Having run out of all bread it was time to make a big batch of buns. I’m into buns at the moment or batches, rolls, baps or whatever the slant of your dialect dictates them to be. I like getting just one or two out of the freezer at a time, letting them defrost overnight and then warming them so that they are perfectly fresh.

Today I wanted something tasty, something savoury to cheer up what might be getting quite dreary. Although so far we have managed to keep most meals reasonably cheerful.

But today I wanted Punch.

So I started off a couple of rounded teaspoons of commercial yeast with a little water and a 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar, when frothy I added to 1000g of strong Canadian white flour with a hydration of 72% warm water and about 10g salt. Let it whirl on the dough hook of my Kenwood for ten minutes and then let it prove whilst I rummaged in my cupboards.

Where I found a small jar of sun dried tomatoes and in the fridge a small jar of olives that had been started and next I found some freshly picked rosemary from the plot, but not too much. Perfect I thought and gaily chopped everything fine and mixed into the well risen dough for its second prove.

Next I made 18 buns which weighed 4oz exactly, let them rise and then popped them into a very hot oven, turning it down to just under 200c for 25 minutes.

Oh they smelled so good.

The flavours were wonderful, and the hint of rosemary had real longevity, it stayed with you for ages.