This wool roll bread filled with hazelnuts is a very soft dessert with a juicy filling, perfect for breakfast or a snack. The name might sound curious, right? But it’s called that because it resembles a ball of yarn; in fact, in English, it’s called wool roll bread. I prepared it with La Forte flour, which is a type 1 flour from Molino Merano, and their sourdough starter Adam, which is dried sourdough with added dry yeast, for unique softness and exceptional taste. I chose hazelnuts for the filling because I like them a lot, but wool roll bread can be prepared with various fillings, from sweet to savory. It will always be a success.
If you like yeast-leavened baked goods, try these recipes of mine too:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 10-12 slices
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 11.3 oz La Forte type 1 spelt flour (Molino Merano)
- 0.9 oz ADAM sourdough starter (Molino Merano)
- 1.4 oz brown sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh liquid cream (warm)
- 1/3 cup milk (warm)
- 1 egg
- 0.1 oz salt
- 6.3 oz hazelnuts (Molino Merano)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2.8 oz brown sugar
- 1.8 oz butter
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste milk
- to taste powdered sugar
Steps
To prepare the wool roll bread with hazelnut filling, place the flour, sourdough starter, brown sugar, warm fresh liquid cream, warm milk, and egg in the bowl of the stand mixer. Start the mixer and add the salt. Knead everything until the dough is bonded, meaning it has detached from the bottom and sides of the bowl and wrapped around the hook. It will take about 20 minutes in total. Form a ball, place it back in the bowl, and let it rise covered with plastic wrap in a warm place (80°F) for about 45 minutes
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Finely chop the hazelnuts in a blender. Put them in a saucepan along with the milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring, and continue cooking, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens. Set aside and let cool.
After the first 45 minutes of resting, divide the dough into 5 equal pieces using a scale. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into an oval shape, about 8 inches x 5 inches. With a pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the lower half, making very close slits to create thin fringes along the dough.
Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the center of the opposite part, on the uncut dough. Fold the side edges towards the center, then roll everything from the uncut part, so that once rolled, the fringes cover the entire roll, giving it the classic wool roll bread look.
Place along the edge of the baking tin, with the bottom lined with parchment paper. Proceed the same way with the remaining dough and filling.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until visibly risen.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (static), brush the surface of the wool roll bread with milk, and bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for about ten minutes.
Then remove the ring of the baking tin and let your wool roll bread cool or enjoy it warm with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Suggestions
For the filling of this wool roll bread, you can also use almonds or walnuts instead of hazelnuts, or even add raisins.
