Sandwiches & Burgers: Twice Baked Sandwiches

This is a delicious way to enjoy sandwiches. It takes a little effort, but it's worth it. You can change and adapt this recipe as you see fit. I've used turkey bacon, but you can use pork bacon. Or you can use ham, turkey slices, sausage, or anything else you choose. Just make sure you're using a cooked meat. Raw meats will not cook inside these sandwiches.


You can also use any cheese you like. I used mozzarella because that's what I had already grated, but these are excellent with cheddar, gouda, or any other cheese that melts well.


You don't have to make your own buns for this recipe. You can buy a set of 12 bakery buns and use those instead. I just prefer to bake my own beforehand.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
12 slices turkey bacon
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
½ cup butter, melted
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp poppy seeds


Preparation


Prepare the white bread dough as directed in the recipe until after the first rise. At this point, you want to grease a 9x13-inch cake pan to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth-topped bun and place in cake pan. When all 12 are arranged in the pan, cover and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. As they rise, they will touch each other. This is a good thing.


Heat oven to 350°F. Bake buns for 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. They should sound hollow when tapped. Remove buns from the pan, but try not to separate them as you do so. This recipe works best when the buns are still attached to each other. If they do separate, however, you can still use them. You just might get some cheese melting onto the bottom of the pan.


Allow buns to cool completely. When they are cooled, slice them to remove the tops. Again, try to keep them together, but it's not the end of the world if the buns separate. I often divide them into 2 groups of 6 to allow for easier slicing.


Place the bottom of the buns back into the cake pan. Top with bacon and cheese. Replace tops of buns. Combine all remaining ingredients and pour over the tops of the buns. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.


Allow to cool 5 minutes, then use a spatula to remove sandwiches from pan 1 at a time. These can be eaten immediately or refrigerated until the next day.