Zwieback

Zwieback, which means 'twice-baked' in German is a literal name for these delicious sweet rolls. Bake them through the first round, and they are delicious fresh for a mid-day pause alongside a cup of coffee. Bake them the second time, and they are nuttier and crisper - closer to biscotti - and will keep for weeks.

First, heat 1/2 cup plain soy milk (such as Silk) over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edges - the original recipe stated that this would happen at about 180 degrees, but I took mine from the burner at 145 degrees because the bubbles were growing rapid and the recipe cautioned not to let the (soy) milk boil.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), stirring until melted. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil, 5 teaspoons raw sugar and 3/4 tsp. salt. Stir to combine and let cool to room temperature.

While the soy milk mixture cools, dissolve 1 teaspoon raw sugar and 1 package of yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons) into 1/4 cup warm water, heated to between 100 and 110 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the cooled soy milk mixture and stir to combine. Make the equivalent of one egg using egg replacer (such as Ener-G) and whisk until it is slightly frothy. Add to the yeast mixture, stirring well with a whisk.

Spoon out 3 cups all-purpose flour into measuring cups, leveling with a knife. Add to the yeast mixture, one cup at a time, and stir until a dough forms, before turning out onto a lightly floured surface and kneading for 5 minutes.

My dough, whether through an error I made or because that's just the way this recipe is, was very floury, and difficult to knead at first. As a result, I didn't even have to flour the countertop I was working on. I assume, however, that this is probably normal, since this is the first yeast bread recipe I've encountered that doesn't prompt you to add more dough as you knead to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.

Oh yes, and the steps for kneading: punch dough down with palms, fold in half, turn a quarter-turn, repeat!

When you're done kneading, place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat the top. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Punch the dough down, then cover and let rise another 30 minutes. Punch the dough down, cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Working with one at a time (leave the rest covered in the bowl), roll into a circle, then pat out into a 2 and 1/2-inch oval (it's smaller than you think, so don't be alarmed...) Starting with one longer edge, roll up tightly, and press at the seams to seal. Place, seam-side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with all 12 rolls, then cover and let rise 45 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. As I mentioned, this is the stage at which they make a delicious snack!

To do the "twice-baking" with any leftovers, cut each roll lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn over and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on wire racks.



The picture at the top is the rolls after the first round of baking. Here they are twice-baked.

Cost:
vegan butter $3.49
yeast packages $2.69