3604. CHEESY BRIOCHE ROLLS with BACON and ROSEMARY

1 lb. of bread flour, sifted
5 eggs, beaten + 1 more for the egg wash
5-6 slices of bacon (or more)
1.5 oz of fresh yeast or 1 packet of dry yeast
1/2 cup of whole or 2% milk
1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Crumble yeast into a small bowl, add sugar & lukewarm milk and stir until dissolved. Set aside for 15 minutes while you cook the bacon. Slice bacon into thin strips and sauté over medium heat until cooked through but not crispy. Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the fat, then drain fat and set aside to cool. Sift flour into large bowl, add the baking powder, add eggs, salt and foamy yeast mixture, and stir or knead into a doughy consistency. Add in reserved bacon, bacon fat, Parmesan and rosemary, and knead 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased warm bowl, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for at least 90 minutes or longer, until practically doubled in size. Flour a clean surface. Tip dough out of the bowl, and knead for another 15 minutes or so. Divide dough in even balls the size of a small apple, and space apart on a lined baking sheet or place in a greased muffin tin. Cover with a clean, damp towel and allow to rise a bit more over 20 minutes. Brush rolls with a quick egg wash made out of 1 beaten egg and a splash of water. This will make them shiny. Bake rolls for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and crusty on the outside.


bacon recipe source: The Hungry Belgian, September 24, 2013