the rolls so that they're in 3 rows of 2.
- Once shaped, lightly sprinkle the rolls with semolina then cover with another baking tray (flipped upside down) or loosely with clingfilm. Leave to rise at room temperature until they've increased in size by 50%. This will take 45 minutes - 1 hour.The rolls will be touching slightly once proved.
Baking
- Whilst your rolls are proving, preheat an oven to 230°c/210°c fan (446°f/410°f).
- Once your rolls are risen, bake them in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until they're a deep golden brown on top.
- Let the rolls cool on the tray then serve!
Notes
1. Baking On An Aga - Bake the morning rolls in the roasting oven, on the second from top set of runners. Turn the baking tray around after 10 minutes then bake for another 2 minutes, so that the rolls colour evenly.
2. Bread Flour - Make sure to use a white bread flour with a protein content of around 13%. I used a Canadian bread flour from Shipton Mill but most other bread flours will work as well.
3. Yeast - I used dried active yeast for these rolls, which needs to be activated in warm water before being used. Instant/fast action yeast can also be used but won't need to be activated (it can be added straight into the flour) & will make your dough rise slightly quicker.
4. Water Temperature - I'd recommend using a digital food probe to measure the temperature of the water, to avoid killing the yeast. Your water should be as close to @38°c/100°f as possible.
5. Storage - These rolls are best eaten on the day that they were made but will keep for a day or two, when stored in an airtight container.
6. Well Fired Rolls - To make well fired rolls (another type of Scottish bread that has a blackened top!), bake your morning rolls for another 5 minutes or so, until burnt on top.