Soft Sourdough Onion Rolls
Sweet challah dough houses savory onions for the perfect combination of flavors.
Ingredients
Stiff Starter
- 40 grams ripe (acive starter (refreshed 6-12 hours earlier))
- 40 grams water (filtered, at room temperature)
- 120 grams bread flour
- 20 grams sugar
Tangzhong
- 30 grams bread flour
- 150 grams water
Dough
- All of the levain
- All of the tangzhong
- 43 grams neutral oil (vegetable, sunflower, canola)
- 3 egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 80 grams honey
- 290 grams bread flour
- 8 grams fine sea salt ((or table salt))
- 1 egg (for egg wash; for a deeper colored exterior, use just the yolk)
Onion Filling
- 1 medium onion (peeled and diced)
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- A pinch of fresh black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Stiff Starter
- Just prior to going to bed, mix all the stiff starter ingedients together. Knead into a dough ball so that all of the flour is fully absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at warm room temperature, about 74℉, for 12 hours.
Tangzhong
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the flour into the water so it is fully absorbed. Cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly, until it resembles mashed potatoes and the temperature of the mixture has reached 149℉. Immediately transfer to a heat proof bowl or plate and allow to cool to at least 100℉.
Dough
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, add the stiff starter, tangzhong, oil, yolks, honey and bread flour. Knead until a smooth dough has formed, approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add in the salt. Knead for an additional 3-5 minutes. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
- Place dough in a large, ungreased bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. If using a proofer, place the bowl with the dough in it set at 77℉. Allow to ferment for approximately 4½ hours. If you wet your index finger and make an impression on the dough, it should maintain the impression.
Onion Filling
- Approximately one hour before the dough is done with bulk fermentation, toss all ingredients in a medium frying pan. Remove 3 Tablespoons of the mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator. On a medium-low heat, cook remaining onion mixture until onions are translucent and just barely begin to caramelize on the sides, 5-7 minutes.
Shape and Bake
- Lightly grease a 9" x 9" baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Knead the dough a bit to release the gasses and air bubbles. Weigh the dough and divide into 12 portions (approximately 70 grams each). Shape each portion into a ball. Then, starting with the first ball, flatten the ball into a flat circle or oval, and place approximately 1 teaspoon of the cooked onion in the center. Pull the dough up from the sides to encase the onion filling completely. Using the palm of your hand, roll the rounded dough against the countertop for a smooth top. Place into the prepared pan. Continue shaping the remaining rolls.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 7 to 8 hours at 77℉. (Alternatively, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, place in a proofer at 77℉ or in a warm area and allow to rise for 8-9 hours.) The dough will double in size and fill up the gaps in the pan. You will know it’s ready to be baked by impressing a finger slightly into the dough. If the impression mostly remains, you are ready to bake.
- Approximately 30 minutes before the rolls are ready to make, preheat the oven to 350℉
- When the rolls are ready to bake, apply the egg wash and sprinkle the raw onion mixture (that you stored in the refrigerator) over each roll. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 190℉.
Nutrition
Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg