Mexican-Style Bread Rolls #BreadWorld

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A couple different shapes you can make for this bolillo recipe are round or a longer bread, birote style. Yield 6 large rolls. This recipe is perfect for making Mexican tortas or for that big bowl of menudo.

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour, plus more for dusting
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups warm water
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water or milk

Procedures:

1. In a large bowl combine 1½ cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the flour as you can.

2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Cover and let rise, in a warm space, for 1 hour.

3. Punch down after 1 hour. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts, shape into oval shapes, pulling and twisting slightly. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to make a cut about a ¼-inch deep along the center of each roll. In a small bowl, combine the egg white and water. Brush the tops and sides of the rolls. Cover with wax paper or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

4. Another method. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place a baking dish on the bottom rack of oven while it is preheating. Right before baking the bread, fill hot baking dish with 1 cup of room-temperature water. This will create steam and also result in a crisp exterior on the bread. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for another 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer bag.

Tips: To create the longer, birote-style roll, take the dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and using the palm of your hand, press it out to extend. You are looking for a 6-inch circle. Fold it over like a taco and again using the palm of your hand, press to spread out slightly. Fold again towards seam and twist and extend the ends for that signature shape. Brush with egg wash and let rise according to directions.