Bread Baking in Steps - Marco's Regular Rolls

    Reviving Dry Yeast and Proofing: The dry yeast has to rehydrate and we check its functioning
  1. Rinse cup, put in ½ teaspoon sugar;
  2. Bring about one cup water to a boil;
  3. Pour about 6½ fl. oz. (200 ml) cold tap water in measuring cup;
  4. Add boiling water to the 11 oz (320 ml) mark, stir with small spoon to mix;
  5. Pour about 3½ oz (100 ml) of the warm water in the small cup with sugar - leaving 7½ oz (220 ml) - stir to dissolve sugar;
  6. Measure water temperature in cup, it should be about 100°F (37°C, body temp), not over 105°F (40°C)
    - or test with a drop on your wrist like a baby bottle;
    (the proportions hot and cold of course depend on how cold your tap water is - adjust to your situation)
  7. Sprinkle 2 tsp (1 packet) dry yeast over warm water in cup while stirring slowly (don't spill);
  8. Leave yeast alone for 5-10 minutes ("proofing yeast");
    Mixing Dough
  1. Put 275 g (2¼ cups) wholewheat flour in large bowl, push flour to the sides to make a well (hole) in the middle;
  2. Put 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in the well;
  3. Put 2 Tablespoons Rye flour around the well;
  4. Add 3 Tablespoons olive oil and the remaining (220 ml, 7½ oz) warm water (rinse measuring spoon with it);
  5. mix with wooden spoon;
    Kneading Dough, First Rising:
    The gluten in wheat will form elastic strings or sheets that will trap the carbondioxide gas produced by the yeast
  1. Check your yeast: it should be foaming, bubbling;
  2. Pour yeast over dough and mix with wooden spoon;
  3. Add 13/4 cup (235 g) white flour, mix with spoon at first, then by by hand;
    if you need a break, after mixing in the yeast and covering the 'sponge dough' with white flour you could leave it alone for 45 minutes or so;
  4. Mix with wooden spoon at first, then by by hand;
  5. Take dough out of bowl and put it on kneading surface, knead for one to two minutes, then let it rest for five to ten minutes (cover or put back in bowl);
  6. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes; add a little flour if it still sticks to your hands, a little water if the dough is too stiff; at first squeeze dough between fingers and upper hand while pushing down with lower hand (use your body weight), rotate dough a quarter-turn each push down; about halfway start flattening dough and folding over, in the last minute just squeeze and push again;
  7. Put kneaded dough back in large bowl, cover with plate or damp dishtowel, leave alone for an hour or so in a warm place;
    Punching Down Dough, Second rising:
  1. Have baking sheet covered with parchment paper ready;
  2. Bring oven to about 100°F (body temp) by turning it on for 1½ or 2½ minutes;
  3. Bring water to a boil in an old all-metal pan;
  4. Punch down risen dough, knead lightly, don't rip;
  5. Weigh dough and divide in nine equal portions, form balls;
  6. Let dough rest for a few minutes;
  7. Flatten and stretch dough balls, lay on baking sheets;
  8. Put baking sheet with bread rolls and pan with boiling water in the warm oven;
  9. Let it rise for an hour or so;
    Baking
  1. When the dough has again about doubled in volume, bring water in pan again to a boil, put back in oven, set oven temperature to 425°F (225°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes; (in my gas oven it's twelve minutes once the oven is at the right temperature; in a preheated oven the rolls bake in 15 minutes)
  2. Carefully take bread out of oven, let the rolls slide on on cooling racks;
  3. Knock on bread, it should sound hollow, not muffled;
  4. Allow it to cool down for about 5 minutes before slicing.

http://homepage.mac.com/schuffelen/bread.html