Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread / Rolls ~ We Knead to Bake #17

This simple and very easy to make French milk bread, is Aparna's choice for this month's We Knead bake challenge.   These lightly sweet and soft rolls were absolutely delicious.

Adapted from: Gourmet by Kat

Ingredients:
Warm milk - 2/3 cup ( you might need a little more)
Instant yeast - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
All-purpose flour - 1 2/3 cup
Bread flour - 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 4 tbsp or 60gms, at room temperature
Extra milk for brushing
Pearl sugar or granulated sugar for topping ( optional)

Method:

1. You an knead by hand or food processor.
2. Put warm milk, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse couple of times to mix.  Then add all the flour and the salt and run the processor until it looks crumbly.  Add the butter and knead until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky.  Add little more milk ( in teaspoonful at a time), if you dough is dry, until you have the required consistency of dough. 
3. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, turning it over to coat with oil.  Cover loosely and set aside to rise until double in volume.  This should take about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto your working surface. You shouldn't need any flour, but if you feel the need, just lightly dust your palms with it.  Deflate the dough gently, and divide it into 10 equal pieces.  Let them rest for 15 minutes.
5. Roll out each piece of dough, one at a time, into a circle about 4" in diameter.  Slowly roll up the circle from one end, Swiss roll / jelly roll style into a cylinder.  Pinch the seam close neatly, and place them on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet with the seam side facing down.  Cover loosely and let them rise for an hour or so till almost double in size.
6. Brush them lightly with milk and using a pair of sharp scissors, make diagonal cuts (not too deep) on the top of the rolls.  Sprinkle pearl sugar / granulated sugar.
7. Bake them at 400 degree F (220C) for bout 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let them cook on a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.
8. This recipe makes 10 Petit Pains au Lait.  They are best eaten the same day, though you could warm them up and serve the next day.

Hyderabadi Double Ka Meeta

This rich bread pudding is one of the specialties of Hyderabad.  Traditionally the bread in this dish is deep fried in ghee / clarified butter.  But to reduce some calorie count, I toasted the bread slices in ghee.  

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 5 to 6

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Ingredients:
White Bread Slices - 10
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Milk - 4 cups
Evaporated milk - 1 can
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Saffron strands - few
Mixed nuts - 1/2 cup, pistachios, almonds and or cashews
Ghee / Clarified butter -

Method:

1. Slice the bread in half.  Keep it aside for some time for it to dry.
2. Meanwhile,  prepare the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water in a skillet.  Boil until sugar dissolves and thickens, about 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the cardamom and remove from the heat.
3. Combine the milk and evaporated milk and cook until its reduced to half.  Add the saffron strand and mix well.
4. Toast or shallow fry the bread slices in ghee until golden brown.
5. Place the toasted bread slices in the sugar syrup.  Press it gently to absorb the syrup.  Remove and place it a tray.
6. Pour the milk mixture all over the bread.  
7. Garnish with chopped nuts.
8. Serve warm.