Whole Wheat Beetroot Buns

I keep wondering how long the ‘Pink’ phase will continue for my little one. I have baked pink caterpillar since she saw a bird eating a worm and had to have a worm and of-course it had to be a pink worm. Our rotis at-least twice a week are pink. Pink puris, pink rice, pick curd, pink dosa, pink idlis anything that can be turned pink, has been. It was tried on our black & white dog, too bad it didn’t work!

Well, till the time we have the Pink Mania, beetroot continues to be my true saviour in kitchen.

Serves – 8 Medium Size Buns

Time – Preparation – 20 minutes. Proofing – 2-3 hrs. Baking – 30 minutes

Ingredients

1. Whole Wheat flour – 2 cups
2. Beetroot boiled & pureed – 1 cup(1 medium sized beetroot)
3. Instant Yeast – 2 tsp
4. Gluten(optional) – 2 tsp
5. Salt – 1 tsp
6. Jaggery Powder – 1 tblspn
7. Flax seeds – 1 tblspn
8. White sesame seeds – 1/2 tblspn
9. Oil – 2 tblspn
10. Water – 100 ml or as required
11. Milk – 2 tblspn

Method

1. Activate yeast by adding it to lukewarm milk & jaggery. Set aside. It should turn frothy in 10/15 minutes
2. Boil beetroot and puree it
3. Mix flour, salt, gluten & flaxseeds
4. Add activated yeast & beetroot to above and mix well
5. Add water as required to make a soft dough
6. Proof it by keeping it covered with a wet cloth for 2 hrs or until double in size
7. Lightly punch the dough to take out the air from the proofed dough
8. Shape the buns on the baking tray(lined with baking paper) and keep for second proofing for 30 minutes
9. Sprinkle sesame seeds on buns & give them a milk bath
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 30 minutes

Notes

1. Beetroot takes around 15 minutes to boil and the quantity needs to be on the higher side since wholewheat flour doesnt take the color as easily as plain flour
2. Doubling of the dough depends on temperature. In hot weather it takes less time
3. For activating yeast, sugar or honey can be used too
4. I add cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh garlic for flavor. Completely optional & experimental
5. Keep a few ice cubes in the bottom shelf while baking the buns