It feels like a year ago that I was offered the opportunity of hosting FFTO, and I just want to thank Claire of Purely Food and Michelle of Utterly Scrummy Food For Families for the opportunity. In December I came up with a list of breads I would challenge you all to do, but I discarded one after the other as time ticked on. Finally I decided to bake mosbolletjies. This translates directly to small moss balls but actually has nothing to do with anything green!
Today’s inspirational recipe from Lavender and Lime ♥ Mosbolletjies ♥ #LavenderAndLime Share on X
I live in wine farming country and during the harvest festival at Vergenoegd Wine Estate, Michael (the chef from Pomegranate Restaurant) started our meal off with mosbolletjies. The first week they were white, but the second time we went, they were pink from the grape must. It was this that gave me the inspiration to set the challenge as I did. Grape must is the first step of wine making. It refers to freshly pressed juice which includes the skins, stems and seeds. However, inspiration was not friendly with time and I suddenly panicked that I had left it too late. But, the fact that I did not ‘borrow’ some must from the wine farm meant I had to create my own at home. These steps and stages might seem like quite a lot in order to make small must balls but I hope you will find it fun!
Stage one: create the must
I have pressed grapes by foot before, but this is not practical. It takes a lot of pressure, so press as hard as you need to in order to break the skin. But, not too hard as you don’t need much juice and you want the best of the juice you press. The darker the grapes, the darker your must will be.
Stage two: feed the yeast
Stage three: let’s make dough
Stage four: let’s make bread
Stage five: let’s bake bread
They are meant to be soft and sweet. These are often served at restaurants in the wine region before you get your meal, or with soup. But I think they make a great tea time snack if served with jam! They will feel a bit stale after a day or two, but 10 seconds in the microwave will make them all soft again.
Mosbolletjies | Must Rolls
Ingredients
for the must
- 500 g grapes stems on
for the dough
- 80 mls must
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 420 g flour
- 5 mls salt
- 60 fructose
- 60 g butter, cubed
- 125 mls milk
- 1 egg
Method
for the must
- Place the grapes into a deep bowl, and use a muddler to gently press the grapes
- Leave to stand for 24 hours out of the fridge so that the must will take on the colour from the skin
- Strain the must and discard the skins and the stems
for the dough
- Gently heat the must to 40° Celsius
- Measure out 80mls of the must and add the yeast
- Reserve the rest of the must for glazing
- Leave to stand for 20 minutes
- Place the flour, salt, fructose and butter into a mixing bowl
- Gently heat the milk to 40° Celsius
- Whisk the egg into the milk
- Stir the yeast and must mixture and add it to the milk
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients
- Pour in the wet ingredients
- Mix the ingredients together
- Knead until you have a soft dough
- Turn the dough out, lightly oil the bowl and put the dough back in
- Cover the bowl with some cling film and leave to prove for one hour
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back.
- Shape small balls and place them onto a lined round baking tray
- Lightly oil the cling film and cover the dough
- Leave to prove for one hour
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Glaze the rolls with the reserved must
- Bake for 20 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack to cool
Notes
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
If you are taking part in the challenge please note that Michelle will be doing the round up – take a look here for the requirements of the challenge.
for all South African Bloggers: please let me know if you are taking part in the challenge – I will be giving away a prize to one lucky blogger!
Congrats on your new site, Tandy. It’s looking good. Those rolls would be lovely for breakfast. 😉
thanks AD, but the move has not taken place yet. Have a super Sunday 🙂
I’m on mobile so cannot see your new site my friend but I promise to get onto it soon 😀
On another note, these buns look incredible!
Small and adorable!
Cheers
CCU
thanks CCU! Still on the old theme – hopefully tomorrow it will be the new one 🙂
Nice rolls. I discovered from your post that there is a round silpat. I haven’t ever seen one.
it is not quite round as the edges are ‘cut off’ but I use it in my round pizza pan 🙂
This looks really interesting! I love it!
This will be an awesome challenge 🙂
Thank you! I hope you have fun 🙂
Wow, fabulous site Tandy. Love the recipe too.
*hugs*
thanks Hope, but I have not moved yet *hugs*
Your blog looks so good though, thought you had 🙂
thank you!
Hi Tandy. A very timely post as I have been searching around for a bread recipe that mirrors the soft, sweet rolls that I have had many times here in restaurants here in SA and this looks like exactly the sort of thing. I have never heard of must rolls so am not sure if this is what I have been eating but will definitely give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.
I am sure this is what you have been eating! Do let me know 🙂
What a brilliant idea. You’re so lucky to live where you do. I bet it gives you all sorts of inspiration.
Mostly. the inspiration is red wine 🙂
Oh, these looks so good with the jam. Yum
thanks, the jam is the best option 🙂
Oh wow Tandy!! I’m kinda intimidated by this challenge! I’ve never made must before and only learned of it today!! Those rolls look exceptionally soft and delicious though!! Thanks for hosting this month’s challenge!! 🙂
do give it a try! The must is fun to make 🙂
I just looooove mosbolletjies, Tandy!!
me too, and we have been enjoying them all weekend 🙂
yummy, I could eat one of those right now! come on, hand them over!!!!! 🙂
I have left overs still!
Lovely recipe
Lovely recipe Tandy
thanks Usha 🙂
I love sweet rolls and these look lovely & soft.
they are yummy!
These sound and look wonderful, and it’s a completely new method for me so I’m definitely going to try to make time to give these a go. Bit worried I’ve got a holiday coming up soon, but if I get them done this weekend I’ll definitely post 🙂
I hope you manage to get them done!
I didn’t think that was too many steps.. just a little advance prep so you could have that day to make the must. What sweet little buns, the flavor has me so curious…
I hope you take part in the challenge xox
Thank you for hosting Tandy. You have put so much thought in to this challenge and it looks a great one.
Thank you so much Claire for giving me the opportunity 🙂
Lovely recipe if a little painstaking in the planning and pre-prep. Thx for sharing 😉
hope you take part!
hi Tandy.
Thanks for the mosbolletjies recipe.
I’ll create one for sure, my dad are gonna like it 🙂
If you don’t mind, can you submit your mosbolletjies photo in http://www.foodporn.net ?
It’s a food photography site full of all DIY food pictures from members around the world. submit by yourself and let me know when you did, so I can share it.
Hi there, I cannot access the site when I try to log in. Thanks for the visit, and hope your dad likes the mosbolletjies 🙂
I found this post very interesting, thank you.
my pleasure Tok 🙂
Just made it (as a loaf) and it’s a pure deliciousness! Wonderful recipe!
Thank you Silvia, I look forward to reading your blog post about it 🙂
I’m traveling this month Tandy and the stages in this recipe mean there is no way I can make it – very sad because I didn’t want to miss your FFTO. Bookmarked to make once I’m back in Dubai – look forward to the round up.
Hope you have a safe time travelling and I look forward to reading all about it when you are back in Dubai xox
I made them as a loaf 🙂
http://goo.gl/wdnzU
They were delicious!
thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
You have mentioned very interesting points! ps nice internet site.