After losing the beet pink in our Valentine Rose bake we decided not to give up and try another method hoping the red or pink would stick around in the crumb somewhere.  This time, instead of using beet juice and pulp we used roasted chopped beets.  We didn’t expect the crumb to stay pink but we hope that there would be some red blotches that hung around.

After reading Ian’s post on his fine looking cream cheese butter and milk enriched rolls we decided to use that as a base.  Instead of the milk we used this time, we will use buttermilk next time of the pink does not remain.  We cut the sugar and added more whole grains (30%), some potatoes, the chopped beets.  The hydration came in at 78% if you ignore the cream cheese and beets.  We made enough for 5 rolls of about 140-1455 g each wet - a good size for hamburger buns.

I know that hamburgers don’t sound very romantic for Valentines Day but, if you only get to have them once a month and you really go all out with  the fixings; bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms and various peppers with lettuce, tomatoes and grilled steak sweet and white potato fries its not so bad and better than nothing.  Especially if you have some kind of Pink Valentine Buns with some sesame seeds on top.

While the SD levain, where all the whole grains ended up with the exception of the malt, Toadies and oat flour,  was building itself up to speed we autolysed the flours and everything else except the beets and cream cheese.  Once the autolyse met the levain we did 10 minutes of French slap and folds.

This is a wet and sticky dough and bits will fly everywhere but stick to it and the dough will come together nicely,  After resting for 15 minutes the first of (2) S& F’s were done 15 minutes apart and the beets were incorporated on the 2nd set

 After another 15 minute rest the cream cheese was added and incorporated with Slap and folds until it disappeared.  Little red bits of beets will fly everywhere and stain what ever they hit so care is required if you care – but I couldn’t care less.  The dough was allowed to ferment on the heating pad for 90 minutes before being bulk retarded for 14 hours.

The next morning the dough was put on the heating pad for 2 hours to warm up before the rolls were shaped and placed on parchment supported by the mini oven’s vented broiler top.  After 2 more hours the mini oven was fired up to 425 F with the bottom of the broiler pan inside with 1 C of water for steam.

The rolls were brushed with melted butter and covered in a seed and salt mix thenan egg wash was applied.  The buns were loaded into the hot bottom of the broiler pan in the mini oven.  After 8 minutes the bottom of the broiler pan and steam was removed.  The temperature was turned down to 350 F, convection this time.

Every 5 minutes the rolls were rotated 180 degrees to ensure even browning.  After 15 minutes the rolls reached 205 F and removed from the oven to a cooling rack.  Total baking time was 23 minutes.

The rolls sprang nicely and spread perfectly for hamburger bun shape.  They browned nicely due to the butter and egg wash, they were slightly crispy too with the seed mix helping.  The crust did go soft as they cooled.  The pink went away on the outside again but to a lesser degree than last time so we have hope there might be some on the inside. 

Valentine Pink Chocolate Rose Left                                                               Pink Valentine Hamberger Bun Right

Well it wasn't pink on the inside but the crumb was tinted a yellowish brown from the beets and there were were more pink/red splotches throughout.  The crumb was very soft, moist glossy and open.  It smelled like a buttery croissant!  Can't wait to taste them tomorrow  They are gorgeous on the outside and in - perfect for the holiday

Caramelized onions, mushrooms. poblano and Hatch chillies, smoked  brown sugar and maple cured bacon, pickled jalapenos, dill pickle spear and aged white cheddar.

Lettuce, tomato, Beauregard, Japanese yams and russet  wedge baked fries.

Formula