• Awesome Buns get some Cheese’n’Chivin’ love

Here’s a subtly different take on my Awesome Buns recipe – they’re so full of flavour — go ahead and do everyone one a favour - bring ‘em out and share — picnics, hikes, the beach and the likes. And they pair off beautifully with some mature cheddar and Chango Mutney — the recipe of which will be coming soon:

This recipe uses traditional methods for making bread.   If using a bread making machine, use the following ingredients and make up according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Preparation: Two large baking trays lined with parchment paper.  Very lightly flour.

INGREDIENTS

12 fl. oz (350 ml) full cream milk
12 fl. oz (350 ml) water
1 teaspoon castor sugar
2 tablespoons dried yeast (or fresh 42g)

4.5 oz (125 g) butter at room temperature
Bunch fresh chives, chopped very finely
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

2 lb 2 oz (1000g) strong bread flour, two thirds white, one third plain wholemeal, plus extra
2-3 teaspoons salt
10-12 oz (350 - 375g) Mature cheddar, grated
Smoked paprika

Blend the butter with the chopped chives, garlic, salt and pepper. 
Combine the milk, water and sugar in a jug.  Warm so that it is fairly hot — but not so hot that you can't stick your finger in it which will kill the yeast — and whisk in the yeast.  Leave for approximately 10 minutes or until there is a good frothy head.
Sieve the flour into a large bowl along with the salt and rub in the herb butter until the dough resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture.  Incorporate with a wooden spoon and then as soon as the water has been absorbed, dust the hands with flour and knead the dough for around 10 minutes until elastic on a smooth worktop, using extra flour if necessary. Use the left hand to punch down and away and the right to pull and punch down in the opposite direction, quarter-twist and repeat until the dough is soft and pliable.
Make a cross in the dough, lightly flour and leave it in the same bowl to rise.  Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for an hour, or until the dough has risen to twice its original size.
Knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough equally into 24 segments (approximately 3 oz (70g—75g each). 
Then, using virtually no extra flour or you won't be able to get any torque on the rolling out, make strips around 12 inches (30 cm) long using both hands.  Coil the dough and pinch the end in so that the roll doesn't unravel. These can be done at speed.
Place the coiled dough on the trays one at a time and lightly flour the surface of the dough.  Cover with the tea-towel again and leave for approximately 20—30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF).
In the meantime, generously grate or sprinkle the cheddar onto the buns and season with a good shake of smoked paprika and pepper.
Bake the rolls in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden.  Slide the parchment paper with rolls onto a cake rack and leave to cool, covering with a clean tea towel. 
Eat fresh whilst still warm or, interlacing with waxed paper, freeze the bread rolls in a container or large bag for up to three months.  

Top Row: Left to Right : Chive and garlic butter / ready to be baked / risen dough
Second Row: Left to Right : Unbaked close-up / freshly baked Cheese’n’Chive Awesome Buns