Garlic Butter Clover Bread Rolls

There is no smell homelier or more comforting than that of freshly baked bread. Especially when said bread is filled with garlic butter and topped with cheese...

I needed some bread to have with soup for dinner so I decided to knock up a batch of garlic butter rolls, but not being content with making plain, round rolls, I also decided to make them pretty! I've got a long list of bread shaping techniques I want to try, because why have a plain loaf when you can do something intricate with it?! I settled on these twisty clover shaped rolls which are actually far simpler to shape than they look.

I made a soft, enriched milk bread dough and once it had risen, rolled it out and cut out circles; I didn't have a pastry cutter large enough so I just used the top of a big mug, I didn't even need to cut round it with a knife, the dough was soft enough that just pressing down on the mug was enough to cut through it. I then spread garlic butter of half of the discs and placed an un-buttered disc on top of each one, cut each round in eight places to make eight triangles, or four pairs of triangles (leaving the centre uncut), then flipped each pair of triangles over away from each other. If these instructions sound complicated never fear! I have provided photo instructions which will make it all make sense!

The rolls turned out beautifully, the bread is soft and fluffy and has a delicious flavour from the garlic butter, and the twisted clover shape makes it easy to pull sections (or "leaves") off to dunk in your soup.

I'm linking these to Fiesta Friday for Angie's birthday!

Makes about 11.

Ingredients:

• 500g (4 + ¼ cups) strong white bread flour
• 10g (3 tsp) fast action yeast
• 10g (1tsp) salt
• 25g (2tbsp) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 30g (2tbsp) softened butter
• 250ml (1 cup + 1tbsp) lukewarm milk

• 50g (¼ cup) softened butter
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley/1/2 tsp dried
• 1 egg
• parmesan cheese/caraway seeds/sesame seeds (optional)

Place the flour in a large bowl, add the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other, crack in the egg, add the butter and two thirds of the milk, mix everything together to form a shaggy dough. Add more milk gradually until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough is soft and sticky, you may not need all of the milk or you may need a little more.

Turn the dough out onto an un-floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside to rise until doubled in size, 1.5-2 hours.

Meanwhile make the garlic butter, crush the garlic cloves and mix into the butter along with the parsley. Line two baking sheets with silicone liners or greaseproof paper.

Once the dough has risen, knock it back and then roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 4-5mm thick. Use a 9-10cm round cutter (I used a large mug) to cut circles from the dough. Re-roll the leftover dough to cut out more circles, you need an even number of them. Spread a little garlic butter onto half of the discs and place an un-buttered disc on top of each buttered one, press down gently to seal.

Using a sharp knife, cut each circle in eight places, so you get eight triangles, or four pairs of triangles (leave the centre uncut).

With each pair of triangles, flip each one over in opposite directions away from each other so that each triangle is now upside-down.

Do this with each pair of triangles then transfer the buns to the prepared baking trays.

Loosely cover with clingfilm and set aside to rise for 20-30 minutes until puffy and the dough springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Once the buns have risen, beat the egg and brush some over each bun, sprinkle with grated parmesan, caraway seeds or sesame seeds if desired.

Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until golden, cover with foil if they start to colour too quickly (as you can see, I wasn't quick enough with the foil and mine started to catch a bit). Transfer to a wire rack to cool.