This all-in-one baked brie with bread rolls is a wonderful appetizer or side dish for a dinner party or anytime you’re entertaining! I make the dough on a KitchenAid stand mixer with a dough hook. To make this by hand, see the recipe notes. I also use instant yeast. If you only have active dry yeast on hand, instructions can also be found in the recipe notes for blooming the yeast.For best results, use a scale to weigh the flour. Flour weight should be right at 500g, which is about 3 1/2 cups, but not precisely 3 1/2 cups.
Place the yeast, flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir together briefly with a whisk. Turn the mixer on low and add in the warm water and olive oil. Allow the dough hook to stir the ingredients together until a cohesive dough is formed, about 3-5 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 8 minutes with a timer set. The dough should be smooth and elastic, and not sticky.
Transfer the dough to a bowl spritzed with cooking spray; turn over once and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile cut the top rind off of the brie; keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Once the dough is doubled, gently deflate it with a closed fist. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into an even baton about 9 inches long and cut into 9 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball by pinching the edges together and rolling them on a work surface under a cupped hand.
Line a large baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. Place the brie in the center of the pan. Arrange each dough ball around the brie so that they are close together but not touching.
Beat the egg and cool water together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to coat each dough ball with the egg wash. Sprinkle 3 rolls with the black sesame seeds, 3 rolls with the Aleppo pepper, and 3 rolls with the chia seeds. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise, 20-30 minutes, or until the rolls are puffed and just touching each other.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the assembled rolls and brie for 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are well puffed and just starting to brown. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5-7 minutes more, or until a little more golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Scatter scallions and grind pepper over the runny brie. Serve warm on the pan. Use the bread rolls to dip into the melted brie.
Notes
Active Dry Yeast Instructions: If using active dry yeast for these rolls, bloom 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast with the sugar in the warm water. When the mixture is foamy, stir in the olive oil. Add the flour and yeast and mix until a soft dough forms.Knead by Hand: To knead by hand, deflate the dough after the first proof and transfer to a work surface. Knead for 10 minutes by hand, or until smooth and elastic. (Lightly flour surface if needed.) Shape and bake as directed.Shaping Technique: See this Hot Cross Buns post for bun shaping visuals (scroll down a little). There are two animated GIFs that display the pinching/rolling technique.My Favorite Brie: President brand brie is available at most US grocery stores. It is mild and much less sharp than other brie cheeses I've sampled. To be frank, some brands of brie smell like a gym sock (sorry, it's true!). President brie is made with cow's milk in Wisconsin, and is creamy and mild. I recommend it for this recipe. You can also swap in a 16 oz. camembert wheel for the brie if you prefer.Bun Toppings: Use your choice of bread toppers for this recipe, such as ready-mixed artisan bread toppings, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, and red pepper flake.Sweet Variation: For a sweet variation, top the rolls with nuts such as chopped pistachios, pumpkin seeds, or roll in cinnamon-sugar. Top brie with raspberry jam, fig jam, apple butter - or any of your favorite sweet jams or preserves. Add a drizzle of honey. The flavors are only limited to your imagination!