Brotchen

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 -7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• 1 egg , beaten with
• 1 tablespoon cold milk
• poppy seeds or caraway seeds or sesame seeds (optional)
• coarse salt (optional)
• 1 cup ice cube

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in water, in large mixer bowl.
• 2 using dough hook, blend in shortening, sugar, salt and 3 cups of flour, and beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
• 3 fold in 3 stiffly beaten egg whites.
• 4 gradually blend in remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• 5 turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough, with surface blisters beginning to develop.
• 6 place into a large warm, oiled bowl, turn to oil all sides of dough.
• 7 cover with clean tea towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• 8 turn onto lightly oiled surface.
• 9 divide into 24 equal pieces and shape into 3-1/2 inch ovals.
• 10 place on greased baking sheet and flatten slightly.
• 11 cover with clean towel and let rise about 45 minutes.
• 12 about 15 minutes before end of rising time, turn rolls over.
• 13 preheat oven to 425 degrees and put an empty shallow pan on the lower shelf.
• 14 lightly brush brotchen with a mix 1 egg beaten with milk, and sprinkle with seeds or salt.
• 15 put ice cubes in the hot pan in lower oven and immediately set pan of brotchen in oven.
• 16 bake 15-20 minutes or until golden.
• 17 internal roll temperature should be 190 degrees.
• 18 transfer to cooling racks.
• 19 if your oven won't hold this number of rolls, shape 1/2 the rolls and let rise, and halfway through the rising time, shape the rest of the dough.
• 20 bake in two batches.