I was never a massive bread baker before practising for Bake Off. Only since have I really enjoyed it.
When the boys were younger I was more of a bung it in the bread machine type of girl. It's funny that years later, one of my eldest son Billy's school friends met Dylan ( my youngest) and said 'I remember your mum, she always made the best sandwiches!'.
So as you can imagine the thought of creating not only 24 perfectly formed rolls (2 flavours) but also something that could hold them made me nervous. Oh my I went into worry wort overdrive.
A friend of a friend is a baker. He showed me the basics and I practised until I had an acceptable vessel to carry my rolls. Then onto the rolls, I made 12 pumpkin rolls in little terracotta plant pots and 12 pecan and orange sweet rolls.
Everybody who came into our house that week went home with a bread basket overflowing with rolls. I swear I could've given mothers pride a run for their money!
1oz of fresh yeast
2oz sugar
7 floz lukewarm milk
3 floz fresh orange juice
1oz unsalted butter
1 egg beaten
1lb 4oz strong white flour
Grated zests of 2 oranges
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1oz melted butter
Mix the above filling ingredients together. Mix yeast with 2 tablespoons of milk & 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Sift flour into large bowl, add rest of sugar, orange zest and salt. Turn into an oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm.
170g strong white flour
170g strong wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon of salt
15g of fresh yeast
10floz buttermilk
1 tablespoon of clear honey
45g softened butter
100g pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 200c.
Filling
3oz demerara sugar
3oz chopped pecans
Zest of 1 oranges
Method
Mix the rest of milk with melted butter, orange juice and egg.
Make a well in the centre add the 2 liquids. Warm buttermilk in a small pan to lukewarm then whisk in yeast. Pour buttermilk yeast and honey into the well. Knead on bread hook for 6-8 mins, or by hand for 10 mins.
Leave to rise for 40-60 mins until doubled in size.
Turn out and roll into 2 oblongs, spread with sugar, pecan & spice mix, roll up tightly and cut each into 6 rolls discarding the ends.
Put into a buttered muffin tins zest clementine zest over tops rubbing in. Cover with clingfilm leave for 15-20 mins. Bake in a medium hot oven 200 for 20 - 25 mins.
Remove from tray immediately.
Make up some icing sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice and drizzle over the top. Sift flours and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub in butter then make a well in the centre. Stir together, knead for 6 mins on a bread hook, or 10 mins by hand.
Add pumpkins seeds (reserving 2 tablespoons) mix a little more to combine. Divide mixture between 12 greased muffin tins/terracotta pots, sprinkle with remaining seeds. Cover with oiled cling leave for an hour until well risen. Brush with a little egg wash. Bake for 15-20 mins remove from tins and cool on wire racks.
