Airy Ølandshvede Buns – Ready to Bake in 4 Hours

These buns are designed for maximum lightness while still incorporating a meaningful amount of whole grain. The recipe uses 30% whole-milled Ølandshvede, no sugar, and a mostly lean dough. They are mixed, fermented, and baked within 4 hours, and finished with steam for a dark, well-developed crust.

Dough Formula (Large Batch)

Total flour: 1.5 kg

1,050 g strong white wheat flour
450 g whole-milled Ølandshvede

Other ingredients

1,050 g water (70% hydration)
30 g salt (2%)
15 g instant dry yeast (or 45 g fresh yeast)
30 g neutral oil (optional, improves openness and softness)

Target Dough Characteristics

Moderately soft and extensible
Slightly sticky but well-structured
Designed for open crumb despite whole grain content
No preferment required

Process Timeline (Approx. 3 hours 45 minutes)

1. Mix & Autolyse – 30 minutes

Mix all flour with 1,000 g of the water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. This improves gluten development and offsets the whole-milled grain.

2. Final Mix – 10 minutes

Add the following to the dough:

Salt
Yeast
Remaining 50 g water
Oil (if using)

Mix until the dough is cohesive and elastic. Full windowpane is not required. Target dough temperature is around 24°C.

3. Bulk Fermentation – 2 hours

Ferment at 22–24°C. Perform two folds:

First fold after 40 minutes
Second fold after 80 minutes

The dough should rise approximately 60–70%, not fully double.

4. Divide & Pre-shape – 10 minutes

Divide into 90–100 g pieces. Lightly round and rest uncovered for 10 minutes.

5. Shape & Final Proof – 45–55 minutes

Shape into gentle but tight rounds. Proof on trays or a floured cloth. The buns are ready when they spring back slowly when pressed.

Baking

Oven Setup

Preheat oven to 250°C
Use baking stone or steel if available
Prepare a steam source (lava rocks, cast iron pan, or injected steam)

Bake

Load buns into the oven
Add strong steam immediately
Bake 10 minutes at 240–250°C with steam
Vent steam and reduce temperature to 220–230°C
Bake an additional 8–12 minutes until deeply brown

Internal temperature should reach 96–98°C. Well-baked buns will crackle as they cool.

Yield

Approximately 30 buns, depending on final piece weight.

Notes & Variations

Increase whole grain to 40% by adding 30–50 g extra water
For maximum airiness, avoid over-proofing
For darker crust, extend the second bake slightly

These buns are well suited for breakfast, open sandwiches, or as a rustic dinner roll.

airy buns / luftige danske boller