WASABI ROLLS

By kitkat1

Ingredients

• 1 cup white bread flour
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (wrist-temperature)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 cup almond milk
• Sesame seeds

Details

Adapted from neverhomemaker.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yeast and 1/4 cup of warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes (until frothy).
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the white bread flour and 1-1/4 cups of the whole wheat, the salt, and wasabi powder. You'll want to hold on to that half 1/4 cup and only use as-needed once the wet ingredients are mixed in.
In your yeast mixture, mix in the maple syrup and almond milk. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix using the paddle attachment. The dough will likely be sticky, so add in the whole wheat flour as necessary (tablespoon at a time) until you get a nice, elastic round.
Then, drip a bit of olive oil into the bowl (hardly any -- just enough for a light, light coat, use a spray oil if you have one) and cover with some plastic wrap and let puff in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
When the dough is puffed, transfer from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Toll into a 2 ft-ish long log. Flatten slightly with your palms, then cut with a knife in a zig-zag pattern to create 8 to 10 triangles.
Place the triangles onto the baking sheet, moisten with a bit of water (just a pinch) and then sprinkle on some sesame seeds. This part is optional.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Until the rolls are golden brown. Marvel at your creation.


What's up with using wasabi powder in bread? Well, it isn't a critical ingredient. So, if it freaks you out, leave it out. I thought it would be interesting to taste how the flavor would work in bread. With my soup (we'll share the recipe on Monday) -- which, by the way, is a sort of East-meets-West corn chowder -- I didn't notice the flavor incredibly much. Just a slight note of it.

But when I toasted a roll for breakfast this morning and topped with some homemade chocolate-coconut peanut butter and jam, they flavor was much more pronounced. Either it takes time for the wasabi to bloom . . . or mixing it with peanut butter is just strange.

Whatever. It was still a great breakfast!