Email to Cat      

Soft & Fluffy Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef: The Cookbook" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"When my editor, Amy Treadwell, suggested I include a dinner roll recipe in this chapter, I set to work testing dozens of recipes. While many were quick and easy with short rising times—a plus, for sure—they were also disappointingly bland and dense. I finally came up with this recipe, which uses instant potato flakes and nonfat dried milk to tenderize the bread and add flavor. These rolls are soft and fluffy, with an open crumb and rich, buttery flavor. Though they're not the fastest dinner rolls out there, I believe they are the very best."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ cup milk
â—¦ 1 egg
â—¦ 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
â—¦ ½ cup instant potato flakes
â—¦ 2 tablespoons nonfat dried milk
â—¦ 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons instant, quick, or rapid-rise yeast
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for serving


Recipe

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and ¼ cup water. Heat until lukewarm, 20 to 30 seconds on high heat. (This can also be done in a small saucepan on the stove.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the egg, flour, potato flakes, dried milk, sugar, yeast, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the warm milk and water mixture and knead on medium-low speed for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. (Don't worry if the dough sticks a bit to the bottom of the bowl.) To remove the dough from the bowl, dust your hands with flour and scrape it out.

Using your hands (dust them with more flour if necessary), shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it's doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface (it will deflate). Divide it into 12 even pieces (each piece should weigh 1 ¾ to 2 ounces). Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball by tucking and pinching the edges underneath to form a plump little bun.

Grease a 9-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rolls in the pan, arranging 8 evenly around the perimeter and 4 in the center. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the rolls rise until they're almost doubled in bulk, puffy, and touching, about 1 hour. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350° F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Brush the rolls with the melted butter and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter. Store the rolls in a sealable plastic bag for several days at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage.

Makes 12 rolls



• Make Ahead:
To freeze the baked rolls, let them cool completely, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw: Remove the rolls from the freezer and let thaw at room temperature for at least 3 hours. Place the foil-wrapped rolls in a preheated 350° F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warm.