Lactose-Free Recipe Contest - Homemade Buns and Sandwich Bread

The Southeast Dairy Association is challenging The Recipe ReDux to creative "Festively Lactose Free" appetizers, entrees and desserts using lactose free (cow's) milk.
Lactose free milk is real milk without the lactose (the milk sugar naturally occurring in milk) and offers the same nine essential nutrients as regular milk. Lactose-free milk is made when a lactase enzyme is added to real milk, breaking down lactose into simple sugars (glucose and galactose).
The resulting milk contains about 0.25g of lactose per 100mL, compared to 4 - 6g of lactose in regular milk.

Usually before I have to wander into an area I am not familiar with, I do extensive research.
This is what I found and I also have a link at the end for a test you can do to see if you are lactose intolerant or simply have a problem with dairy.
Difference? Well, some cheeses are lactose free in the way they are fermented. Most people that are lactose intolerant can tolerate hard cheeses like Parmigiana Reggiano, Romano, Sharp Cheddar and yogurt. People with dairy issues can not even tolerate most natural lactose-free cheeses.

The one product that kept coming up as a lactose bomb was bread. If you check the labels you will see that most name brand breads and rolls are made or fortified with dried milk. A big no-no for lactose intolerant peeps. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of foods that have milk on the label, you have to check carefully.

I am putting this in the "entree" category. It might not quite fit that category but I believed so strongly in entering this recipe because everyone should be able to eat bread. It is a crucial part of everyone's diet. If 3 people make this and are then able to eat bread without all the tummy trouble, it was worth putting a square peg into a round hole.
Now lactose intolerant eaters can make hamburgers, hot dogs, sloppy joes, stromboli, dinner rolls, slider rolls, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and a loaf of sliced sandwich bread. Make a loaf for Grandma and the kids can now eat normal "kid" food, everyone will be happier and your table will be the favorite place to be.

It freezes well and defrosts overnight right in your fridge or in a few hours on the counter. The beauty of this is anyone, even a non-baker, can make this bread. If you have a food processor, stand mixer, bread machine and the time with good ole human arm power, you can bake wonderfully, warm, doughy but sturdy enough to not disintegrate, delicious rolls.

The beauty of this bread is you can form it anyway you want.

I will tell you that if your house is cool, you may need to place the dough near a heat vent, a radiator or a very low toaster oven. If you do not have access to any of these areas you may have to let the dough rise on the counter, covered, for 4-5 hours or in the fridge overnight. This type of dough requires two full rises to let the flavor and crumb to develop. Since the cheese tends to make the dough heavy it is imperative to treat it with respect and let the yeast do it's thing.

Homemade Bread or Rolls
makes enough dough for both 8 hamburger-style rolls and one regular sandwich loaf
*  4 1/2 cups AP flour
* 4 teaspoons Instant Dry Yeast
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 cup lactose-free cottage cheese
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup shortening
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg
* egg white for glazing

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In the bowl of a processor, a stand mixer (outfitted with dough hook) or a large bowl, combine 4 cups flour, the salt, 3/4 of the cottage cheese and mix well.
3. In a 1 cup glass measuring cup, nuke 1/4 cup water for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup cottage cheese (just eyeball it), the yeast and the honey. When the mixture starts to bubble, it is ready to make the bread.
3. Nuke the shortening  for 1 minute. Shortening does not need to melt totally. Add the shortening to the flour, then add the yeast mixture to the bowl and mix until it just comes together. Add egg to the remaining water (3/4 cup) and mix into the flour on medium low until it gets incorporated (about 3 minutes).
5. At this point, place it in the bread machine and set to knead.It will be a shaggy mess.
6. Stand Mixer - knead on #4 for 8 minutes. Processor - blend until the dough forms a ball and comes away from the sides. By Hand - knead for 15-20 minutes. If the dough does not come off the sides add teaspoons of flour (mixing after each addition) until the bowl is clean and dough forms a nice ball. Remove to a floured board.
7. This is the point where you would divide the dough into the portions you will use now and the amount you want to freeze. Place dough into a plastic freezer bag , deflate the air out and date.
8. Place remaining dough in a greased bowl and allow it to double in size (1-1 1/2 hours but up to 2 if your kitchen is on the cool side). Punch down and divide into equal portions of about golf ball size for dinner rolls, baseball size for hamburger rolls and an oval or round for a free-standing loaf. If using a loaf pan, shape into a cylinder that is the same length as the pan and place in the pan for it's final rise.
9. Place rolls on a sheet pan that was lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. They can be placed in a square cake pan for dinner rolls, touching on all sides to keep them contained or spread out with 1" spacing to allow them to grow larger for hamburger buns.
10. Let them rise for 30 minutes more (covered with a clean dish towel), When the dough is ready, brush the tops with the egg white and bake the loaf for 40 to 45 minutes, the rolls for 20 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped. Turn them out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
11. This in important. Let the bread come completely to room temperature to allow the inside crumb to form. If you move them too soon the bread will be dense and unappealing.


Can be stored in a cake carrier or in a bread box. If using a plastic bag, I would line the bag with a paper towel to absorb the moisture and seal.

Trust me, it may seem intimidating, but to make sure you are successful have all your ingredients measured beforehand and read the recipe 3x then read it again. Remember, if it doesn't come out perfect the first time, just make bread crumbs with the bread.  Nothing needs to go to waste.

PDF for lactose or dairy test.

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Southeast Dairy Association. I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”