Halloween Lava Sandwiches

Deli Roast Beef

Serves 10 to 12

*2 to 3 pounds Open Oven Roasted Deli Roast Beef, fully cooked (We like Double L Ranch Meats Lowery Foods meat comes frozen, in Richmond, Utah)

*2 (1 ounce Packets) Au Jus Gravy Mix, like McCormick, made according to directions or use you favorite Au Jus gravy

In a crock pot add cooked roast beef and Au Jus, warm for 1 to 2 hours on low, if meat is frozen heat 2 to 3 hours on high or according to your crock pot instructions

*12 Slices Pepper Jack Cheese

*Slice rolls in half and add cheese and roast beef and use Au Jus, juices from meat for dipping. If you would like extra sauce for dipping make AN EXTRA PACKET OF AU JUS GRAVY

*Lava Rolls, recipe follows, also see visual instructions HERE

Lava Rolls

*3 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

*1/2 cup Warm Water, around 108*F.

*2 teaspoons Sugar

*1/2 cup Milk or Evaporated Milk, warm

*1 to 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Red Velvet Food Emulsion or 8 drops red food coloring or add more until desired red color

*3/8 cup or 6 tablespoons Sugar

*1/3 cup Butter flavored Shortening or 1/3 cup Butter, I like shortening 

*1 teaspoon Sea Salt

*3 cups All-purpose Flour, more for rolling out dough

Dough Instructions:

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup add the warm water and yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar.  Set aside until bubbly.

In a sauce pan add the milk and warm the milk and add the shortening/butter, sugar and salt stir until shortening/butter is almost melted.  Remove from heat and add red food coloring.

Using a stand mixer with dough hook on medium-low speed, add to the bowl the warm milk mixture and a cup of the flour.  Then turn on mixer and add the yeast mixture and slowly add the remaining flour.   Dough will be slightly sticky, add more flour only if needed.  Knead in mixer on medium low-speed for 8 minutes or until dough starts forming a sticky ball.  

Remove mixing bowl from the stand mixer and cover bowl with a lint free dish cloth, slightly damp.  Allow the dough to rise 1 and 1/2 hours or until double in bulk.

Then on a floured food safe surface, place the dough ball and roll out the dough with rolling-pin or just with your hands, lightly press into a rectangular shape (using extra flour as needed) use a pastry cutter and divide the dough into 20 even square pieces.  Form each piece of dough into a round ball, by tucking in corners on the underside of each dough ball and push them up slightly forming  a smooth top on each roll.  Place on Silpat covered half baking sheet or use parchment paper.  Allow to rise another 30 minutes or longer because adding the sugar paste toppings takes a little time.

Also see Conchas

Black Paste/Topping

*1 cup warm Water

*1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Black Food Paste/Coloring

*2 tablespoons Jet Black Cocoa Powder or the Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder, you will need more black food coloring if you use Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder

*1 and 1/2 cups Rice Flour, minus 2 tablespoons

*2 and 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

*2 tablespoons Sugar

*2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

*1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

In a glass measuring cup add water and black food paste/coloring.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl add the rice flour, yeast, sugar, oil and sea salt.  Then slowly mix in the black water mixture.  Set aside for 30 minutes.

Add a couple of spoonfuls of black paste to the top of raised red dough rolls.

Bake rolls in a 375*F. Oven for 18 to 20 minutes.

Black paste recipe adapted from Wonderlandrecipes

Also see our Halloween Eyeball Party Food

Enjoy!

Lindy