PARTY CHEESE & ONION ROLLS, light wholemeal, sugar & yeast free

Party perfect: cheesy oniony bread/rolls that disappear almost as fast as it takes to make them...

Buns, rolls and/or a loaf from easy multi-duty soda bread dough
'...lovely & crunchy outside; soft within'

This easy-peasy bread dough is so easy and so versatile, you can easily make a lot of buns or rolls or a gorgeous loaf...or all three.  

It takes just minutes to put together; no hanging about waiting for dough to rise.  

The bread - cheesy and tangy with onion - is just the thing for soup or a cheese board.  It will also mop up the juices of, say Luscious Lamb & Wine Casserole, or serve as hot dog or hamburger buns.  Leftovers are great reheated or turned into toast.

For something so delicious, it's surprisingly good for you.  It has no sugar or yeast.  It contains wholemeal four but not enough to make it heavy.  Common wheat can be replaced with low-gluten high-protein spelt flour, or a mixture of both. 

Despite that, butter and cheese puts it into the indulgence category - especially for the cholesterol-phobic - but small portions and discipline minimize the damage.   

For the cow's milk phobic, use a goat's yoghurt/water mix (75% yoghurt, 25% water or milk) or a plant milk with vinegar added. 

Make these on the day needed. 

Cost:  £2
Feeds: Up to 35 rolls for a party; a substantial loaf; several buns

Ingred
120gr/4.5 oz wholemeal flour 
360 gr/12.6 oz plain white flour 
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

115 gms/4 oz cold butter in small dice

115 gm/4 oz mature cheddar (for the cholesterol conscious 30% fat-reduced - 67 used Davidstow)

50 gms/1.75 oz finely chopped spring onions, white & green 

1 large egg
400 ml buttermilk (OR plant or dairy milk with 1-2 tbsp vinegar OR 3/4 yoghurt, 1/4 water) 


Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/gas4
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat  
3. Hand whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl; add butter, separating cubes, rub into flour until mixture resembles peas
4. Coarsely grate cheese and to the flour with the spring onion; mix lightly but well with a fork, separating clumps of cheese or onion  
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg and buttermilk together
6. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add liquid; mix well with spatula; it will likely be thick & sticky
7. Tip onto a lightly floured board; if necessary, add more flour - up to half a cup until slightly malleable; shape into a round,
8. Lightly flour a small spring loaded ice cream scoop, 1.5 inches/4cm across
9. For single buns: scoop out the dough, scraping against the board; place flat side down on baking tray, leaving a little space between each one
10. For hot dog rolls: as in number 9, but place three scoops of dough right next to one another; they will form a single roll while baking; leave a bit of space around it 
11. For a loaf: Either lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan, place a strip of greaseproof paper the width of the pan along the bottom, ends extending; plop dough into the pan, spreading into the corners. OR form into a circle and place on a baking tray. OR place in an oval tin.  
12. Bake 25-30 mins for rolls, 45-55 min for a loaf.  
13. After two-thirds of the cooking time has passed, take rolls/loaf out of the oven. Carefully turn the bread over, leaving the bottom exposed.  
14. Return to oven.  The bread is done when the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when it is tapped. 

Comments:

'The mini-buns were lovely & crunchy outside but soft within. They were just right for soups mugs or a cheeseboard.'  Retired writer

Tips:

• This bread freezes well and, once defrosted, should be reheated in the lower half of a medium oven 15-20 min. 
• if you like this, try Light Wholemeal Soda Bread

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.