There are few things in life more comforting than freshly baked bread. After all, you really can’t beat that divine aroma, beautifully soft texture and wonderful depth of flavour. And what’s better than being able to enjoy all that at home? Thanks to Paul Hollywood’s Ready to Bake Rolls, you can do exactly that – and without needing to bake from scratch.
Made using traditional ingredients, the range offers a choice of lightly floured Crusty Rolls, artisan-style Rustic Rolls and wholesome Multi-Seed Rolls, each of which can be transformed into deliciously warm bread in just 10 minutes. Plus, they’re perfectly versatile, so you can use them to create countless festive recipes, from Christmas Day starters to New Year’s Eve party food.
You could even serve the rolls on a seasonal sharing platter, alongside an assortment of your favourite cheeses and charcuterie, or a mouth-watering selection of seafood, such as smoked salmon, prawns or mackerel pâté. Want some more inspiration? Paul has pulled together some of his favourite ways to use his Ready to Bake Rolls over the festive period, so read on for a few recipes that are sure to impress your guests this season. Consider it an early Christmas gift!
Here are four of Paul’s top Ready to Bake Roll recipes to get you started, including a show-stopping festive centrepiece, a tasty vegetarian starter, the ultimate leftovers sandwich and a trio of New Year’s canapés.
This Christmassy crowd-pleaser is perfect for any festive spread. Leave your guests to serve themselves by tearing up the rolls and dunking them into the delicious, melted cheese.
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Unwrap the camembert and transfer to a small round baking dish (it needs to fit quite snugly). Using a knife, slash a few times across the top, and sprinkle over the rosemary and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
2. Place the camembert and the rolls on separate baking trays, then bake for 8-10 mins. Remove the rolls from the oven and set aside, but continue to bake the cheese for another 5-10 mins, until it’s melted in the middle.
3. Once cooked, carefully transfer the cheese to the middle of a large board or plate, then arrange the rolls around the edge to form a wreath. Serve with some cranberry sauce in a pot on the side.
“Bake these lightly floured rolls at home and get ready to enjoy comforting, deliciously warm bread with a crisp crust that’s full of flavour.”
A simple yet delectable starter that everyone can enjoy this festive season, these vegetarian toasts can easily be made vegan if you use a plant-based cream alternative and olive oil instead of butter.
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the rolls onto a baking tray and bake for 8 mins. Once cooked, cut each roll in half and lightly toast under a hot grill until golden.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil or butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few mins until just cooked and golden, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Lower the heat, stir in the cream, then season with salt and pepper. When the cream has warmed through, turn off the heat and mix in the parsley.
3. In a small bowl, make the salad dressing by mixing the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil with the lemon juice or vinegar and a pinch of salt.
4. To serve, split the salad between four plates, scatter over the pomegranate seeds and drizzle with the dressing. Place both halves of a toasted roll onto the salad on each plate and top with the creamy mushrooms. Finish with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, before serving.
“Made with traditional ingredients and packed with my favourite blend of seeds, these wholesome rolls are tasty straight from the oven.”
Christmas Day leftovers are too good to go to waste. So, if you’re lucky enough to be left with some extra pigs in blankets this year, why not try whipping up this hearty Boxing Day sandwich?
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the rolls and pigs in blankets onto a baking tray and bake for 8-10 mins – you can leave the pigs in blankets in for longer, if needed, until they’re completely heated through.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sprouts and cook for about 5 mins, until golden.
3. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the sage and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
4. When the rolls are ready, cut them in two and spread the sage mayo onto the bottom halves. Fill each one with 3-4 pigs in blankets, a few sprouts, a sprinkle of stuffing and a dollop of cranberry sauce. Then add the top halves of the rolls and serve immediately.
“A classic recipe, these artisan-style rolls deliver an open texture, a crisp crust and a distinctively full flavour.”
If you’re throwing a big New Year’s bash, these easy yet elegant canapés are ideal for impressing your party guests – perfect for seeing in 2023 in style!
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the rolls onto a baking tray and bake for 8 mins. Once cooked, cut each roll into thin slices, then toast on each side under a hot grill, until golden on both sides.
2. For the pesto and tomato crostini, place the tomatoes, cut side up, onto a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Add the herbs to the tray and cook for 10-15 mins.
3. Meanwhile, make the pear and walnut crostini. Spread the Rustic Roll slices with some cream cheese, then add a couple of pear slices, a few chopped walnuts and a small sprinkling of rosemary. To make the blue cheese and fig crostini, top the Crusty Roll slices with a few slices of blue cheese, a couple of fig pieces and a sprinkle of thyme.
4. When ready to serve, finish the pesto and tomato crostini by spreading the Multi-Seed Roll slices with a layer of pesto and top with a few of the roasted tomatoes. Then drizzle the blue cheese and fig crostini with a little honey. Transfer all the crostini to plates and enjoy immediately.
“Create some baking magic at home with my Ready to Bake Rolls range, ready to eat in just 10 minutes.”