Bread 3: Vienna Rolls and Oatmeal Bread

This class started with preparing the dough for Vienna rolls. I got to class late so I don't know if Chef explained the name, whether it refers to a specific Austrian bread or technique (the Internet provides a clue here). Anyway, the recipe we used incorporated milk powder, oil and eggs to a standard white bread formula. As it was being kneaded in the mixer, the dough stuck to the sides and looked very wet. Chef had me toss in a handful of flour to help it come together. After rounding, we let the very soft dough rise under plastic while we proceeded to the oatmeal bread. The ingredients for the second bread included rolled oats, bran, shortening, honey and molasses. Finally, we were making something other than white bread! This was very simple to put together, as the mixer does all of the work (I come to this pleasant realization every class).

Since it was relatively warm outside, the Vienna roll dough was proofing quickly so we pressed out the gas and divided it into equal pieces. Even with one partner scaling out 105 g pieces and one shaping them into balls, it took quite a while. I was hoping we would get to use the dough divider. While the rolls rested, we divided the oatmeal dough into four and rounded them into free-standing boules. Chef had us slash it with a tic-tac-toe pattern, brush the top with egg wash, then sprinkle the surface with oats. We loaded them onto the trucks and they went into the proofer.

Back to the Vienna rolls: the recipe in our notes said we could shape them into knots and rosettes which I was looking forward to, but our instructor wanted us to make a humble torpedo. Grabbing each round in our hand to squeeze some of the gas out, we then rolled it into a thick log on a slightly damp surface then tapered the ends. Each one was slashed lengthwise and brushed with egg wash. Again, we went for the faux-rustic appearance by dusting with flour.

After Chef's loaves are baked, we always sample the finished products. I've found that straight out of the oven, there is an unpleasant yeasty flavour that dissipates after cooling. The Vienna rolls were quite soft and tender, without an eggy taste as I was expecting (we used 3 eggs for 22 rolls). The oatmeal bread was a little on the crumbly side, but is sweet and will make excellent toast. Total time in today's class was the fastest yet: we were done in 2 ½ hours!