French Vegan Milk Bread Rolls

• Prepare all your ingredients in small bowls in order to go faster and without ambush in the process.

  If you're doing the process by hand (which I recommend), prepare a clean work surface for kneading.
• Warm-up your milk to lukewarm temperature. It shouldn't be too warm or it will kill the yeast. Transfer into a small bowl.
• Add the dry yeast into the lukewarm milk.
• By hand: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

  Stand mixer (SM): Mix flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on lowest speed.
• Hand: Pour the milk & yeast mixture into the bowl. Start by mixing by hand in the bowl. Once everything is wet, Transfer onto your work surface and start kneading.

  SM: With the motor running, gradually add the milk and yeast mixture.
• Hand: Add the applesauce and continue kneading. It might seem very wet but don't worry, it will absorb and become a beautiful dough. So continue kneading for a few minutes and don't add flour. You should obtain a nice and firm ball.

  SM: Add the applesauce and increase the speed to the next level. Mix until the dough firms up into a mass around the hook (it should still be sticking to the bottom of the bowl).
• Hand: Continue kneading and add the squares of soft margarine piece by piece. Knead until everything is incorporated. It can take 10-15 minutes. The dough should form a nice smooth & elastic ball, it should also stick a little to the work surface.

  SM: Increase speed to the next level; add the squares of soft margarine piece by piece. Mix until dough tightens and is smooth and elastic, 10–15 minutes.

Rest

• If you knead by hand, transfer your dough ball back into the bowl. Cover with a wet kitchen towel. Put the bowl in a warm place (25-28 Celcius Degrees). I usually turn on the oven to the lowest temperature and let it rest in it.

  Let rise until nearly doubled in size (1h-1h30).

Shaping

• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Punch down dough, divide in half, and shape each into a ball of 80g each.
• For plain milk breads, just shape them in an elongated form.

  For chocolate chips milk breads, roll the dough like a small rectangle, place 1 tbsp of the chocolate chips/knife cut chocolate and fold the sides of the rectangle toward the center.
• Place the little loaves of bread onto the prepared baking sheet. Let enough space between them to let them rise.

  What I usually do, is place one half on the baking sheet and the other half into a prepared baking mold/loaf pan.
• With scissors, make 3 cuts on top of each dough piece.

  Let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Baking

• Preheat your oven to 170°C/340°F, fan-assisted.
• Once it has risen, make the ingredients for the "egg wash" and brush it onto each dough piece.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, and let cool down before handling them.
• Enjoy!