Bulgar Rolls

If there is one bread recipe that I could call my specialty, bulgar rolls would be the one. I've probably made thousands of these rolls through the years, including several hundred for our wedding. I don't have to ask what to bring to family Christmas reunions since I'm usually asked to bring these.

I've tried many other roll recipes and found some we've really enjoyed, but I keep coming back to this one. We love the slightly nutty taste and texture that the bulgar adds. Hope you enjoy this recipe as well!

Bulgar is a cracked wheat that you can find at a bulk foods store. If you don't have bulgar, substitute oatmeal. Oatmeal will give a similar texture.

2 cup water
1/2 cup bulgar (or oatmeal)
3 T butter

Boil until bulgar is soft. Cool until lukewarm.

1 T yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water

Dissolve yeast in water.

1/3 cup brown sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
2 tsp salt
1 egg
6 cup flour (may use white or a white/whole wheat mix)

Mix sugar, salt, egg, flour, bulgar mixture and yeast mixture. Mix well.

Allow dough to rest for fifteen minutes. Add more flour if needed. No more than one cup of flour should be necessary. The dough should be soft but not sticky and easy to manage.

Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes by hand or by machine. Place dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise for one hour or until double. Punch dough down. Rest for 10 minutes. Shape into rolls. Rise for 45 minutes or until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Note: I always double this recipe in my large Bosch mixer and machine knead the dough. It makes quite a few rolls but they freeze well. I usually replace at least half of the flour with whole wheat flour and often add 1/8 cup of vital gluten.

For other favorite roll recipes see cornmeal rolls and sandwich buns.