Filling, cheesy and delicious, these baps are brilliant for lunches. The cheese is already inside the bread, so all you have to do is cut one in half, butter it and add a goodly sized portion of cress.
In the bowl of your mixer, or a large bowl if making by hand, stir the yeast, sugar and 150ml of the water together. Cover with a tea towel and leave to ferment for fifteen minutes.
Add the flour, salt, egg and remaining 150 ml water. Either mix together with your hands, or use the dough hook on your mixer. Knead for about five minutes.
1. If using an electric mixer, add roughly two thirds of the cheese and let it knead for a further minute or until all of the cheese is incorporated.2. If kneading by hand, on a board or work surface, flatten the dough out roughly with your hands to form a rectangle. Cover two thirds of the dough with a third of the grated cheese. Fold the uncovered third into the middle, then fold over again to cover the remaining cheese. Seal the sides, turn the dough ninety degrees, then repeat the process.
Cut the dough into eight equal pieces and form into balls. Don't worry if bits of cheese fall out, just scoop them up with the dough as you form the baps.
Place well apart on a greased or oiled baking tray. Flatten a bit with your hands. You want flattish baps rather than rolls. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for thirty minutes or until they've nearly doubled in size. How long it takes will very much depend on room temperature and the quality of the yeast and flours.
Meanwhile heat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6).
Brush with milk and scatter the remaining cheese over the tops.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the baps are lightly browned and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
When you're ready to eat them, slice in half and spread with butter. Place a generous amount of mustard & cress on top of the bottom half and sandwich with the top half. Eat with relish.
Notes
As long as you use ordinary wholemeal flour rather than strong bread flour, these baps don't require much kneading.They keep well for several days and make a great packed lunch sandwich.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They're approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used. Butter and cress filling not included.