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Finding out how to cook part baked bread rolls in an air fryer is as easy as reading the packet. But, do packet instructions give you the crunchy, crusty bread you so crave?
We put Iceland’s White Part Baked Petit Pains and Tesco’s Bake at Home Petit Pains to the test in our Ninja Crispi to see how long we’d need to cook them to achieve that all-over crust.
Iceland White Part Baked Petit Pains
Packet instructions
As per the air fryer cooking instructions on the back of the Iceland part baked petit pains, we put our rolls on the Air Fry setting for five minutes.
The guidance didn’t say to flip the rolls mid-cook, making clear that Iceland’s final vision didn’t involve an all-round crunch.
Packet instructions outcome
The air fryer timings on the packet were bang on… for Iceland’s final vision. The rolls were golden on top and the crust had a good crunch, while the sides and bottom were still pale and soft, not dissimilar to how they felt coming out of the packet. There was no reason to think the bottom halves remained raw, however.
The rolls were nice to slice in half, the soft lower halves did bend and press-in at points, and unlike the top, there wasn’t any crust flaking away.
How long to cook Iceland part-baked rolls for an all-over crunch?
Once the five minutes is up, flip your rolls over and cook for another two minutes. At this point, the bottom side should exhibit some stiffness and colour.
For a flaky crust, set the timer to four or five minutes instead, depending on your type of air fryer. At this point, the bottom half will replicate the top: golden, crunchy, and flakes off when sliced.
Tesco Bake at Home Petit Pains
Packet instructions
Unlike the Iceland rolls, the Tesco Bake at Home Petit Pains didn’t have any air fryer-specific instructions. To cook these rolls in the oven, the instructions said 220C for eight to 10 minutes, or 10-12 minutes from frozen.
As the Ninja Crispi doesn’t allow temperature adjustments, we used the Air Fry mode for eight minutes. Its compact size would mean a higher concentration of heat, thus a quicker cooking time. If your air fryer allows you to select 220C, then do so and set the timer to eight minutes.
Outcome
Eight minutes on Air Fry was just the right amount of time to colour the crust and give the slice along the top a nice dark tinge. The exterior of all sides of the Tesco petit pains had a good crust and, unlike the Iceland rolls, didn’t have any soft points. Even on the underside.
Things to note
- You need to shake or flip your food when cooking in an air fryer. This is to ensure the food is cooked evenly, and to get that all-over golden crisp.
- If you cook more part-baked bread than you need, prevent it from going stale overnight by storing in an airtight container or wrapping tightly in tin foil. You can also preserve its lifespan by storing it in the fridge. Make sure to remove the bread around 15 minutes before you plan to use it so the temperature can rise above fridge-cold.
- Part-Baked rolls are often included in supermarket deals, and as such, are better value than buying a loaf. If you’re shopping on a budget, keep them in mind.
