Freshly Baked Bread Rolls

I love the smell of freshly baked bread. And it is an aroma I get to savour every time I come home.

Mom bakes bread once in a while. This morning she told me that she was going to make bread rolls. I was excited to document the process.

Mom was a trained Mathematics and Home Science teacher. She retired a few years ago, and found that she had lots of free time in her hands. Since she loved cooking and baking, she did not mind spending much time in the kitchen.

She first learned to bake bread from her colleagues eons ago. Over the years, she developed her own preferred method and use of ingredients.

Today's filling for the bread rolls is grated coconut flavoured with palm sugar. Mom boiled pandan leaves in a cup of water. When the water boiled, she removed the pandan leaves before dissolving palm sugar in it. Add grated coconut into the flavoured water and stir till slightly dried.

Grated coconut flavoured with palm sugar

Mom added sweet potato into the bread dough. She said it helped soften the bread. Mom used 1 kg of bread flour and about 100g of mashed sweet potato.

She rubbed the potato into the flour and then added 2 lightly beaten eggs.

Mom kneaded the dough by hand. About 2 tablespoons of butter are added.

More kneading followed and then the dough was left to rise. When it was ready, Mom made little balls, flattened them and filled each of them with grated coconut.

She sealed the edges, rolled them into round balls and glazed them with egg and milk mixture. A sprinkle of sesame seeds decorated the balls.

Because I did not really fancy coconut filling, Mom decided to make me sausage and cheese rolls.

She spreaded the bread dough with a rolling pin, placed a chicken frankfurter and a slice of cheddar on top before braiding the dough over the filling. It was brushed also with the egg and milk mixture.

Mom baked the bread rolls for 20 minutes on 220ºF. When they come out of the oven, the bread rolls are glazed with butter.

Fresh out of the oven

Braided sausage and cheese rolls

A halved coconut-filled bread roll

A halved sausage and cheese roll

It is certainly not every day that I get to have freshly baked bread rolls for lunch. Certainly not one that's baked with lots of love. A roll and a cup of coffee. There's an old-fashioned feel to it and it brings warmth to my heart.