Buttermilk Ricotta Fennel Rolls
“With bread all sorrows are less.”
– Sancho Panza in Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.
These buttermilk ricotta fennel rolls came about because I was seeking a heartier dinner roll that could stand up to soups and stews and chilis while still remaining light in texture and with a good, tender chew. These rolls do just that and have a lovely tang from the buttermilk, a richness from the ricotta cheese, and pleasant subtle pops of fennel throughout.
The Beauty of Buttermilk
As anyone who bakes a lot will tell you, buttermilk can help your bakes go from good to great. (See Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes and Lime Panna Cotta Tarts.) From moister cakes to loftier pancakes, the lactic acid in buttermilk helps break down long strands of gluten, resulting in lighter, more tender bakes. And in addition to imparting a tangy, creamy quality, the reaction of buttermilk when used with baking soda helps give a lovely rise and wonderful crumb.
Today’s commercial buttermilk, as in the kind you buy at the grocery store labeled “cultured,” is thicker and more acidic than the old, homemade kind. Original homemade buttermilk consisted of fermenting the liquid residue from churned butter overnight, which allowed the naturally-occurring bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus to convert the milk sugars into lactic acid. With pasteurization in modern commercial buttermilk, the bacteria is killed off and has to be reintroduced. You can read more about the process in this Fine Cooking article. And if you really want to geek out educate yourself, this Slate article on the history of buttermilk is worth a read.
Buttermilk Hack
In a pinch and need to make your own buttermilk? One easy trick I’ve used many times is to mix a tablespoon or two of lemon juice or vinegar with a cup of milk and let it sit for ten minutes. Voilà! Instant acidified “buttermilk.” Adjust up or down according to how much buttermilk you need.
Reality Bakes
Tips and potential pitfalls to look out for when making Buttermilk Ricotta Fennel Rolls:
- Adding too much flour – this will make your rolls dense and floury-tasting. Use olive oil for punching down, cutting, and rolling your dough into balls.
- Proofing time – be sure dough is doubling in size in both proofs. Remember, in colder weather/kitchens it will take longer.
- If you want really nice brown tops, brush the rolls with melted butter or olive oil before putting into the oven.
- You can easily substitute or add other herbs – rosemary and thyme come to mind – or skip the herbs altogether if you prefer.
Buttermilk Ricotta Fennel Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water (105ºF to 110ºF)
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for rolling out dough
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups bread flour
- 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing
- Flaked sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in warm water (105ºF to 110ºF ) in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Set aside to proof. It should start foaming and bubbling in 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter and buttermilk together until the butter is melted. (Microwave is okay.) Whisk in the ricotta cheese. Add to the mixer bowl and combine with the yeast.
- Stir in the rest of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, eggs, salt and fennel seeds until well combined.
- Add 3 cups of the bread flour and mix on medium low for about a minute. Gradually add flour 1/4 cup at a time, kneading on medium speed, only until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and ball up around the dough hook, usually about 6 to 8 minutes. Dough should be elastic but still sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour.
- Form dough into a loose ball and place in a well-oiled bowl, flipping ball to coat both sides. Cover with a damp dish towel. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Gently punch down dough on a lightly oiled surface. Cut into 12 equal pieces and shape by cupping your lightly oiled hands around each ball at the base and turning it in small circles, using the counter to create surface tension. Place rolls in a lightly greased or sprayed 9×13 baking dish. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- When rolls have risen, brush with melted butter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a deep golden brown.
- Sprinkle with flaked sea salt (optional) and serve while still warm.
- Rolls may be stored at room temperature in a resealable plastic bag for a few days, or frozen in an airtight freezer bag or container.
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Thank you for sharing this recipe. I tried it and loved the flavour and texture of the bread (although I did not have fennel seeds and used Caraway seeds in stead, which gave a fabulous aroma and taste I just have one issue, my rolls ran too flat, even though the crumb-texture was great. So I am wondering if my dough was not stiff enough? It was still sticky as I dont dry heavy buns. Any ideas?
Hi Mara. Caraway seeds sound like a beautiful substitution. As far as the flattening, a couple of things come to mind. The first is that maybe the dough wasn’t kneaded enough for the gluten strands to really develop. Flour strength matters, too, but assuming the use of bread flour and your yeast being good, the other thing might be over-proofing during the second rise. I’ve had trouble at this stage with other yeasted breads (especially sourdough) as it’s so changeable, being dependent on temperature and humidity as it is. Did the rolls flatten out upon baking or did they flatten… Read more »
With the eggs and fennel seeds. I’ll fix it, thanks.