Soft & Tender Rolls

I love bread. I really, really love bread. I would never be able to do one of those diets that cut out any bread intake. I would fail and fail miserably. If it weren't for my mom's voice in my head as I prepare every meal, saying, "Is this a healthy, well balanced meal?" I would be so happy just to eat bread and nothing else. As would my kids.

And today's recipe makes the thought all the more tempting. I love this recipe! It comes from my neighbor down the street, Nina. She's an amazing cook. I took a bread making class from her and got her bread recipe, which she is famous for around here. And this is it.

Though, as I made her bread into loaves, it was so tender and wonderful, but didn't stand up to what I'm looking for in a loaf bread recipe. When I tried it as rolls, however, they were AMAZING!!! Just perfect for rolls!

Here's what you'll need:

3 C. milk
1 C. water
3/4 C. butter
4 T. yeast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C. sugar
4 tsp. salt
10 C. flour

Put the milk and water in a large microwaveable bowl and add the butter. Microwave until the butter is mostly melted, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes.



Put the yeast, eggs, sugar, 6 cups of flour, and salt into a large bowl or stand mixer, preferably a Bosch (stand mixers are NOT created equal - Bosch's are the best for breads). Pour in the milk, water, butter mixture and mix well. Add enough of the remaining flour to make the dough pull away from the sides of the bowl, but still leaving some on the sides.

Now, here's where the difference in stand mixers come in. If you are using a Bosch (not a Kitchenaid or any other stand mixer - I mean BOSCH), you just have to let it mix on high for about 10 minutes. That will do the kneading for you. So easy. So wonderful. I love my Bosch.
The dough will be sticky, that's what makes it really tender. You don't want stiff dough!

Okay! Moving on...if you are using a Kitchenaid or other stand mixer, mix as well as you can, for about 5-10 minutes. If you are making these by hand, use those muscles and knead, knead, knead for at least 5 minutes, longer is better.

If you do not use a Bosch, let the dough rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. If you are using a Bosch, you can skip this step. You don't have to let it rise the first time. (Have I told you how much I love that machine?)

If you let the dough rise, punch it down and start forming your rolls.

Now, there are several ways that you can make rolls. There's the classic dinner roll, 1/2 cup or 4-inch sized ball (or whatever size you want to make them) that you line in a greased baking dish.

This is what they look like after they have risen

Or you can make cloverleaf rolls, where you make three little balls (approximately 2 inches in diameter), dunk 'em in melted butter and place them in a muffin tin - three balls to one muffin cup.

Also after they have risen.

Then there's Parker House rolls. To make this style, roll out dough approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cut circles with a biscuit cutter or a cup. Put a little dab of butter in the centers of your dough circles, fold in half, and pinch to make it stay. Then place on a greased baking sheet. (Sorry, no pictures of these. You'll have to use your imagination!)

Or you could make Butterhorn rolls by rolling the dough, onto a very well flourerd surface, into a couple of 12 inch circles, brush with melted butter, and slice into wedges (like a pizza).

Roll each wedge, starting from the wide end, rolling to the point, like a crescent roll.

(I made mine a little big. Next time I'll cut them into 12 rolls rather than 8!)

Place on a greased baking sheet.

And the last method that I'm going to talk about (there are sooooooo many ways to form rolls) is the Lion House method. Roll out your dough into a long rectangle, approximately 18 inches long; brush with melted butter, then slice with a pizza cutter, making several small rectangles measuring approximately 3 inches by 5 inches. That sounds a little confusing. Take a look at the picture below...
Roll up each rectangle, starting at the short end, keeping the butter on the inside. Place into a greased baking sheet.

And with any way that you mixed your dough or formed your rolls, cover your rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let them rise until until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, and the time will fluctuate depending on how your rolls are formed. So use the 20 minutes as a guide, but keep an eye on your rolls. (More exact times are listed below.) They are done when they are golden brown on top. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Best when served warm.

The dinner rolls baked for 25-30 minutes.

Brushed with butter

So light and tender!

The cloverleaf rolls baked for 15-18 minutes.

The butterhorn baked for about 25-30 minutes.

And the Lion House rolls baked for about 20-25 minutes.

I hope I didn't confuse you too much. Give them a try because they are really worth it! And don't give up if your rolls don't turn out perfectly. It takes practice!! Heck, I'm still practicing. But again, they are so worth it!!!!