When it comes to baking during summer, especially in the warmest part of it, I like to bake early in the morning, bake in batches, and freeze everything I can for later use. That is why I find bread rolls so handy, as they freeze very well, and are perfect for hot days. Especially this tiny, slider buns and other bread rolls bake incredibly quickly, and a lot of them can fit on one baking tray, which is good for saving time and energy.
Depending on how warm your kitchen is, they can be ready in less than 2 hours, including baking, but if they take longer to rise, that is fine, too. I like to split them open and serve with homemade jam and coffee, for a sweet breakfast, but they are also quite lovely for picnics, once the weather allows it, or lunchboxes. Pillowy soft, with a beautiful chewy crust, they are gorgeous on their own, as well as with any filling of your choice, including sweet ones.
My tips for success
The quantity of sugar and salt is balanced to keep them neutral and flavourful, but if you like your slider buns on the saltier side, rather than increasing the salt in the dough, feel free to sprinkle some salt, coarse or regular, on them before baking. You can also use salted pumpkin seeds, for the same effect, and an added crunch.
They are truly best served very warm, but they do not slice very well at that point, so keep that in mind. If you want clean slices, it is best to wait until they have cooled down a bit.
Other than granulated sugar, you can use maple syrup or vegan honey as the sweetener, only use a bit less water in the dough, as liquid sweeteners have around 20% of water or more. The alternative is to add a bit more flour if the dough feels sticky once formed.
Ingredients
For the slider buns
350 grams plain flour
200 millilitres warm water
40 millilitres vegetable oil
20 grams fresh yeast
25 grams granulated sugar
7 grams salt
For the glaze and topping
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 teaspoons icing sugar
30 millilitres cold water
black and white sesame seeds, salted pumpkin seeds, etc.
Preparation
Take a large bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar and warm water, mix well, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once ready, pour in the oil, mix well, and then sift in the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until a very soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a nicely floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and smooth. It should not stick too much, but if it does, feel free to add a bit more flour. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it into that same large bowl you formed it in, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for about an hour, in a warm spot. Depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is, it may take a bit longer, but that is fine.
Line a medium baking tin (18x18 cm) with baking parchment and very lightly mist it with cold water. Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it gently by hand, and divide into 16 equal parts, by weight. Shape each of them into a smooth bun, and arrange them snugly in the baking tin. Generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C.
Mix all the ingredients for the glaze, apart from the seeds, and brush each slider bun generously. Top them equally abundantly with the seeds of your choice, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes, or until evenly browned. Serve immediately. Yields 16 buns.
Author's note: If freezing these buns, let them cool completely after baking, wrap tightly in cling film, and then place inside a storage bag, tightly sealing it, as well. To reheat, let them thaw completely in the refrigerator, and then reheat for about 20 minutes in a 180°C oven, until heated through and hot. Use within one month, for the best taste and quality.
