Jason Derbyshire's Christmas Cranberry and Stilton Rolls

Just the ticket to serve alongside Christmas meals, make filled rolls with leftovers or dip into hearty soups!

You Will Need:

10g Dried yeast

325ml (11 fl oz) water

500g (1lb) Strong white flour

1 ½ tsp Salt

100g Dried Cranberries

150g Stilton Blue / Danish blue

2Tbsp Olive oil

1 egg beaten to glaze (or dust with Semolina)

Method (By Hand)

1. Sprinkle the yeast into 100ml (3 ½) oz of the water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and salt, cranberries together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeasted water.
2. Use a spoon to draw enough of the flour into the yeasted water to form a soft paste. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and leave the paste to “sponge” until frothy, loose, and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.
3. Pour in the water as needed mix in the flour from the side of the bowl with your finger tips. Mix together to form firm moist dough.
4. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work top. Knead until smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 10 minutes.
5. Put the dough in a clean bowl and place the bowl into a plastic bag and tie the handles together. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 2-2 ½ hours. Knock back, and then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Divide the bread dough into 9 - 4oz-5oz pieces. Place some of the stilton in the middle of each piece of dough and then shape into smooth, round rolls. Place on a floured baking sheet and then place into a plastic bag and tie the handles together.
7. Prove until doubled in size, about 30- 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220oC/ 425oF/gas 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until hollow- sounding when tapped the underneath. Leave to cool on a wired rack.

Added by: NaomiS