These little fellas are simple to make, and the kids can get involved in creating their very own hedgehogs! I like to use half white flour and half granary for kids, but you can make these with any type of bread flour you like. You can use olives or raisins for the eyes and noses, or just be creative and use whatever you like.
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INGREDIENTS
- 250g strong white bread flour
- 250g multiseed or wholemeal bread flour
- 300ml warm water
- 25g olive oil (or any oil or melted butter/vegan spread)
- 1 packet of easy bake dried yeast (7g)
- 10g fine sea salt
- 1 beaten egg
YOU'LL NEED
- Large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook
- Second bowl for the proofing
- A piece of lightly oiled cling film (or damp tea towel if you prefer not to use cling)
- Large baking tray lined with lightly oiled baking parchment
Makes 10
METHOD
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl if you have one) add the flour, sugar and salt. Use your hands to mix and distribute everything well.
- Add the pack of yeast and mix again with your fingers to distribute. Make a well in the dry flour mix. Pour in the oil and warm water.
- Bring together with your hand, use your fingers in a claw shape and drag through until you have a dough. If the dough is looking a little dry, you can add a few drops of water to remove any floury bits, but make sure the dough doesn’t become too wet. If you have a stand mixer, use a dough hook and mix on slow until the dough has come together, then turn up the speed to medium-high and knead for 5-7 minutes until very springy and bouncy.
- If kneading by hand, do this on a work surface and pound, stretch and tear the dough (there are many videos online to see ways of kneading) and work the dough hard for 10-15 minutes until springy and bouncy.
- Once the dough is kneaded, tip out onto the surface, split in half, then split each half into five equal size pieces with a dough scrape or large knife.
- Dust the surface with a little flour and shape each piece into a ball by rolling it under your palm against the work surface to shape a little round. To create a teardrop shape for the hedgehog, press the roll on one side and mould it into a point for the nose.
- Place all 10 doughy hedgehogs on the oiled tray, with plenty of room as they will double in size, and then cover loosely with oiled cling or a damp tea towel. They will rise in about an hour, subject to room temp.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C fan.
- Using kitchen scissors or small craft scissors (supervise younger children of course!) carefully snip into the dough to make the spikes on the backs of the hedgehogs from the face (leaving part of it un-snipped for the raisins and nose) and work back towards their bums to create the spikey bodies.
- Brush over with egg then push in the raisins or pieces of olive to make the little faces.
- Bake for 15-20 mins or until the rolls are risen, golden and fully cooked through (Tip: Tap the bases, they should sound hollow).
The hedgehog rolls will keep for a couple of days if well wrapped or can be frozen for up to a month.
Professional baker and author, Juliet Sear has created this delicious recipe exclusively for Rangemaster using her Elise 110cm Dual Fuel range cooker.
