New England Style Top Loading Hot Dog Rolls

[nickelmore]

LOL This thread got me to thinking about Alx and when I tried to recreate his pretzel making recipe/thread.

One big disaster. Was it fun? Yes. Is it cheaper to buy those big pretzels? Yes. Did mine taste better......did I mention disaster.

Still gets me laughing after years.....priceless.

The first thing I though of is that I can buy a package of hotdogs and make the same amount of buns....

[HornedToad]

I noticed on a recent trip to Boston that the $10 hot dogs at Fenway were served on this style of bun... as well as many of the lobster rolls I had at different restaurants in the region.

Even if you stick a hot dog in a fancy bun... it's not gonna taste like lobster!!!

[Jailer]

Heh, I never even heard of top split hotdog buns until I saw this thread.

Now I must make some..........damn you gracoman.

[Abelman]

In the NE, you can buy them at the grocery store. They are better and sturdier than the run of the mill bun. I remember those as a kid visiting my grandparents along with brown eggs.

Every so often, I even see them in our local grocery store here and will buy them every time.

With all the micro marketing stores do now, you never know what the hell is going to show up or disappear these days .

[BBQ Engineer]

I'm intrigued by the thought of this because fresh home made bread is so much better than anything store bought. I was looking at this pan, and I thought this site was interesting...this guy just used the whole pan and spread the pan across the dividers instead of forming individual rolls. I thought it was also interesting that he made cake in it too. I would love to use this to make some rolls for home made philly cheese steaks or even an Italian beef sandwich...toasted sides of course.

[206]

I'm a sammich junky and I can tell you, Bread Matters.

[gracoman]

I'm intrigued by the thought of this because fresh home made bread is so much better than anything store bought. I was looking at this pan, and I thought this site was interesting...this guy just used the whole pan and spread the pan across the dividers instead of forming individual rolls. I thought it was also interesting that he made cake in it too. I would love to use this to make some rolls for home made philly cheese steaks or even an Italian beef sandwich...toasted sides of course.

I went with the formula and technique from The Fresh Loaf for a higher rise and nicer looking finish. Modified buttery dinner rolls

[PitRow]

this guy just used the whole pan and spread the pan across the dividers instead of forming individual rolls.

Kinda made me wonder why you need the special pan in this case. Couldn't you just do it in a half sheet pan and be good? I suppose you need higher sides than a sheet pan though.

[Mark R]

Very cool post gracoman! I would really like to try these, and bake bread..Time available it killing me. I will try it though. Have to re-look at that recipe, not sure if the numbers provided are 3/4 or what to make 3/4 out of? Also says replaced all fluids with milk and increased hydration to 70%, scalded milk is the only liquid listed??? Is it still scalded?? I think the 70% hydration is milk to total mass, but that doesn't make much sense??? You would get soup, not dough.
Any help???

Still great post! BuNNNs look excellent!

[gracoman]

Kinda made me wonder why you need the special pan in this case. Couldn't you just do it in a half sheet pan and be good? I suppose you need higher sides than a sheet pan though.

Absolutely you can free form these and bake in a sheet pan.

[gracoman]

Very cool post gracoman! I would really like to try these, and bake bread..Time available it killing me. I will try it though. Have to re-look at that recipe, not sure if the numbers provided are 3/4 or what to make 3/4 out of? Also says replaced all fluids with milk and increased hydration to 70%, scalded milk is the only liquid listed??? Is it still scalded?? I think the 70% hydration is milk to total mass, but that doesn't make much sense??? You would get soup, not dough.
Any help???

Still great post! BuNNNs look excellent!

First time I tried these I didn't have any milk on hand so I substituted lukewarm water for the called for scalded milk and came out with a rather wet dough. I used scalded milk next and it worked much better for these. Scalded milk is the only liquid used along with a fair amount of butter.

To calculate the hydration level of a conventional recipe, first weigh the flour and water or other liquid. Divide the weight of the water by the weight of the flour and then multiply the result by 100. For example, a recipe containing 1 1/4 cups of water (10 ounces) and 3 cups of all-purpose flour (15 ounces) will have a 67 percent (10/15 x 100 = 67) hydration level, indicating a moderately airy crumb.

The recipe I used is 3/4 of a King Arthur Flour recipe for golden pull-apart butter buns.

[PitRow]

Absolutely you can free form these and bake in a sheet pan.

Right and that video shows you forming them separately, but the video by bbq engineer he just plopped it down as one big rectangle then cut them apart afterwards.

[gracoman]

Right and that video shows you forming them separately, but the video by bbq engineer he just plopped it down as one big rectangle then cut them apart afterwards.

I went with the formula and technique from The Fresh Loaf for a higher rise and nicer looking finish.

I didn't like the method described in the KAF pan recipe. A weighted sheet pan is placed over the top to keep the rise down. The top becomes the bottom after the bread rectangle is removed. The finished rolls seem a bit short that way but I like the pan as it lends consistency and the method I used results in a more polished appearance with a softer crumb.

[DanMcG]

I love the buns and even have the pan, But have yet to bake a good bun. They always taste good but the texture is always to heavy. Never claimed to be a baker.

[gracoman]

I love the buns and even have the pan, But have yet to bake a good bun. They always taste good but the texture is always to heavy. Never claimed to be a baker.

A number of reviews on the King Arthur Flour site describe the same cakey, dense finish with their standard pan recipe so I skipped it. Try changing your recipe to either what I used or the KAF hamburger buns.