After years of baking breads, muffins and pastries, I thought I’d encountered every form of wheat on the planet, but I was wrong! Enter malted wheat flakes. Common in Britain, malted wheat flakes are made by soaking grains of wheat in water, which allows the grains to germinate. This produces several enzymes that convert the starch in the grains to sugars. The process is then halted by air-drying the grains. Finally, the whole grains are rolled into flakes.
Because they’re whole grains, malted wheat flakes are nutritional powerhouses: they’re full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. And their nutty and slightly sweet taste make them a welcome addition to baked goods, bread dough, muffin batter or even breakfast muesli (much like rolled oats).
The recipe below for Malted Wheat Rolls is based on a famous British bread called granary bread. Although authentic granary bread relies on a proprietary flour blend that’s made in England, these rolls are a pretty good replication. Their subtly sweet flavor and chewy texture make them perfect for dinner alongside a hearty stew. Or, eat them like I do, as a breakfast treat with butter and jam.
Malted Wheat Rolls
Ingredients
- 6¼ ounces bread flour
- 6 ounces whole-wheat flour
- 1½ ounces potato flour
- 3½ ounces malted wheat flakes
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 10 to 11 fluid ounces water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine flours, wheat flakes, salt and yeast. Mix until combined.
- Add water, sugar and butter. Mix until most of the flour has been moistened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Switch to a dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth but slightly sticky.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
- Gently transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into nine equal pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place the rolls on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 50 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- After the dough has finished rising, bake rolls for 28 to 32 minutes, until they’re golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of one reads at least 190°F.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Makes 9 rolls.
