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German-Style Rolls: Brotchen (the crusty secret is an egg white glaze)
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by Jeff, February 23, 2009
Filed Under Recipes | 108 Comments
Many people have been writing to ask for German-style hard rolls. The most common are Brotchen (little breads). They’re made from egg white-enriched white dough, and brushed with more egg white before baking at high temperature with steam. In the book, Zoe and I concentrated on French-style crust techniques, which tend not to use egg white for high-temperature crisp crusts on lean breads. Turns out that the egg white creates an incredible crust and crumb. First off mix up a batch of our plain white-flour Master Recipe but make one variation: Put three egg whites into the bottom of the measuring cup before you measure out your three cups of water– so it’s three cups of liquid, including the three egg whites. Everything else is the same.
On baking day, preheat the oven with a baking stone near the middle of the oven to 450 degrees F for at least 20 to 30 minutes (place a broiler tray in the oven on any other shelf that won’t interfere with rising bread). Cut off 3 ounce balls of dough (like a small peach) and briefly shape them (as in our videos), finishing by squeezing to form an oval. Refrigerate the rest for up to five days before freezing in one-pound packages (there’s raw egg in here). You can also form a perfect little oval by using the letter-fold method, though I didn’t do it here (too lazy!).
Allow to rest/rise for at least 20 minutes or as long as 60 minutes. Then use a pastry brush to cover with egg white. If you want seeds or salt, now’s your chance:
Now slash with a single cut the long way, using a serrated bread knife. Slide quickly so the knife doesn’t catch:
I spaced my brotchen on a silicone mat, but you could also do them on a greased cookie sheet, or a piece of parchment paper. It’s best not to do these on a cornmeal covered pizza peel; that’s just not the effect you’re going for.
Put the cookie sheet, silicone mat, or parchment paper on the preheated baking stone and pour a cup of hot water into the broiler tray just before closing the oven door. Bake for about 25 minutes. The result is incredibly crisp, shiny, and richly browned. I’m guessing that home bakers with problem ovens will find this method to be a miracle charm for getting a great crust on small breads.
I haven’t tested it on large loaves but I’m guessing that there might be trouble with over-browning if a loaf need more than about 35 minutes. More on that later.
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Comments
Katie said...
February 23, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Thank you for this new treat! I’m looking forward to experimenting with egg whites. Also – I appreciate so much your dedication to continuing development & conversations. I got your book on my birthday last year – all year I’ve had the website – and now a new technique!
PS – for kitchen logistical reasons, I stretched out the olive oil dough in a large double baguette pan for pizza toppings – and despite my rough handling and no significant rise time, the bread STILL expanded into lovely cylinders, insisting on its identity as french bread with topping, not pizza (function follows form, perhaps).
Laura said...
February 24, 2009 at 12:44 am
Hi! These Brötchen turned out really great! I just came back from my trip to Germany and I had Brötchen everyday for breakfast..I love love them! I’d want to try these at home, but I don’t have a baking stone and i don’t know if i can get one here in Finland.
Thanks!
Laura
Di said...
February 24, 2009 at 2:00 am
Perfect timing! I’m definitely going to give these a try. I just made some rolls shaped like that (with the letter-fold method; it really does work well) last night. I was wondering how I could make them have a crisper crust.
nads said...
February 24, 2009 at 4:20 am
that lovely spreading (ear, bloom) whatever its called, is exactly what ive been trying to get with my bread but haven’t got there yet. is it because im not slashing fast enough?
thanks
jeff said...
February 24, 2009 at 5:54 am
Katie: Those baguette pans really encourage the dough not to spread out…
Laura: Don’t absolutely need the stone, just do them on a cookie sheet or silicone mat.
Di: Let us know if you think it’s crispier.
Nads: The quick slash is important, yes. Also, especially if you have something like egg white on top, you can “encourage” it to spread a little if you see that it’s gluing itself back together again. Just move the knife from side to side if you see that happening, spreading the opening.
Marcia Cooke said...
February 24, 2009 at 7:40 am
I’m still stuck on pita breads (oh, my, are those good!) and English muffins, but when I do try these, do I understand that there is no rising time once shaped? Keep these ideas coming….I haven’t bought bread in over a year!
CJ Tinkle said...
February 24, 2009 at 7:41 am
Ooooh! I can’t wait to try these! We spent 5 years in Germany and I ADORE brötchen!
Elle said...
February 24, 2009 at 8:31 am
I can’t wait to make these! They look fantastic–thanks so much for sharing!
Glen said...
February 24, 2009 at 10:06 am
Love your book and your different ideas. Keep them coming. I lived in Germany for 10 years, in the area of Stuttgart. I used to get a roll called a laugenbrotchen (aka pretzel roll). They looked something like this.
http://www.luneburger.com.au/images/762-Laugenbrotchen.jpg
I wondered if you knew of a way to get the crust like that.
You guys are great.
Glen
jeff said...
February 24, 2009 at 11:31 am
Marcia: Full directions for English Muffins http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=497
CJ, Elle, and Glen: Thanks for the kind words. About laugenbrotchen, mainly, I just like to say that word! But that crust, contrasting with the white interior exposed by slashing, almost looks like a pretzel technique, with whole egg wash brushed on top but high temp (like 450). You need a small bread or roll which gets baked quickly, or whole egg will totally burn at that temperature– usually we do a whole egg-brushed loaf at 350. See my pretzel post http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=489, but bake longer so it gets really dark. May take some trial and error.
Jessie said...
February 24, 2009 at 1:02 pm
why cant I e-mail this recipe to a friend. It keeps coming
up error. I then tried another friend and the same thing happined
lynne said...
February 24, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Hi
I feel dumb but for some reason I cant seem to get this part–Put three egg whites into the bottom of the measuring cup before you measure out your three cups of water– so it’s three cups of liquid, including the three egg whites—Does that mean you still have to put in 3 cups of water and 3 egg whites or what? I know this is a really dumb quesatain but I hope you will help me
Lynne
Erin said...
February 24, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hi Jeff and Zoe —
I’ve been following the blog for a while now and have been doing your recipes for a few months. I’m a US expat living overseas and I have to ask…is there any enriched bread ideas for making homemade croissants? I know that in the US its pretty easy to buy store-made ones or bake the pilsbury kind from a tube, but I’m sadly far away from cheap and easy buttery croissants!
Any thoughts or ideas?
jeff said...
February 24, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Jessie: It’s working in my browser (Internet Explorer 7). Anyone else having trouble?
Lynne: No, you put in 3 egg whites plus the volume of water equal to 3 cups minus the volume of 3 egg whites. Easiest way to get that is by filling to the three cup-line but start with egg whites and then top off with water. Total volume of liquid (including egg whites) is 3 cups.
Erin: Croissants are “laminated,” meaning that yeasted dough is layered with softened butter and rolled out, then folded, then rolled again annd again. That gives those flaky layers. We tried that with our stored brioche dough and found that it didn’t maintain the definition of the layers— seems you need fresh dough for that. So we made various pastries in the 2nd half of the book from brioche dough, rolled out, but not laminated. Check out http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=357
lynne said...
February 24, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Thanks so much for your reply–it cleared my confusion
Lynne
Jain said...
February 24, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Egg whites… good-bye, vegan bakers!
sylvia said...
February 24, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I made these this afternoon. They were great! They reminded my husband of the fresh bread that they would get daily from the corner bakery in Brazil when he was growing up. These seemed a little dense though. I’m wondering if I should have let them rest some before baking? Thanks again for all of the fun/fabulous bread recipes.
jeff said...
February 24, 2009 at 8:41 pm
If you’re finding it dense, then yes, give a longer resting time than we specify in the Master Recipe (40 minutes). Try 60 to 90 minutes and see what you think.
Or did you mean that you did no rest at all? That’s the problem– it needs some resting/rising time.
Anna said...
February 25, 2009 at 6:26 am
German Laugenbrötchen get their dark crust from the same chemical reaction as Pretzels: the surface is brushed with lye (“Lauge” in German) prior to baking. There is no eggwash on Laugenbrötchen! The shine comes from water that you mist on the baked rolls immediatly after they come out of the oven.
Sadly, I don’t have a recipe, because it is so easy to buy delicious ones if you live in Germany…
Cathie said...
February 25, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Have any ideas of what I can sub for the egg whites? I’m allergic. I found this out recently AFTER I fell in love with your brioche, challah, panetonne. Talk about misery!
I love the book. We are a family of 7. My 9 year old is responsible for refreshing the bucket when emptied (we use the master dough). We have the bread EVERY night for dinner. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Oh – will your new book cover soaking whole grains before baking? I’m curious because I need to soak the whole wheat I mill fresh for two of my kids who get GI distress from whole grains.
jeff said...
February 25, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Anna: Lye isn’t a favorite ingredient for most of our readers, so we haven’t gotten quite that authentic! About the Laugenbrotchen, that was just my guess after looking at the photo sent by Glen. Some of our readers who’ve lived in Germany but can’t buy the real article are finding this to be a reasonable substitute.
Cathie: It won’t be quite the same, but you could try brushing with cornstarch wash (on page 51 of the book). You can’t substitute anything that I can think of for the egg white in the dough, but this is a reasonable glaze substitute.
Thanks for all the kind words. Our new book talks about keeping the dough in the fridge for certain high-grain recipes where the grain needs to soak up some water. You could do that for all your fresh-milled whole wheat.
elizabeth said...
February 25, 2009 at 4:09 pm
This is my fourth try at making rolls with the boule dough and they’ve all turned out like small rocks.
What am I doing wrong??
jeff said...
February 25, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Elizabeth: Are your boules OK? Or are they rocks too? Have you checked your oven temp with a thermometer? Are you using the right flour (unbleached all-purpose, not pastry flour, not bleached flour, not White Lily or other low-protein flour)? Letting them rest after shaping for the usual time in the book (at least 20 minutes or as much as 60)?
Basically, tell me what you’re doing and I bet we can figure out what’s going wrong. Jeff
larry silva said...
February 26, 2009 at 6:47 am
Laugenbrötchen : google pretzel roll recipes; that’s what i did and i got a great recipe on-line. The look is caused by boiling the rolls in 8 cups of water with 1/2cup of baking soda added. You boil the rolls for 30 seconds turning once. No lye is necessary and the look is the same. They are a big hit.
Here’s the recipe: from start to finish they take about an hour. We freeze them because they only stay fresh for a day or two.
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons warm milk
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
kosher salt or pretzel salt
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup baking soda
Directions
1
In a small bowl if using a bread machine, or in the bowl of a standing
electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix a 1/3 cup of the warm water
(105-115 degrees) with the yeast and let stand until foamy.
2
Add the remaining cup of warm water along with milk, sugar & melted butter
and swirl to dissolve the sugar. (If using a bread machine add mixture to
bread machine at this point and continue). Add flour and mix on dough cycle
or med-low speed. Remove dough from bread machine once it forms a nice a
firm, pliable dough ball. Add more flour if necessary.
3
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured table and knead for 2 minutes. Roll
into a 2 foot long log and cut into 12 even pieces. Cover dough with plastic
and a damp cloth and let sit for 10 minutes.
4
Pat dough into rolls or form knots and arrange on a lightly floured surface
about an inch apart and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the
pretzels rest for an additional 30 minutes.
5
Preheat the oven to 425°. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets.
6
In a large stockpot, bring the cold water to a rolling boil and add baking
soda.
7
Drop two rolls into the boiling water and boil for no more then 30 seconds,
turning once. Carefully remove with tongs or slotted spoon and hold above
pot and let drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining
rolls.
8
Arrange rolls on the oiled baking sheets and bake on the upper and middle
racks of the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until browned all over; shift
pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through, for even baking.
9
Let rolls cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them
to a rack.
10
Serve warm or at room temperature
jeff said...
February 26, 2009 at 8:00 am
Thanks Larry, let’s see what people think of them.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 10:23 am
Well I got the book. Before it came I made the boule recipe..It was dense(didn’t see the note about longer resting) and I noticed a bit too late some dry bits of flour. Today I tried a dsecond one, baked not on a stone but in the Sullivan St pot and after a longer rest..It looks much better.
I started a pot of your deli rye recipe. To assure a good rise I added several TBls of wheat gluten ..I used KA rye flour and KA unbleached all purpose dough.
Making it in a pot creates some logistical changes in the glaze. I think I’ll let it do the final rise on a large Wilton cake lifter I bought from KA, I’ll glaze and score it and pop it in the heated pot bottom down (not up as in Sullivan’s method. Because the lifter is smaller than the peel, I should have more control.
I notice that KA says they let the Sullivan recipe do the final rise in a cold pottery pot and then popped the entire thing in the heated oven. If my cake lifter idea doesn’t work,I may try that technique.
Karen Hilyard said...
February 26, 2009 at 10:29 am
Hi Jeff and Zoe,
Do you have any recipes at all that use NO wheat? I know what the book says about the need for gluten, but I was hoping maybe in the year since the book was published you might have developed a wheat-free recipe. I have searched your archives for “wheat free” and “gluten free” and cannot find anything. Can you help? We have a wheat-intolerant niece who would love to be eating yummy fresh-baked bread.
BTW, we discovered you guys in Mother Earth News in December, heard you on The Splendid Table a week or so later, fell in love with the recipes and recently bought your book. I feel like an evangelist for your technique — I am telling everyone! 
jeff said...
February 26, 2009 at 11:44 am
Clarice: Let us know how your experiments work out…
Karen: Our 2nd book will have about 10 gluten free’s but nothing for now! Stay tuned, released in fall ‘09, or by Christmas the latest.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I will, Jeff.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Experiment 1: Boule with Longer rise and baked in covered cast iron pot –Superb crumb, crust and taste.
Experiment 2: The rye is now on the large Wilton cake liter (it’s surface is slightly less than 8″ by 8″. I have it on cornmeal. I’ll let is rise for about an hour, heat up the oven and pot, slash, glaze and seed it and bake it–and let you know how it went.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 3:04 pm
**liFter**
Beth said...
February 26, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Jeff &/or Zoe–Do you think that the egg white wash might help give a nicer crust to a 100% whole wheat boule?
jeff said...
February 26, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Clarice: Happy experimenting!
Beth: 100% WW has lots of wheat germ oil in the crust, which tends to soften it. But the egg white might help. Problem: If you do a large loaf (not rolls), the long baking time might over-brown the egg white. Stick with smaller loaves or rolls, or lower temps.
Julia said...
February 26, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Just wondering something… I’ve made 3 batches of master recipe now, and I’m curious about something that’s happening with my stored dough. When I mix fresh dough, and leave it out for the initial 2-hour countertop rise… it doubles as it should to nearly fill my container. But after I put it in the refrigerator, it shrinks back down again. My bread is coming out fine – I’m still working on the glossy crust– but I’m wondering if this is normal or if there is something wonky about my stored dough.
Thanks for your help — we’re having bread with dinner tonight, and I’m branching out to pitas tomorrow night!
Beth said...
February 26, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Thanks, Jeff! Always appreciate the quick answers.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 6:14 pm
The cake lifter worked beautifully in allowing me to transfer the bread to the pot right side up. The rye looks good,tastes good, has a perfect crust and a very dense interior. I think next time , I will do what I did with the boule and allow for a 90 minute rise to get a bit more loft..I used some vital wheat gluten thinking that would do it, but I still think 40-60 minutes out of the refrigerator is insufficient for my taste.
In any event for those who like me really like the Leahy hot pot baking method, the large Wilton cake lifter is a big help..other things like a plate or tray covered with cornmeal might work, too.
jeff said...
February 26, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Julia: That’s normal, just exactly what we see.
Clarice: 90 minutes is the rest that some of our more experienced testers have asked for. The short rest is a trade-off… so go with your taste.
clarice said...
February 26, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Thanks for the confirmation, Jeff. I also think the bread tastes a great deal better if it is allowed to sit in the refrigerator for some hours after it’s first mixed.
There was a marked improvement in flavor in the second versus the first loaf of boule and the only differences were the lengthier rest and the 90 versus 40 minutes rise before baking.
jeff said...
February 27, 2009 at 5:28 am
Absolutely. Our dough develops sourdough characteristics as it ages.
Manuela said...
February 27, 2009 at 5:30 am
Today I am going to use your method for the first time
I have seen it in so many blogs and everyone says wonders about it!
jeff said...
February 27, 2009 at 6:43 am
Manuela: I think you’re our first reader from Portugal– welcome. Come back anytime you have questions.
barbara said...
February 27, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Hi all! I’ve had your book since this summer and only recently tried it. Why oh why did I wait so long? I, too, feel like an evangelist because I’ve been preaching to anyone who will listen!!
Looking forward to the next book,
Barbara
jeff said...
February 28, 2009 at 5:25 am
Thanks Barbara, welcome to the site.
Manuela said...
February 28, 2009 at 7:50 am
Hi Jeff!
You will have many portuguese readers soon when I put the bread recipe on my blog I am from Azores Islands.
The bread is amazingly easy to do. It’s in the oven right now
jeff said...
February 28, 2009 at 8:10 am
Thanks for the kind words Manuela. Wish I was on an island right now, Minnesota remains freezing—tchau.
Dawn (Frau Jedöns) said...
February 28, 2009 at 1:54 pm
On another site, Clarice suggested your method for Brötchen which I started yesterday and baked this morning. They were just great. My only concern was that the crust seemed to crackle a bit. I don’t see that in your photo. Did I let the rolls rise too long?
My real love is rye, and I look forward to trying your recipes with rye flour. Till now I’ve been using the La Brea sourdough method/recipes and the Sullivan no knead. BTW Clarice, Cooks Illustrated used parchment paper as a “cradle” for the Sullivan bread. It’s suggested to put the paper in a skillet or bowl, put in the bread to rise, covered with plastic. When time to bake lift out and bake the bread *on* the parchment in the covered pot. It’s a great improvement for me over a flour covered baker and kitchen.
jeff said...
February 28, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Frau Jedöns: To me, crackling is the sign of a perfect crust. If you were to tell me that authentic brotchen aren’t supposed to get that way, I’d defer to your better judgement!
Nina said...
February 28, 2009 at 4:53 pm
5 stars for your tapenade recipe on pg 55. I added a squeeze of lemon. Two days later, it was even better.
Manuela said...
February 28, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I just posted your recipe with a video and I added a link to this blog.
We loved the bread. I’ll definately do it again
Dawn (Frau Jedöns) said...
February 28, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Jeff, my husband who is the real German in the family, also thinks your recipe is just wonderful. BTW he is *not* Herr Jedöns; that is just a (funny)low German screen name I use.
clarice said...
February 28, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Dawn, that’s an interesting idea from CI but the Sullivan method requires that you cook the bread bottom side up. I suppose you’d have to score the top if you substitute the paper cradle method.
When I made my first bread using Jeff and Zoe’s recipe, I baked it on a hot stone with parchment under it and a domed stainless bowl over it for part of the bake (instead of the steam in the broiler pan). I’m inclined to think these various methods (domed pan, hot pot, steam in pan) all pretty much achieve the same ends and which you use depends on your oven and personal preference.
I made another deli rye tonight which baked with more loft. I haven’t yet tasted it but I expect it has a better crumb than the first one where the dough sat in the fridge for only a few hours before baking..Time is the difference. If you can I suggest all these breads get s 90 minute rest out of the fridge and that they sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours before you bake with them.
jeff said...
March 1, 2009 at 8:04 am
Nina: So glad you like the tapenade, it’s a favorite of mine.
Manuela: Thank you! Readers can click on Manuela’s name above to go to her site; it will help if you read Portuguese!
Dawn: I knew that!
Clarice: Our next book is going to have longer rests, in particular because there’s so much whole wheat, which tends to produce a denser result.
aprendizdepanadera said...
March 1, 2009 at 11:44 am
Today I have discovered your method. It is amazing how everyone says wonders about it!
I will try it tomorrow for the first time
By the time, I mentioned your book, your website and a video in my blog -which is written is Spanish-.
Regards from Spain!
Aprendiz de panadera
Dawn said...
March 1, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Clarice: I’ve followed the CI directions with top side up *without* scoring and the bread came out fine, but not as attractive as the other way around. I suppose the parchment paper could be used to invert the bread into the pot.
I’ll be trying Jeff’s and Zoe’s rye/wheat/white flour bread next. Can’t wait.
Jeff: My husband reheated the rolls this morning and said they were even better than yesterday! He then raved about the Brötchen to his brother who lives nearby in the mountains. The brother who already bakes his own bread, wanted the recipe asap.
Last night I frittered (heh) my time away reading German sites about Brötchen baking. It seems the taste comes the combination of good crust to inside dough. The taste is really important! But we knew that. The trick is to get enough brown crust down to the baking surface. I noticed a few of my rolls were *too close* and remained somewhat tan. I used parchment paper and saw that the bottoms were a little puckered. I’m trying the silpat sheet today, spacing better and going for the beautiful looks of your photograph. Blessed are the bread bakers …
jeff said...
March 1, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Aprendiz (I know that’s not your name!): Welcome to the site, thanks!
Dawn: You could also try going right on the stone, with nothing but flour under the Brotchen. Rise them on a pizza peel covered with flour. Messy, but the crust might be a little better.
Dawn said...
March 2, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Thanks, Jeff, for the recommendation. I’ll have to wait for the next batch to be ready, but I’ll romance the stone, so to speak.
Frau Jedöns
Sarah said...
March 3, 2009 at 6:13 am
A general question…
I am having a hard time profing(I think that’s the correct term) my dough. I’m not getting a smooth surface as I shape, so the crust comes out broken and uneven. Maybe I am not working it enough, as far as making the ball, doing rotations and tucking under? Sorry, hard to describe! More flour on hands? Less? Any tips appreciated… thanks!
zoe said...
March 3, 2009 at 7:15 am
Hi Sarah,
The trick to our dough is to handle it as little as possible. I would suggest you use more flour on your hands to prevent it from sticking. Forming the ball should take no more than 30 seconds. It may help for you to watch our videos! http://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage.aspx?isbn=9780312362911&m_type=2&m_contentid=119255#video
Hope this helps! Zoë
Sarah said...
March 3, 2009 at 11:40 am
Thanks Zoe. I watched the video, and I’m definitely not using as much flour as I should. Btw, I took the BYOB pledge in January, and it’s going great so far. I made pita bread last week and it was the best I’ve ever had! Thanks for all the inspiration.
Dawn said...
March 3, 2009 at 4:10 pm
1. Can dried egg white be used in the Brötchen recipe instead of liquid egg white? The egg yolks are accumulating quickly at this house. In the meantime, my copy of the book arrived today and thrilled.
zoe said...
March 3, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Hi Sarah, that is fantastic that you are doing the BYOB! Keep us posted.
Hi Dawn, I don’t see why you couldn’t use reconstituted dry egg whites for this purpose. Great idea! Please report back with you try it!
Thanks, Zoë
Gretchen Baugher said...
March 10, 2009 at 9:43 am
Jeff & Zoe:
I “discovered” your amazing formula for making fantastic bread in the December/January issue of Mother Earth News (which I bought on a whim). Prior to ordering the cookbook I had experimented with adding in different ingredients to the “master” recipe. My favorite is substituting 1/2 cup of flax seed meal for 1/2 cup flour. I just wanted to thank you for the cookbook and let you know I tried the Brotchen rolls last night and they were perfect! Did I read you were working on another cookbook? I know I want one!
jeff said...
March 10, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Gretchen: So glad you are enjoying the recipes– next book out 10/13/09, with more whole grains, vegetables, and fruit in the bread.
Jen said...
March 16, 2009 at 9:35 am
I have been looking for good Brotchen from bakeries in our area but to no avail. My son and I returned recently from a trip to visit friends in Germany, where, like many of these comments, we ate Brotchen for breakfast every day (and lunch and dinner sometimes). It is SO good. We tried Chicago hard rolls, but they are too airy on the inside. I can’t wait to try this recipe. (First things first, I’ve just made my first batch of the master-recipe and will make my first loaf of bread later today.)
Thanks!
Dawn said...
March 16, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Jeff: I was unable to find dried egg white at any of the local markets, so I went to a Honeyville location nearby (where I buy the wheat and rye berries I grind for flour) and bought a *large* can of powdered egg whites (2.25 lbs/102.1g). Two (2) teaspoons of powdered egg white mixed with two (2) tablespoons of hot water = 1 egg white. It worked well.
I now have egg whites for hundreds of Brötchen!
zoe said...
March 16, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Hi Jen,
We look forward to hearing about your first loaf and the Brotchen that you make!
Thanks, Zoë
Sue Robb said...
March 17, 2009 at 9:06 am
I am loving your book, and your website. Can you please tell me how to work with the dough after I freeze it. I tried freezing a loaf of the rye dough, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then sit out for 1 hour and 45 min. before baking. It hardly rose and was so dense and moist (though brown on the outside) that I had to throw it out. he unfrozen baked-up perfectly. Any suggestions?
jeff said...
March 17, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Sue: I’ve used frozen dough in this situation and it worked well, though slightly denser than usual– (may be a matter of taste). One suggestion might be to limit the freeze duration to two weeks, if you’ve exceeded that. If that’s not the explanation, try a longer rest time for your defrosted doughs— 2 hours.
You may prefer the result from frozen dough if you stick with white breads… the rye most people can get in the supermarket is whole grain, and that weighs down a bread, more so once the dough is frozen.
marc lowen said...
March 17, 2009 at 6:18 pm
when take the dough out of the fridge do you let it sit for a while at room temp befor you start to form it or take it out of the large container
zoe said...
March 17, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Hi Marc,
You can take it out of the bucket as soon as you take it out of the refrigerator, no need to wait!
Thanks, Zoë
Buck said...
April 11, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Thanks so much Larry for the Laugenbrötchen recipe – been looking for that recipe for years. Where I lived in Neu Ulm they called it something different — Semmelbrot. One thing I will add: don’t use an aluminum pan to boil the baking soda — it will leave a very strange grey residue on your bread. Oxidized aluminum? Don’t know if that’s poisonous, but I wouldn’t take the chance.
Sharon said...
April 16, 2009 at 7:10 pm
So happy to be back to bread making after Passover!! I usually make up the pain d’epi dough for the week (everyone wants an ‘end’ so it prevents disappointments). Making an additional batch of dough for brotchen was becoming inconvenient. I used the regular pain d’epi dough, formed 2 oz rolls – a better size for us-, brushed them with egg white and sprinkled them with fleur d’sel (scant 1/8th tsp each – glazed and sprinkled before slashing) – the result was indistinguishable from the brotchen dough with the egg white added. My family loved the fleur d’sel on top. Actually, they’ve loved all the bread I’ve made from your book. Thank you for making it possible for me to give my family homemade bread without stress!
jeff said...
April 17, 2009 at 5:34 am
Buck: Yeah, that does sound like oxidized aluminum. Distasteful even if not harmful!
Sharon: I’m a salt-lover too! A salt crust is always delightful. Thanks for the kind words.
Dianne said...
April 17, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I am about to make the brotchen as we loved them in Germany – did you have trouble transferring the silicone mat directly onto the baking stone? I’ve never done that and it seems like it would be unweildy; maybe I will try to slide the mat onto the stone with the pizza peel? Or will it turn out just as well to use the mat on a baking sheet on the stone…long question – sorry!
Dianne said...
April 17, 2009 at 3:28 pm
ps Do you brush the brotchen with egg white wash or straight egg white?
zoe said...
April 17, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Hi Dianne,
Either way is going to work, however the mat directly on the stone will conduct heat slightly better. I always slide the mat onto the stone with my pizza peel as you suggested.
I always mix the egg white with just a bit of water to make it easier to apply.
Enjoy! Zoë
Holly Harken said...
April 20, 2009 at 8:11 am
Dear Jeff and Zoë,
I grew up in Germany and the Brötchen that we ate wasn’t covered in an egg wash, but lightly dusted with flour. Maybe it’s a regional thing as I grew up primarily in Southern Germany in the 60’s and 70’s. Once we moved to the land of the round doorknobs (America) we dearly missed our daily Brötchen. I have fond memories of bringing home a bag full of warm Brötchen fresh from the local bakery. The next day they would be hard as a rock and only good to throw away.
I found out about your website through Instructables.com where Aeray posted directions on making your bread. http://www.instructables.com/id/Artisan_Bread_in_Five_Minutes_a_Day/
I reserved your book from our local library and then went to your website where I found this Brötchen recipe.
I can’t wait to try your recipes. I’ve been a bread baker for over 25 years and your way is a very fast and easy way to make bread. I would like to suggest that all of the people who visit your site bake an extra loaf or 2 for their local shelter.
zoe said...
April 20, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Hi Holly,
Thank you for visiting the site. I hope you will enjoy all the bread you bake.
Thank you for the lovely suggestion of baking for a local shelter!
Best, Zoë
June said...
May 8, 2009 at 4:01 am
Hi
Got your book yesterday & tried the Brötchen recipe.They turned out fantastic.
I had already tried bread & rolls using the “Master Recipe” & couldn’t get the crust right.I blamed it on the UK flour but I can’t fault the Brötchen recipe.I didn’t alter it in anyway & it turned out great.The egg whites really made a big difference.
Your books excellent totally transformed the way I make bread.
I have brioche dough & the hotcross bun dough mix in the fridge.Can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Really looking forward to your new book.
Regards
June
jeff said...
May 8, 2009 at 9:13 am
June: Egg whites cover up a lot of sins!
Stuart Joseph said...
May 15, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Hi, Jeff and Zoe,
I made my first batch of the Master Recipe. Yesterday, I made my first loaf with thee stone and steam pan, today, I made a loaf with a pyrex casserole following the instructions for the Dutch Oven and Clay Pot. I got the idea for the cassero;e from one of the comments at the oven or pot sections.
Noth turned out superbly, but it was a feat to get the dough into the hot pot-especially as I don’t have parchment paper.
I couldn’t believe how hot my stove got at the 500F temperature. We have a 1918 Glenwood gas stove that I convinced my wife to get as the oven is at eye level and I can use it without bending over-something my bad back prevents me from doing.
She did ask if we got the stove if I would be doing more cooking and thanks to your methods, I am doing just that! Your no-knead recipes are also a boon to those of us that are disabled as I wouldn’t have the physical wherewithal to make bread the ordinary way-now I am lookomg for excuses to try a different bread all the time..
Another benefit for me is that I am now looking at other things I can cook with my disability-if I can bake bread, there are other things I can cook as well.
But I digress, I actually had some questions:
1. Do you have a recipe for using the Master Recipe for Salt Sticks?
2. Do you have a recipe for Everything Bread & Bagel Topping?
I know King Arthur flour sells it, but I am sure I can save money by mixing it myself, adter all, how hard can it be to measure out some seeds, some salt, some onion, some garlic, put them into a container and shake them up?
3. I would like to try using a loaf pan, but the only one I have is a pyrex pan that we use for meatloaf. Would it be safe for me to use it? I am leery of dooing so since I have read about them breaking in the oven with the steam method. I thought I could use a rechnique like the lasagna pan so I would not have to make steam for the spring. I would not use pyrex for the steam pan!
Closing thoughts: collectively the both of you and everyone that contributes to the site are to be commended for your creativity as it fosters that in the rest of us. After reading the blog, I have been turning the house upside down looking for things that can be used to bake bread and that can be substituted for expensive cooking utensils, like disposable lasagna pans, pyrex casseroles, and terra cotta tiles and flower pots. Not only are we saving money (besides eating healthier) by baking our own bread, but we can also save money by what we use for the baking.
I saw that King Arthur Flour is selling an “Artisan Bread Crock” for over $100.00 and you two and the readers, have suggested innumerable ways to do the same thing for less.
Thanks to everyone!
Stuart Joseph said...
May 15, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Please pardon my typos. I also have vision problems and don’t always hit the correct key.
jeff said...
May 16, 2009 at 7:26 am
Hi Stuart: for salt sticks, just try our breadstick recipe and sprinkle with coarse salt: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=31
I’ve never tried baking in Pyrex. Given that, I can’t advise you– I don’t want that thing breaking!
Thank you so much, for all the kind words!
Stuart Joseph said...
May 19, 2009 at 9:40 am
Jeff,
Tahnks for the suggestion about the salt sticks, however, I amlooking for the kind that I got on LongIsland and Miami Beach, the ones that look like crescent rolls with caraway seeds and salt on the outside.
I will do a Google search and see if I can find a technique that can be adapted to the master recipe.
I am having a ball baking bread and I am averaging a loaf a day. My wife says that I need to limit ti as we will end up eating too much bread!
The Pyrex pan I was referring to is what we use for making meatloaf, so it will tak an oven temperature, however, I am afraid that if I add the hot water to the boiling pan for the steam, the loaf pan might crack. I guess it will just be easier to buy metal loaf pans, or try covering it with a bowl, ala the covered pot method.
Some more questions:
If I bake more than one loaf at a time, do I need to use 1 cup of hot water per loaf to generate the steam?
I am having a hard time getting the loaf to slide onto the stone. I don’t have a peel, so I have been using a well floured wooden cutting board and I can’t seem to get the loaf onto the stone- it just won’t slide. Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?
The bread still bakes and tastes great, but it doesn’t come out as pretty and the slashes close up.
Thanks again.
zoe said...
May 19, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Hi Stuart,
I look forward to finding out about the rolls you are referring to.
If you bake multiple loaves you still only need the one cup of water to produce all the steam you will need.
You may just need more cornmeal to cover the cutting board. Or, you can use parchment paper under the loaf. If you use the paper it just slides onto the stone with the loaf. About 90% of the way through baking remove the paper to crisp the bottom crust.
If your slashes are closing up they may not be deep enough or your dough may be a tad too wet.
Thanks, Zoë
Stuart Joseph said...
May 19, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Hi, Zoe,
Here is a link to a recipe for salt sticks and Kaiser rolls (p-2) with instructions on forming them. This recipe doesn’t use carawaI seeds, like the ones i remember: http://www.bigoven.com/99797-Hungarian-Salt-Sticks-or-Kaiser-Rolls–P1-recipe.html
Here is a link to some great photos of salt sticks, along with bagels and Kaiser rolls. Scroll down to see the salt sticks:
http://yougonnaeatallthat.blogspot.com/2007/02/new-york-bagels-kaiser-rolls-and-salt.html.
Unfortunately, there is no recipe.
I am going to get some carawat seeds today and will try making the salt sticks with Master Recipe dough in the next few days/
I will let you know how they turn out and any suggestions beforehand are most welcome/
My favorite breads have always been salt sticks, Kaiser rolls. and Rye Bread from Jewish Bakeries- not to mention desserts like 7 layer cake and black and white cookies!
I have always missed not habing them available up here in Vermont and would always spend too much money stocking up when I visit my family on Long Island- that is if the bakery had them in stock. The last time I went, the person in front of me in line bought the remaining salt sticks and only left me 3 B&W cookies.
I have had an Epiphany since discovering your book: I can bake all of these myself, thereby saving money and not feeling deprived. Of course, the down side is that I haave to be careful about eating too much bread and still naking sure that I visit my family.
A suggestion for your next book would be to apply the same principle to recipes for cakes, cookies, and pastries,
In the meantime, do you know where I can get reco[es for 7 layer cake and black and white cookies?
Thanks again.
jeff said...
May 20, 2009 at 7:50 am
Stuart: I grew up in your neck of the woods, that’s how I got interested. Missed the old favorites.
But I’m afraid I don’t have recipes for 7layer cake or BW cookies…
Stuart Joseph said...
May 25, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Dear Jedd and Zoe,
In my quest for recreating Long Island bakery products from my childhood, I tried making some trial Salt Sticks today using the Master Recipe dough and ideas that I got from the net and “Secrets of A Jewish Baker.”
I made them at the same time I also made a loaf of bread. The loaf sat on the counter for 1 hour and was baked on my pizza stone.
The Salt Sticks turned out pretty good (my wife and mother-in-law were impressed) but they had a very hard crust and not much crumb (the salt sticks and not my wife and mother-in-law). They were also smaller than I would have liked, though they did get bigger in the oven.
I rolled the dough (about 1/8 inch thick) out on a cookie sheet, cut dough circles into quarters, rolled them into shape and let them sit for about 30 minutes before putting them on a preheated cookie sheet in the oven at 450 degrees for 25 minutes before taking them out. I did check them at 15 & 20 minutes and they seemed unfinished. They might have been in ther a tad too long.
My wife helped me pour the hot water for the steam into the broiler pan. Unlike me, who dumps the water in all at once really quickly, she was trying to be neat about it and poured the water carefully into the pan which took longer and there wasn’t a rush of steam.
How can I get a nice crust without it being too hard? The loaf of bread, crust and crumb, was perfect.
I was also nervous about doing too much rolling to get the crust thin enough, should I be concerned?
FYI. the author of “Secrets of A Jewish Baker (breads) doesn’y use an egg or cornstarch wash on the top of his salt sticks to hold the carraway seeds and salt. He uses water applied with a pastry brush, which is what I did and the topping was fine.
I got the book Sat. and I have been devouring it ever since, highlighter in hand, and anxious to try every recipe. Too many recipes, too little time…
Thanks again.
Stuart Joseph said...
May 25, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Dear Jeff and Zoe,
I made a batch of Master Recipe dough and I used King Arthur AP Flour. While reading your book, you note that KA AP flour is the equivelent of using bread flour. d
Do I need to make adjustments to the recipe? This batch seemed drier than the first batch I made from the Instructable.com recipe, bit I might not be sure as it is only my second batch. Right now, it is sitting in the refrigerator after it’s 2 hour counter stay.
I appreciate the advice.
jeff said...
May 26, 2009 at 7:12 am
Stuart: Hmm, finding the crust too hard. Makes me think that your oven isn’t sealing in the steam very well (actually thins the crust though it’s crisp). You could try one of the alternatives for creating a steam environment:
Baking in a Dutch Oven: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=552
Aluminum Roasting Pan for Crust: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=510
Cloche baking: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=566
You don’t want to overhandle the dough. Handle just enough to achieve the shape you want. Though overhandling will affect the crumb, not the crust.
KAF requires a little more water: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=140
Stuart Joseph said...
June 7, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Salt Stick Update
Success!
I made another batch of salt sticks using the Master Dough. This time I let them sit for an hour after I rolled them out, cut out the circle, and divided it into triangular shaped pieces.
When I rolled the triangles into crescent shaped rolls, I did a bit of stretching to make them larger and then let them sit for 60 minutes on a greased cookie sheet (I used spray on). At 30 minutes, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees.
Just before putting the salt sticks into the oven at 60 minutes, I brushed water on the salt sticks and topped them with Caraway seeds and Kosher salt. This meant that it was over 60 minutes before they hit the oven given the additional time to add the toppings.
I did the water in the broiler pan to create steam and baked them for 30 minutes, checking at 20 minutes and 25 minutes. I tested them for doneness (is that a word?) by tapping them, just like I would for a bread loaf.
This time they came out perfectly.
Next post is another NY favorite, garlic knots. where can I start a new subject in the recipe section?
jeff said...
June 8, 2009 at 6:01 am
Readers can’t start new subjects, technically speaking. We’re always working on improving the website and that’s on the list!
Teresa said...
August 13, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Dear Jeff & Zoe,
Just wondered if you had a variation of this roll with fresh yeast, dried cranberries, and walnuts? I’m wanting to try your awesome technique with fresh yeast. Any suggestions or pointers?
We had been eatting cranberry, walnut rolls from a local bakery everyday & now are ready to see if your recipe can replicate their rolls.
Thank you!
Teresa
jeff said...
August 14, 2009 at 5:52 am
Teresa: We find fresh yeast doesn’t make any difference, but you need to double the volume we call for to achieve the same speed of rise (but you can decrease the yeast, see http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=85). Start with the Challah (in the book) or brioche dough (http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=357), but add a quarter to one-half cup each of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries. Those doughs bake at 350, not 400 or 450 or they’ll burn. Jeff
fenchel2c said...
October 17, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I have tried USA all-purpose flour and the taste doesn’t come close to the Frankfurt am Main area. Do you know the type of flour used in that area? I’d like to order some.
jeff said...
October 18, 2009 at 11:36 am
Uh oh. I can’t say that I do. Any other readers, especially those from Germany, that can help out here? Jeff
Patty said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:57 pm
How many ounces of flour do you use in your recipe. Every time I measure out 6 1/2 cups I get a different weight.
I lived in Germany for 6 years and have always missed eating them. Thank you for posting this recipe–they are so delicious!
zoe said...
November 9, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Hi Patty,
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour = 5 ounces
In our newest book we have a chart of weights for all of the different flours. Hope that helps!
Thanks, Zoë
fenchel2c said...
December 9, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I made my first batches of Brötchen ever. They were crispy and had a nice color on the outside but the crumber was dense and chewy not soft and airy as I remember. I used KA’s eurpoean-style bread flour. Should I have used AP flour, a longer rise after removing from the refrigerator or both?
zoe said...
December 9, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Hi Fenchel2c,
If you replace KA Bread flour for the AP in our recipes you will have to add about 1/4+c of water. Their bread flour has way more protein which absorbs more water, which means your dough was probably much drier than we intended. This is most likely the culprit for the dense crumb of your bread. If you still have dough left, just add water until it is the right consistency. Watching our videos may give you an idea of what you are going for. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=63
Thanks, Zoë
Anthony said...
January 5, 2010 at 3:09 pm
If I wanted to make a half batch of these what amount of egg whites should I use? Thanks
Jennifer said...
January 6, 2010 at 8:36 am
I have been using Alton Brown’s recipe for english muffins butt hey have been not cooking all the way through. I will try this recipe and see if I can get better results. Thanks!
Sandra said...
February 12, 2010 at 7:43 pm
This brings back memories of 1963 and Stuttgart, Germany and Mom and I in a cafe (I’m only 4 then) eating brotchen with churned butter and jelly-there is nothing like authentic. Ahh, memories~thank you for sharing!
jeff said...
February 12, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Sandra: We are so pleased when memory, bread, and good eating all come together. Thanks for sharing the story. Jeff
Katrina Stokes said...
April 1, 2010 at 7:52 am
I can’t wait to try this out. My grandmother is Austrian (ethnic German) and my family spent time in Germany while my father was in the Army. They will love it!!!!
Cheryl said...
April 3, 2010 at 8:43 am
Made brotchen for my German friends who have been missing it terribly since moving here to the states. The first thing out of the 17yr old boy was “oooohhhhh this is soooo good – you did good Cheryl don’t change a thing!!! I sooooooooo miss this!”
It does a girl’s heart good. Guess there will always be a bucket of brotchen either in the fridge or some frozed for use with German style Frustuck.
Thank You So very much Zoe and Jeff
jeff said...
April 3, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Cheryl: Glad this is brightening up your Frustuck! At least ein bisschen. Jeff
Steve said...
February 23, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I can’t wait to try this!