The Baker's Blog

Memorial Day Barbeques and Picnics – Soft Bun and Roll Production

5-16-12

Fire up the grill and put on your sunscreen – it’s time for Memorial Day barbeques and picnics! That’s great news for American bakers, because the increase in bun consumption from Memorial Day to Labor Day is a huge opportunity for bakers.

Hamburger buns and hot dog rolls have to not only be delicious – they have to be able to perform. The finished product requires a large volume without asymmetry, breaking or shredding. And those buns and rolls have to withstand little hands, hot grilled meats, sauces and toppings. These are “performance breads”—sliced hot dog rolls need a flexible “hinge,” and many hamburger buns must hold up to grilling, toasting or microwaving.

What's the secret to great buns and rolls?

Soft bun and roll dough development is critical because the dough must be soft enough for processing but strong enough to hold up during the final proof and baking, not to mention withstand hungry people opening the bun hinge and pouring on the ketchup.

Enzymes are specialized proteins that serve as catalysts for reactions that would otherwise require chemicals or intense energy. They are workhorses – and they are often faster, cheaper, and more effective than the ingredients they are replacing. And many enzymes are label-friendly, which is a big step toward moving to a clean label – one of the most important trends in baking. Using enzymes are also a step toward cost savings and process sustainability. Because enzymes are used at very low levels, they cost less to ship than they products they are replacing, and can reduce the resource utilization and overall environmental impact of production—which is healthier for the planet. Having a more efficient production process can dramatically reduce your CO2 production, which is an important benefit that you can pass along to your customers.

When it comes to soft buns and rolls, you can turn to enzyme softeners, such as Baker’s Best All Natural Softener System – which acts upon the starch complex in dough and prevents starch retrogradation—which is the cause of staling baked goods. The addition of an enzyme softener can ensure your rolls stay soft while they’re on the shelf, and also give your consumers more days of freshness at home. This translates into direct cost savings for you – more days on the shelf without staling means you are stretching your inventory dollar, and more days of freshness at home means fewer returns and more happy customers. If you’re a wholesaler, enzymes become even more critical. Once the product leaves your dock you don’t have control over the time-to-market, freezing, thawing or customer service.

Summer holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day are especially busy times for bakers, and if you have freezer space, you may want to build an inventory of baked rolls ahead of time. Rolls frozen under ideal conditions (rapid freezing with good air circulation in a freezer that isn’t given to temperature ups and downs) will be just as soft and tender when thawed as fresh buns. But less than ideal conditions, or long storage times, can lead to a drier crumb around the edges of buns and rolls. This is another place where an enzyme softening system can help.

It’s important to remember that an enzyme softening system is just one of the steps in processing quality soft hamburger rolls and buns. But before you invest in enzymes, it’s important to make sure you’ve optimized your formula and process. Otherwise, you won’t get the full benefit of your enzyme softening system investment.

Key factors affecting bun and roll softness include:

1. Fermentation
2. Absorption
3. Mixing and Dough Development
4. Baking Time and Temperature
5. Cooling & Wrapping Temperature
6. Crumb Softeners
7. Presence of Enzymes

For more information on soft bun and roll production, please contact your AB Mauri ® local distributor.