Soak the oats

Put the oats in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Set aside to soak and cool while you gather the rest of the ingredients.

Tip: can be done in advance, up to the night before.

Make the dough

In a large bowl, stir together all the flours.

Drain and discard any excess water from the soaked oats then stir them into the mixing bowl ingredients: if the oats clump together then rub between your fingers to separate and ensure they're coated in flour.

Stir in the mixed seeds, yeast, salt, and sugar.

Make a well in the centre then pour in the melted butter.

Gradually add approximately 175 ml of the warm water, stirring as you do so, to start bringing the mixture together. Gradually add more water, stirring all the time, until a firm dough is almost formed - it doesn't matter if there are a few bits of loose flour at this stage.

Note: different flours absorb different amounts of liquid, so you may not need all the water listed in the ingredients or you may need a splash more, but the dough should not be wet or too dry.

Knead the dough

Tip the dough and any remaining flour from the bowl onto a clean work surface or silicone mat. Fold and knead to form a dough, only adding a little extra flour if needed to prevent sticking. If it seems dry, add a little water.

Keep kneading for 10 minutes or until you have a smooth ball of dough that immediately springs back when you poke a finger into it.

Wipe out the bowl and put 1 tsp of oil in the bottom.

Turn the dough in the oil to coat it, then cover the bowl and put in a warm place (e.g. an oven heated to very low then turned off) until doubled in size: approximately 60-90 minutes.

Line a baking tray approximately 20-22 x 30 cm with baking paper or lightly grease it.

Shape the rolls

When the dough has doubled, take it out of the bowl and divide into 8 equal pieces and using scales for accuracy.

Fold each piece into a ball then with your fingers touching the worksurface and a dough ball smooth side up lightly cupped beneath your palm, quickly move your hand in a circle approximately 10 times to finish shaping into a neat, round-topped ball.

When all the balls are made, gently press down to flatten a little then place in the prepared baking tray spaced a little apart.

Cover and leave in a warm place again for 30 - 40 minutes or until, when you gently press the dough it slowly springs back but leaves a slight indentation. If the dough springs back quickly then it's not yet fully proofed: leave it another 5-10 minutes and check again.

While the rolls are proving:

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°Fan /Gas 6 / 400°F with a shelf in the middle. Place another shelf in the lowest position and put a deep roasting tray on it to preheat (you will pour cold water in it later to create steam and help the bread rolls rise).

Add the oat and seed topping

When the rolls are ready to bake, brush a layer of the beaten egg white over the top of each roll. Sprinkle over the oat and seed mix then brush over another layer of egg white to seal.

Bake the rolls

Transfer the tray to the oven. Pour cold water into the roasting tray to a depth of 3 cm and close the door.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the rolls are risen, brown and cooked all the way through.

Tip1: if your oven bakes unevenly you can turn the tray around after 10 minutes, but be careful as hot steam may billow out as you open the door.

Tip 2: to brown the undersides of the rolls during the final minutes you can bake them upside down or take them off the tray and bake directly on the oven shelf.

Transfer the baked rolls to a wire cooling rack until cold.

Best eaten within 2 - 3 days or can be frozen.