I played around with an egg white wash right before baking. You can easily tell the difference between the rolls I brushed and the ones I left alone. It is a pretty finished look....glossy with a little crackle when you tear the bun in half. Honestly, I could go either way. I'm just as happy with the rustic, flour touched look and tender crust.
Oatmeal Brown Ale Rolls
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups old fashioned oats, ground fine
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour (approx)
1/4 cup wheat germ
3 tbls vital wheat gluten
1 bottle Newcastle Brown Ale (1 1/2 cups approx)
2 tbls oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 egg white, beaten (optional)
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water...warm water from the tap works just fine. Heat brown ale in the microwave until warm (you can also warm on the stove top) and add to the yeast. Stir in the oil, maple syrup, and salt. Mix in the ground oats, wheat germ, and vital wheat gluten. Mix in the egg. Gradually mix in enough flour to form a soft dough. When the dough gets too difficult to stir turn it out onto your work surface and continue to knead in flour. Knead the dough for several minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for an hour. Dough should be doubled in size.
Grease two cookie sheets. Turn dough back out onto floured work surface and punch down. Using a knife, cut off a small bun sized portions of dough. Work it in your hand to give it a nice round shape. Generally I rotate the dough in one hand and turn the edges under with the other, adding flour as needed....this gives you a pretty little round. Place your roll on the cookie sheet and repeat the shaping process with the remainder of the dough. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place an hour. If you want a glossy crust, brush tops with the egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned.
A few more pics of the yummies...
