Körner-Bürli (Swiss seeded rolls)

Method

1. The night before, mix the starter ingredients into a rough paste. Cover and let ferment in the fridge for at least 10 hours, or overnight.
2. Toast the mixed seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Let cool.
3. Combine the overnight starter with the flour, water, yeast and salt for the final dough. Mix and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Fold in the toasted, cooled seeds, distributing evenly. Cover and let rise for 60 minutes, until doubled.
5. Divide into 8 pieces and shape each into a round or oval roll. Arrange on a floured baking sheet, spaced apart. Let rise, covered, for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan). Score the top of each roll with a shallow cut. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Notes

• Give the starter its full overnight rest. A slow, cold fermentation develops far more depth and complexity of flavour than a same-day dough can manage in a couple of hours at room temperature.
• Toast the seeds before folding them in. Raw seeds taste comparatively flat once baked into bread; toasting first brings out a nutty depth that carries through the finished roll.
• Let the toasted seeds cool before adding them to the dough. Warm seeds can raise the dough’s temperature and speed up fermentation unevenly.
• Best eaten fresh the day they’re baked, though they freeze well and can be refreshed in a hot oven.

Ingredient substitutions

• The seed mix can be adjusted to taste; any combination of sunflower, flax, sesame, pumpkin or poppy seeds works.
• A little rye flour in place of some of the flour gives a heartier, more traditional character.
• Serve with butter and cheese, the classic Swiss way to eat them.