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Soft homemade Panini bread recipe, these buns are easy to make perfect for children’s parties filled with ham, salami, or mini hamburgers. Easy to eat on the run so no playtime is wasted.
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What is Panini
In English, Panini is commonly referred to as a grilled sandwich, but in Italian Panino (panini for plural) is just a soft bread roll filled with cheese and/or ham, salami prosciutto.
Whether it is grilled or not, it is not relevant from an Italian prospective, it is always a panino.
Panini is used for children’s afternoon snacks, quick lunch, or as a buffet for children’s parties. Often served together with Pizzette Italian pizza bites.
They are easy to eat on the run so no playtime is wasted.
When I make them
The summer in the French Riviera is always very busy. Friends are coming to the region for their holidays and as the coast becomes very busy, it is easier to invite them to the villa, especially if they have children.
But when the children come out of the pool, they immediately start asking for something to eat.
Therefore I had better have something prepared as children’s appetites intensify through their swimming activities.
Hamburger and beef
The sweetness of these panini is also a perfect combination with beef. The are half way between a dinner roll and a brioche.
I use them as hamburger buns or filled with roast beef and onion relish and serve them with baked microwaved potatoes. They are very easy to do and look just like chips.
Ingredients to make the dough
To make the panini dough you need the following ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: if you want to use a good quality flour I would suggest the Caputo brand
- Milk: you can either use low fat or regular
- Butter: the butter should be melted. I like to melt it in the microwave with the milk as the milk is also usually cold from the fridge. If you don’t have a microwave you can melt it over a regular stove. Before you add the egg into the mix, make sure they are back to room temperature otherwise the egg will cook in the hot milk
- Egg: I have my own chickens free to walk around the garden so I always have free-range eggs. I do recommend free range not only for the taste but also for animal wellbeing.
- Sugar: the sugar is needed to activate the yeast, but also to make the dough sweet like a brioche.
- Salt: 1.5 tsp
- Dry yeast: I prefer dry yeast to fresh one as I can keep a stock at home and make pizza and bread anytime I want. The fresh yeast should be used within a short time frame and should be kept in the fridge. As yeast is a living bacteria and fresh yeast quickly expires and the dough will not rise
An easy way to make the Dough
The dough for the panini bread recipe is very easy to make if you have a bread machine.
Before my morning coffee, I put the ingredients to make the dough in the bread machine. In 1.5 hours I have the dough ready to make whatever I want.
If you don’t have a bread machine see: How to make brioche, or bread rolls’ dough without a bread machine
I use a programmable bread machine and on this link, you can find out more information on why I like this bread machine.
Making the dough
To make the dough in the bread machine you need to prepare the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients separately.
Preparing the wet ingredients
- Melt the butter with the milk in the microwave for 1 minute at low power
- Let them cool down before you add the egg otherwise, the egg will cook
- Add one egg
- Mix until all the wet ingredients are combined
Preparing the dry ingredients
- Mix the two flours
- Add the salt and the sugar
- Stir with a fork
Preparing the dough in the bread machine
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bread machine bucket
- Add the dry ingredients
- Put the dry yeast
- Place the basket in the bread machine with the cycle “Dough”. The dough will be ready in 1.5 hours
N.B: If you don’t have a bread machine you can check the article: how to make dough without the bread machine
Shaping the buns
- Cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
- Roll them and lay them in a baking pan covered with parchment paper
- Brush them with egg-wash made of egg and milk
- Let them the rest for 30 minutes, they will become nicely round shaped
- If you want to make hamburger buns cut the dough into 6 parts and follow directions as above.
Tips for making the best panini
- To make sure they are all the same size cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
- If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes they will double in size.
- It does not matter if they do not look perfect when you roll them, they will automatically develop into nice, round, and smooth buns once they have risen.
Other recipes you can make with this dough
The dough is so versatile that I use it to make several other party food, and guests wouldn’t know I spent very little time making all the goodies.
There are so many things I can do using the same panini bread dough recipe:
Sausage rolls are usually made with puff pastry, while these rolls are sweet, soft with a spicy bite from the mustard. They are easy to make and perfect for picnics, buffet or children’s parties.
Other recipes you may like
More bread recipes on my bread category:
You can also check my baking category for sweet cakes and savoury pies recipes.
If you are making these Panini, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.
📋Homemade panini
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 fresh eggs
- 3 cup flour
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 pkg yeast 2 tsp
Looking for kitchen gadget gifts?Instructions
Making the dough with a bread machine
- Prepare the wet ingredients
- Melt the butter with the milk in the microwave for 1 minute at low power
- Let them cool down before you add the egg otherwise, the egg will cook
- Add one egg
- Mix until all the wet ingredients are combined
- Prepare the dry ingredients
- Mix the two flours
- Add the salt and the sugar
- Stir with a fork
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bread machine bucket
- Add the dry ingredients
- Put the dry yeast
- Place the basket in the bread machine with the cycle "Dough". The dough will be ready in 1.5 hours
- Before you take out the dough from the bread machine basket, make sure you have sprinkled the surfaced of the board with plenty of flour. The dough will be sticky so you need to coat it with flour immediately to stop it from sticking to your hands.
If you don’t have a bread machine
- To activate the yeast mix the Dry Active Yeast with ¼ cup of the milk needed for the recipe. The milk should be lukewarm. Add ½ tsp of sugar, and let it rest until it becomes foamy.
- In the meantime, strain the flour along with the sugar and the salt into a bowl, ensuring they are completely mixed. Make a ‘well’ in the centre of the flour mix.
- Combine all the wet ingredients together: milk, butter, eggs and the frosty yeast. Slowly pour them in the ‘well’ of the flour and mix it with the wet ingredients gradually, using your fingers.
- Once they are thoroughly mixed, you can either continue mixing the flour with your hands, or put it into an electric mixer with a dough hook. Mix it until the dough becomes a ball that comes away easily from the side of the bowl.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it on a flat surface. Shape it into a smooth ball and place it into an oiled bowl covered with a wet towel to rest. Let it rise for 2 hours.
Making the Buns
- Once the dough is ready, you can start making the buns. To make sure they are all the same size cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
- If you want a shine look, brush them with an egg wash (1 egg and some milk).
- If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes they will double in size. It does not matter if they do not look perfect, they will automatically develop into nice, round and smooth buns once they have levitated.
- If you are making Hamburger Buns cut the dough in 6 equal pieces to make 6 nice large buns.
- Once the Buns have rested for 30 minutes, you can cook them in a hot oven at 350 F – 180C for 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- IMPORTANT: in the bread machine the ingredients should be placed in the exact order as listed above, liquids first.
- Before you take out the dough from the bread machine basket, make sure you have sprinkled the surfaced of the board with plenty of flour. The dough will be sticky so you need to coat it with flour immediately to stop it from sticking to your hands.
- To make sure they are all the same size cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
- If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes they will double in size.
- It does not matter if they do not look perfect, they will automatically develop into nice, round, and smooth buns once they have risen.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
These look so soft and delicious. I don’t normally make rolls but I’m trying these!
Corina Blum
These rolls look gorgeous! There’s nothing better than homemade bread. I also love to use my breadmaker to make dough and then bake it in the oven afterwards.
Louise Loubser
Do you use Active Dry Yeast in the bread machine too? Myst it first be prepared (the recipe contains milk, not water), or do you just put the yeast in as is?
Laura
Yes, I put it in the bread machine as it is and there is no need to prepare it. It will dissolve in the milk as the bread machine will warm it up at the right temperature.
Louise Loubser
Thank you so much Laura. Going to make it for my husband just now. Greetings from a cold South Africa.
Laura
You are very welcome. Let me know how he likes them
Louise Loubser
Will do so ♡
Louise Loubser
Laura,,sorry for bothering you again… Must the dough be knocked down and kneaded after the first rise?
Laura
The bread machine should do all the processes, once you shape the dough into rolls, you need to wait another 30 minutes for the dough to rise again
Lindie Espach
How much dry yeast must I use on this recipe?
Laura
1 package of dry yeast is usually 1 tsp of dry yeast. If you use fresh yeast, use 1 cube
Karen Grogan
Hi Laura, I do not have a bread maker so would like to try this recipe by hand, should I activate the yeast in some warm water and if so how much? How long would you suggest kneading the dough for I usually do 10 mins will that be enough and will 1 knead be sufficient or should I knock back and knead again, if so how long should I leave the second rise for? Sorry for all the questions but this is my first time making panini and want to get it right first time 🙂
Laura
Hello Karen, happy to help.
In the post, I share the link with the instructions on how to make Panini if you don’t have a bread machine.
The link is here, follow the instruction for bread roll:
https://yourguardianchef.com/brioche-bread-rolls-dough-without-a-bread-machine/
To answer your questions:
1. yes, use lukewarm water.
2. 10 minutes should be enough, the dough should be smooth.
3. The second rise is done once you form the panini. 30 minutes will be enough.
Hope you enjoy making them. Let me know how they came out.
Good luck
Douglas
I just made these tonight and they were an absolute hit. Thanks
Laura
I am delighted to hear
DEIDRE
my packets of yeat comes in 10g
Laura
Yes, that is the right size
Dalene
Cann i put it in a breadpan and bake a bread
Laura
Yes, you can. It will be like a brioche
Tracey Holdsworth
I made these today. I am in the UK. I haven’t made bread before. They are delicious. I used a 7g sachet of quick acting yeast. I didn’t use a bread machine but mixed the dough briefly with the dough hook in my Kenwood chef. It seemed very wet so I added a bit more flour til it came away from the sides of my mixer bowl. I thought I might have made a mistake doing that, messing with the recipe but they were fine. These are really great. I will deffo be making these again and so very easy to do. Thank you
Laura
Thank you so much for letting me know. I am delighted to hear feedback on the recipes. You made me happy
Vincent
Hello Laura, I tried but it didn’t come out like the hard ones I used to enjoy in Italy. It came out too soft. Please let me know what I did wrongly. Am also interested in pizza making. Bella, grazie!
Laura
Vincent, thank you for reaching out. The classic Italian panini are soft, so you didn’t do anything wrong. They are so-called panini al latte. The hard one you would normally buy in the Forno will require a madre yeast, which is a yeast you keep alive for months. I haven’t made these yet. If you are interested in pizza making, I would recommend visiting my recipe category: pizza. You will have a blast:
https://yourguardianchef.com/category/recipes/pizza/
GILDA GIUNTA
delicious!