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West AfricanAuthentic Cuisine

West African Soft Rolls

Serves 4 to 6 Bread vegetarian, Breads & Pastry

West African Soft Rolls

West African Soft Rolls embody the essence of everyday comfort found in home kitchens across the region. These rolls make their appearance at the family table, where the salt is judged by hand, and the butter is used with a generous touch. Crafted with simple, honest ingredients, they are a staple of shared meals, reflecting the unpretentious beauty of West African home cooking.

Baked to a gentle golden hue, these rolls offer a tender, airy crumb balanced by the richness of butter and a whisper of salt. The milk lends a subtle sweetness, making each bite soft and satisfying. They're meant to be broken and passed around, a silent invitation to savor the moment together.

Ingredients

  • 500 gflour
  • 7 gyeast
  • 250 mlmilk
  • 50 gbutter
  • 1 tspfine sea salt

Method

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 500 g of flour and 1 tsp of fine sea salt. Make a well in the center and add 7 g of yeast. Warm 250 ml of milk until it is just lukewarm, then pour it into the well, stirring gently to dissolve the yeast. Let this sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes frothy, indicating it is active.
  2. Melt 50 g of butter and let it cool slightly. Add the melted butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands, mix everything together until a rough dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic, no longer sticking to your hands or the surface.
  3. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning it once to coat the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. This should take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. The dough is ready when you press it gently and the indentation remains.
  4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently to release the air. Transfer it back to the floured surface and divide it into equal portions, shaping each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough space between them to allow for expansion. Cover them with a cloth and let them rest for another 30 minutes until they puff up slightly.
  5. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Once the rolls have risen again, place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls turn a golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  6. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly. This allows the crumb to set properly, ensuring a soft and tender texture inside.
  7. Serve the West African Soft Rolls warm alongside your meal, inviting everyone to share and enjoy the comforting, homemade taste of these soft, buttery rolls.
Cover of Authentic West African Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic West African Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic West African Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the West African volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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