HONEYCOMB BREAD weekend projects are just the best with this middle eastern delight. Honeycomb bread is a soft like cloud buns with Cream cheese filling, then finish off with a drizzle of saffron syrup. You don’t know what you’re missing if you haven’t tried these!
Where to buy saffron? Its available in major supermarkets like Sm Supermarkets along pepper and spices section. It can easily go out of stock though but you can always keep an eye for restock.
If you want to make these bread rolls more soft and long lasting you may add the Chinese secret bread ingredients to this recipe Tangzhong ingredient. It it proven and tested to make any bread so soft.
HONEYCOMB BREAD
INGREDIENTS:
For the bread:
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 50 grams melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten well
- 150 grams cream cheese (5.3 oz. or 2/3 cups)
For the Saffron syrup:
- 1 cup sugar and water (1:1 ratio)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon rose water (or any flavor you like such as vanilla)
- 2 teaspoon honey
- saffron strands – a pinch (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- There are 2 methods to make these bread. I prefer 2nd method always because it gave me wrinkle free and faster result.
- For Saffron syrup: Boil 1cup sugar with 1 cup water. Add cinnamon powder, saffron and rose water to it. Let it come to a sticky consistency. Switch off the flame and let it cool down completely. Add honey to it if required and keep aside.
- For the bread: Activate yeast by mixing it with sugar and milk for 10 mins. In a well greased bowl add flour, butter, salt and mix well.
- Pour the yeast mixture to the dough as required and kneed gently until smooth. Apply little oil on surface and cover for 1 hr. until doubled up.
- Divide each cheese squares into 4 small squares and keep in a plate.
- Method 1: Cut using knife and Divide whole dough into two equal halves. Now divide those halves into 2. We have 4 equal portions now. Repeat the halving procedure for each portions and finally we get 20-24 equal small portions. Flatten each portion with hand and stretch them a bit and gently place the cheese in the middle and close by pinching all end together. Apply little oil on each hand and shape them into smooth balls.
- Method 2: Divide the whole dough into 4 equal portions. Roll and flatten a portion like a chapati dough using rolling pin. Now slice them using a cake smoother or knife into equal squares (grid like boxes) each of equal dimensions. The end parts might be uneven, you can reserve them for later use.
- Fill each squares with cheese in center and join each opposite corners and make it as a ball and smoothen it using oil on each hand.
- Repeat this step for other portions as well.
- Preheat oven to 190°C .Place the balls in a well greased cake tin as shown in the figure. First in the center then the rest place .5cm near to each other. They must just touch each other, but it should not be congested.
- Rest it for 10 mins to let it rise again. Doing this makes the bread more fluffier.
- Egg wash: brush on top of bread and bake it at 190° F for 25-30 mins.
- Pour the Saffron syrup gently on top of the steaming hot bread. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.
- Enjoy yummy little honeycombs pops! Happy baking!