I’m a huge fan of the Brontë sisters, so over the past several years, I’ve been working my way through all their books, making recipes for them as I go. I’ve made full menus for JANE EYRE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and AGNES GREY and made a solo recipe for THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL. Today’s recipe is inspired by THE PROFESSOR, Charlotte Brontë’s very first novel, which was posthumously published.

THE PROFESSOR tells the story of William Crimsworth, a young man who travels to Belgium as an English language teacher, a story partially inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s own years as a teacher in Belgium. Crimsworth tries lots of unfamiliar foods in Belgium, including pistolets, a type of Belgian bread roll. My interest piqued, I decided to make some for the blog.

I did quite a bit of googling, trying to pin down what makes Belgian pistolets distinct from other varieties, like those made in France. From what I read, Belgian pistolets are always fluffy on the inside and have a seam down the middle, bisecting the roll into two sides. Some versions I saw had a firm, crunchy exterior, while others had a thinner, more delicate crust. I discovered many different methods for making them, and in the end I decided to go with this pistolet recipe I found on Youtube. I took the liberty of adding a steam pan to the recipe, since many recipes I saw called for it (and I’ve never tried it before, so I was curious).

These came out SO soft and fluffy, perfect with a thick schmear of butter. My son loved them so much he ate them for breakfast every day until they were gone! I’m definitely adding them to my baking repertoire. 

 

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Belgian Pistolets

“Frances’ tea was little better than hot water, sugar, and milk; and her pistolets, with which she could not offer me butter, were sweet to my palate as manna.“

— The Professor

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Makes 8 pistolets

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk the powdered milk into the water until dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes according to the yeast’s package instructions, stirring gently after 2 minutes.
2. Add the oil, salt, and flour to the mixer. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until combined. Mix for 10 minutes more until a smooth, soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
3. Shape the dough into a boule and transfer to a bowl that’s been lightly coated with cooking oil, turning the boule once to coat. Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. While you wait, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
4. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and reshape into 3-inch boules, transferring to the prepared baking sheet. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, press down across the top of each boule, pressing all the way to the bottom. This will create a crease in the dough, separating the boule into 2 sides. I like to “seesaw” the chopstick up and down when I reach the bottom to make sure it presses down on the ends too. This helps keep the definition of the line as the dough rises.
5. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. While you wait, preheat your oven to 450°F and place a baking sheet on the bottom rack. Boil 2 cups of water in a kettle. Sprinkle the pistolets with a little bit of flour and transfer to the oven. Fill the baking tray on the bottom rack with the boiling water. Bake for 15-17 minutes until lightly golden on top.
6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Serve to the new English professor at your school in Belgium!

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Looking for more Brontë recipes?
Check out my recipe for
Graham Bread inspired by AGNES GREY!