Garland of Sweet Rolls

Garlands of sweet rolls are both a feast for the palate and for the eyes, a perfect preparation for holidays or special breakfasts. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients

• 500 g of type 00 flour
• 100 g of sugar
• 250 ml of lukewarm milk
• 1 sachet of dry brewer’s yeast (or 25 g of fresh brewer’s yeast)
• 1 egg
• 50 g of soft butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk for brushing
• Nibs of sugar or icing sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. In a bowl, dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the lukewarm milk and add a teaspoon of sugar taken from the total.
2. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a mixer, mix the flour with the rest of the sugar, the grated lemon zest, and the vanilla extract.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the egg and the mixture of yeast and milk.
4. Start kneading by gradually adding the soft butter in small pieces and the salt.
5. Work the dough until it becomes smooth and dry, then let it rise in a warm place covered with a clean cloth for about 1-2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
6. After rising, take the dough, deflate it with punches and form balls of about 50-60 g each.
7. Arrange the balls to form a garland on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between them to allow them to rise again.
8. Cover with a cloth and let the balls rise for another 30-40 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
10. Lightly beat the egg yolk with a spoonful of milk and brush gently over the surface of the rolls.
11. Sprinkle, if you wish, with nibs of sugar or you can sprinkle with icing sugar after baking.
12. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.
13. Allow the garlands to cool before serving.

Curiosity

These sweet rolls can be customized in many ways, for example by adding raisins, chocolate chips, or almond flakes to the dough. They are perfect for holiday breakfasts but also as an edible gift, wrapping the garland in a nice transparent cellophane.