Tired of soft and squishy buns on your cheeseburgers? Need something with a little more structure and bite? Are you looking for something that can handle the juices from your burger patty and all that gooey cheese? Well, then maybe a ciabatta roll is what you are looking for.
Ciabatta rolls are a great alternative to regular burger buns. Ciabatta bread is known for its crispy crust on the outside and light and airy texture on the inside. The crispy crust is created by baking the bread at a high temperature. On the inside, large, irregular holes, which are created by the dough's high hydration and the use of a starter, gives the bread a firm, yet soft, bite.
Ciabatta bread also has a nice mild flavor that makes it versatile enough to be used in a variety of dishes, such as your favorite cheeseburger. Ciabatta bread dough is fermented for a long period of time, which allows the flavors to develop and the gluten to relax. This results in a bread that offers an enjoyable flavor that is more complex than a traditional hamburger bun and does not overpower the flavors of your cheeseburger.
To get the best out of your homemade ciabatta rolls and make a delicious cheeseburger, there are a couple of rules you need to follow:
- Be sure to butter and toast your ciabatta rolls - inside and outside. The toasting brings a little more crunch and a little more flavor to your cheeseburger.
- Use high-quality fillings when making your cheeseburger. Ciabatta rolls deserve high-quality fillings. Use fresh, flavorful ingredients to make your cheeseburgers stand out.
From plain to gourmet, the delicious flavor and versatile texture, ciabatta rolls make them a great choice for your next cheeseburger. So next time you're making a sandwich or hamburger, give ciabatta rolls a try. You won't be disappointed.
Recommended Tools
- Parchment paper
- Bench scraper
- Stand mixer
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients for Ciabatta Rolls
Starter
- 180 g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
- 277 g Water - room temperature
- 1 g Active Dry Yeast (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
Dough
- 405 g Starter (All of the Starter from above)
- 20 g Active Dry Yeast
- 360 g Unbleached All -Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
- 15 g Salt
- 150 g Water - lukewarm (approx 100 degrees F)
- 35 g Olive Oil
For Baking
- 1 cup Hot Water
Directions for making Ciabatta Rolls
Prepare the Starter
Prepare the starter. Mix together flour and yeast in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add water and mix until well-combined. Take a piece of plastic wrap and coat generously with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 8 hours and no longer than 12 hours. Starter will become bubbly and increase in size.
Prepare the Dough
Place dry ingredients into the bowl for your stand mixer and combine. Add the starter, water, and oil. Using the paddle attachment, mix dough for approximately 2 minutes. Pause mixing and replace paddle mixer with dough hook. Scrape sides of mixing bowl with rubber spatula. Continue mixing for 5 minutes. Dough ball should be smooth, elastic, and very sticky.
Alternatively, mix ingredients together by hand. Turn out on an generously oiled surface and knead by hand for approximately 7 minutes. Keep hands oiled to prevent sticking.
Initial Rise
Transfer the dough to a large well-oiled bowl or other rising container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free location. A perfect location is in the oven with the oven light on.
After 30 minutes, use a rubber spatula to stretch and fold the edge of the dough over the center. Repeat the stretch-and-folds 6 to 8 times turning the bowl 45 degrees between each lift. Allow the dough to rise again for 30 minutes and repeat the sretch-and-fold process. Cover and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour undisturbed.
Final Rise
Turn the dough out on a floured work surface. Gently stretch the dough out into a rectangle; roughly 12" x 18" being careful not to de-gas the dough. Pop any large bubbles that may have formed.
Cut dough into roughly 3" squares. Using a bench scraper, transfer cut squares to a well-floured or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 3" between them.
Squares can be shaped into more of a ball shape by folding the corners toward the center of the dough.
Lightly cover the dough with well-oiled plastic wrap. It is important that the plastic wrap is well-oiled as the dough can stick to the plastic wrap and possibly deflate when the plastic is removed. Allow dough to rise 2-3 hours in a warm draft-free location. Dough should begin to look "puffy."
Towards the end of the rising time, pre-heat the oven to 425 F. Use at least two shelves in the oven; the upper shelf for the dough on the baking sheet and the lower shelf for a steam pan. Place a steam pan in the oven during the pre-heat.
Baking
Remove the plastic wrap cover from the baking sheet. Use caution when removing the plastic wrap to prevent tearing and de-gassing the dough.
Place the baking sheet with the dough on the top shelf of the oven.
Pour one cup of boiling water into the steam tray located on the lower shelf.
IMPORTANT: Be careful not to spill water on the oven door window as this may cause the glass to crack. AND be careful of steam to prevent any burns.
Bake the ciabatta rolls until they are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove ciabatta rolls from the oven. Remove rolls from the baking sheet and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes. Rolls will be hard at first and then soften slightly as they cool.
When ready to use, slice rolls horizontally. After slicing, rolls can be toasted to add a little more crunch.
