Brentford Rolls

by Duncan Walker

Brentford has a recipe for enriched soft bread rolls named after it. I found a recipe for 'Brentford Rolls' in a recipe book published in 1830: On page 77 of 'The Cook's Dictionary, and House-keeper's Directory' by Richard Dolby, cook at the Thatched-House Tavern, St James's Street, 1830

Brentford Rolls

Here is a recipe from the internet, which I tried successfully and made some Brentford Rolls today:

Ingredients for 6 rolls

  • 7 gm dried yeast
  • 1 egg
  • 300 ml milk, warmed 40ยบ C
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 15ml olive oil
  • 250 gm strong wholemeal flour (or white)
  • 250 gm plain brown flour (or white)
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

An enriched soft bread roll.

Mix the flours together and add the sugar and salt and mix well. Rub in the oil and mix in the yeast. Add the eggs and the milk and mix to a dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until shiny, pliable and no longer sticky.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in warm place until doubled in size and springy to the touch. Knock back the dough and shape into rolls and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to prove for an hour.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7 and bake for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Note:

The Thatched House Tavern was much used as a meeting and dining place for clubs and societies. The Literary Club met there, as did the Society of Dilettanti. The Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club also met there in 1767 to 1814. The inaugural meetings of the Architects' Club, the Yacht Club (1815, later the Royal Yacht Squadron), the United Service Club (1815) and the Carlton Club (1832) were all held at the Thatched House Tavern.

 

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