Ham and Cheese Rolls, The Perfect Beer Snack Recipe

It does not have to be a ‘beer snack’. You can have these on their own and be perfectly happy.

I am using a quick preferment in this recipe. A flying sponge. This will give the rolls a lighter texture. You could, of course, make them without the preferment. Simply move the ingredients over to the main dough. But the preferment does impart a great texture and extra flavour too. If you have never tried making a bread with a preferment, then I would highly suggest trying it out as it opens a whole new world of baking. The process is simple and does not take much effort at all. The only thing to consider is planning ahead as preferments take additional time to rise. Check out the breads with preferment page to learn more.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the ‘flying sponge’ –

100g (3.5oz) strong white bread flour

3g (0.1oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

135g (4.75oz) milk at 22C (72F) if your kitchen is around 23C (73F)

For the main dough –

150g (5.3oz) strong white bread flour

5g (0.2oz) salt

40g (1.4oz) soft butter

20g (0.7oz) sugar

To learn more about dough temperature when using a preferment click here.

For the filling –

250g (8.8oz) smoked ham

100g (3.5oz) grated cheddar or mozzarella

1 small onion, minced and cooked

You could, of course fill the rolls with many different ingredients. That is up to you. Just make sure that you do not use ingredients that are very wet.

1 egg for glazing and some seeds for sprinkling

Method

1. To make the flying sponge add the milk, yeast and flour to a bowl and mix until smooth. Cover and ferment for 1 hour or until puffed up and bubbly.
2. Add the sugar, salt, butter and mix to dissolve the sugar and salt.
3. Add the remaining flour and mix to a dough.
4. Tip it out on your table and knead for around 4 – 5 minutes. This dough does not require a long kneading time. Desired dough temperature 26 – 27C (79 – 80F). If your dough is cooler or warmer, then increase or decrease the proofing times accordingly.
5. Cover and proof for 45 minutes.
6. Fold.
7. Proof for another 45 minutes.
8. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle, cut it in half and fill both halves with the meat and cheese filling. Brush the edge of the dough and roll it up. Cut the roll into bite sized pieces and place on a non-stick paper covered tray.
9. Final proof around 1 hour. During this time preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on.
10. Brush the bites with egg and sprinkle with seeds.
11. Bake for around 25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown all over. Your oven may be stronger or weaker, so just keep an eye on your rolls for a perfect bake.

Enjoy them whist still warm.