No-knead Bread Buns Stuffed with Cheese - Parāoa Iti e kikī ana ki te tīhi!

A delicious no-knead bread bun stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 1/4 C (565 ml) wai aromahana (lukewarm water)
• 2 1/2 tbsp huka hāura (brown sugar)
• 2 1/2 tsp (8 g) īhi tere (instant yeast) or 16 g (2 tbsp) Surebake/breadmakers yeast.
• 5 C + 2 tbsp (770 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
• 2 tsp tote (salt, fine). I use Himalayan salt here, if you are using iodised table salt, half this amount.
• 65 g pata kua rewaina (melted butter). If you don't want to use butter, replace it with the same amount of noni (oil).
• 220 g tīhi mozzarella (mozzarella cheese).
• 120 g penu amiami (pesto)
• 3 tbsp bagel seasoning

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Prepare the Tray: ---
2. 2Lightly grease a 25 cm by 35 cm tray with a little noni (oil). Try and get a tray close to this size as it helps the buns rise in a more uniform way.
3. 3--- Activate the Yeast: ---
4. 4Add the wai (water) and huka (sugar) in to a large bowl. Stir it until the huka (sugar) is dissolved.
5. 5Add the īhi horo (instant yeast) and stir it in. Leave the īhi (yeast) to activate for five minutes. The yeast is activated when it has floated to the top.
6. 6--- Add the remaining Ingredients: ---
7. 7Add the puehu parāoa (flour), tote (salt) and pata (butter). Stir it all together with a bread and butter knife for 1-2 minutes until combined.
8. 8Use your hands to make sure all the puehu parāoa and pata (butter) are combined well. It will be sticky, don't add any more flour.
9. 9--- First Rise: ---
10. 10Cover the bowl with a bowl cover or tea towel. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
11. 11--- First Stretch and Fold: ---
12. 12After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough. (Refer to the video for a guide).
13. 13With wet hands, take a handful of dough from the side of the bowl, pull it high in the air and then place it in to the centre of the bowl. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat that process. Every time you place the dough in to the centre it is one count. In total do 30-35 stretch and folds. This should only take a minute.
14. 14--- Second Rise: ---
15. 15Cover the bowl with a bowl cover or tea towel. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
16. 16--- Second Stretch and Fold: ---
17. 17After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough again. This time do 25 stretch and folds.
18. 18--- Third Rise: ---
19. 19Cover the bowl with a bowl cover or tea towel. Leave to rise for 15 minutes.
20. 20--- Divide the Dough: ---
21. 21Tip the risen dough on to lightly floured bench.
22. 22Divide the dough in to 12 equal pieces. Don't be tempted to knead the dough again here, we want to handle the dough lightly so the buns stay nice and fluffy.
23. 23--- Prepare the Cheese: ---
24. 24Cut the tīhi (cheese) in to 12 equal squares.
25. 25--- Add the Cheese in to the Dough: ---
26. 26Take each piece, add a piece of cheese and gently press it in to the centre. If you are adding the penu amiami (pesto), add that on top.
27. 27--- Mould the Buns: ---
28. 28Fold all the corners in to the centre until you have a tight ball, seal the seams by pinching them with your fingers. (Refer to the video for a guide).
29. 29Flip the dough over and use the table to help you tuck it in to a ball shape. Place it on to the oiled tray.
30. 30Repeat the process with each piece dough.
31. 31If you are using the bagel seasoning, sprinkle that all over the tops of the buns.
32. 32--- Fourth and Final Rise: ---
33. 33Cover the buns with a tea towel. Rise for 45 minutes.
34. 34--- Preheat the Oven: ---
35. 3515 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven to 175 °C bake setting or 165 °C fan bake setting.
36. 36--- Bake the Buns: ---
37. 37Bake for 25 - 27 minutes, until golden.
38. 38To test if the buns are done, press the bottom part of one of the buns. If the buns springs back, they are ready. If when you press it, the dough stays indented, bake for a couple more minutes.
39. 39--- Glaze the Buns: ---
40. 40When the buns come straight out of the oven, brush them with a knob of pata (butter) for a glossy finish.
41. 41--- Storing the Buns: ---
42. 42These are at their best eaten immediately or cut open and toasted the next day.
43. 43I keep my homemade bread buns in a plastic bag for a day or so on the bench. Beyond that I slice them open and store it in the freezer and toast them when needed.