These rolls or buns are different and quite good. They also are easy. You prepare a slightly sweet sourdough mixture and use it to wrap sweet dates that you've stuffed with creamy-tangy goat cheese. The rolls or buns get a quick brush of yogurt on top and a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon. The combination of sweet dates, creamy goat cheese, and tangy sourdough takes these rolls or buns beyond the usual fare you find in bread baskets! The rolls or buns also make quite filling snacks with a cup of tea or coffee. Enjoy!
Date and Goat Cheese Rolls or Buns -- Makes 8
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
1 cup of white whole-wheat flour (or use regular whole-wheat or all-purpose flour)
In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients listed above well, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the mixture sit for at least an hour. I usually let the mixture rest for 3-5 hours, and it's just fine. When you're ready, add to the mixture:
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
Stir, then knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, adding in about 1/2 cup of additional flour as you knead to prevent the dough from being too sticky to knead. Divide the dough into eight roughly equal pieces. Have ready:
8 large, soft pitted dates
2 ounces of goat cheese cut into 8 equal pieces
1-2 teaspoons of plain yogurt
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
Slit or pull apart the dates and stuff each date with a piece of the goat cheese, squashing the date together to enclose the cheese as much as possible. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Press an indentation into each dough ball with your thumb and stuff a filled date into the indentation. Re-roll the dough back into a ball, enclosing the date in the center.
If you want to use the air fryer to make the rolls/buns, cut small pieces of parchment to fit your air fryer basket. Place the dough balls on the parchment, spacing the balls at least an inch and a half apart. Rub some of the yogurt over the top of each dough ball and then sprinkle on some of the sugar. Let the dough rise for an hour or two or until it increases in volume by about one-third. Put one dough-topped piece of parchment in your air fryer basket, put the basket in the air fryer, and air fry the dough at 320 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the rolls/buns are a deep, golden brown. Remove the buns from the air fryer to cool and repeat the cooking process with the remaining dough. Let the rolls/buns cool for at least 10 minutes before serving them. The insides will be hot!
If you want to use the oven to make the rolls/buns, place the filled dough balls at least an inch and a half apart on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Rub some of the yogurt over the top of each dough ball and then sprinkle on some of the sugar. Let the dough rise for an hour or two or until it increases in volume by about one-third. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the dough for about 20 minutes or until the rolls/buns are a deep/golden brown. Remove the baked rolls/buns from the oven and let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving them. The insides will be hot!
Comments