Here is my recipe for the easiest wholemeal Danish poppy seed rolls (håndværkere) you will ever bake – no-knead and cold-proved overnight, with a moist, airy result every time.
The dough is quickly stirred together with a spoon and rises in the very bowl you mix it in – no stand mixer, no kneading, no fuss. The rolls are made with a combination of plain flour and coarser wholemeal flour, which gives them more flavour, texture and staying power – ideal if you want easy baking but still something with a bit more bite.
They are wonderfully versatile:
Perfect for weekend breakfasts
Good in packed lunches
Freeze well and are easy to warm through in the oven or air fryer
Keep fresh for 2-3 days
Freshly baked, they are crisp on the outside and soft within – and taste wonderful with butter, cheese or jam, or with something more filling such as eggs, avocado or cold cuts and spreads.
Why I love no-knead rolls – and why you will too
This recipe is a perfect example of how easy it can be to bake good bread at home – without kneading the dough at all. You simply stir the ingredients together with a spoon, directly in the bowl the dough will rise in, cover it with a lid or cling film – and let time do the work for you.
The long, cold rise develops flavour and texture, and when the rolls are baked at a high temperature you get the best possible result: a crisp crust, a moist crumb and plenty of flavour. And you need neither a stand mixer, a sourdough starter nor any special baking skills – just simple ingredients and a bowl.
The possibilities are almost endless – you can swap the flours, add seeds, use cultured dairy such as buttermilk, or let the rolls rise for even longer for more flavour. And I already have plenty more no-knead roll recipes for you to try – white, wholemeal, with seeds and in lots of variations. Find the recipes here.
This is a method that suits a busy week perfectly – and makes it easy to bake like a pro without any of the hard work.
No-knead wholemeal Danish poppy seed rolls (håndværkere)
Ingredients
- 400 ml cold water
- 12 g fresh yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g wholemeal wheat flour or graham flour
- 325 g plain flour
- 12 g salt
- poppy seeds for the tops
Method
Day 1
- Mix the dough directly in the bowl it will rise in – make sure it is big enough for the dough to expand.I mix my dough in a 3-litre lidded plastic food container.
- Dissolve the yeast in the water, then add the oil, both flours and the salt.You may want to add the flour in a couple of batches – it makes the dough easier to stir together.
- Stir the dough thoroughly with a spoon, making sure all the flour and salt are worked into the dough. If needed, wet your hand with a little water and help the dough along.If the dough seems too firm, you can add up to 50 ml extra water – add it a little at a time. Different flours absorb different amounts of liquid.
- Put the lid on and leave the dough to rise on the worktop for about half an hour before putting it in the fridge overnight.
Day 2
- Take the dough out of the fridge and let it lose some of its chill while the oven heats up. Leave the dough in the container.A baking steel is ideal for these rolls and gives a really good result. The baking steel must heat up in the oven as it preheats.Alternatively, let the baking tray heat up in the oven.
- Dip a spoon in cold water, scoop up blobs of dough and place them on a sheet of baking paper.Continue until you have used up the dough and have 8-10 rolls, then sprinkle the tops with poppy seeds.If time allows, let the rolls prove for a further 20 minutes or so under a tea towel – but this is not a must.
- Bake the rolls at 230°C in a conventional oven (top and bottom heat) for about 18 minutes – until they are beautifully golden.Let the rolls cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
- Afterwards, store them in a sealed bag – or freeze any that are left over.The rolls are easy to reheat over the weekend. Give them 5-8 minutes at 200°C, perhaps spritzed with a little water on top – and they are as good as freshly baked again.
Nutrition
Premium
Hejsa, kan man bruge tørgær i stedet for frisk? Og hvis ja, ændrer det processen?
Hej Susanne
Det kan du sagtens, men mængden er anderledes – og oftest anbefaler man også at gæret blandes med melet.
Har ikke selv prøvet med tørgær 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Super lækre boller. Jeg putter chia frø i stedet for birkes og det bliver også rigtig godt.
Hej Benedikte
Hvor er det dejligt at høre – tusind tak:)
Warm wishes, Dianna