It’s that time of year and everyone is making a variety of warm and hearty soups perfect for the change of seasons. I love the fall. Cooler weather is a welcome change from summer’s seemingly relentless heat! Whether you’re retrieving the crock pot or bringing out your trusty soup pot, there’s nothing that goes better with a warm bowl of soup than a beautiful and flavorful bread. This recipe I turned into rolls.
I made these rolls during a recent visit to see my grandchildren. What a big hit! These rolls were perfect. They rose beautifully, light and fluffy with a crispy exterior. I couldn’t have been more pleased, as were my grandchildren – seriously, what better compliment can a grandmother receive?
Hope you give these rolls a try. My son-in-law said the leftovers were especially good with a couple of slices of sharp cheddar cheese. And I love to make mini sandwiches of any kind using turkey, roast beef, roast chicken, or ham and cheese.
Recipe is slightly adapted from www.friedalovesbread.com. This is an excellent site for all kinds of bread recipes. The original recipe calls for Vital Wheat Gluten. I didn’t have any, so left it out, and still the rolls were amazing.
- 2⅓ cups water, room temperature
- ⅓ cups vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 - 3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, pour in water. Add honey and stir. Sprinkle dry yeast on top and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Place bowl in a warm spot until the yeast begins to bubble.
- Add the whole wheat flour to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to form a sponge. Cover with a kitchen towel, and place in a warm spot to begin to rise. Once the top of the sponge is covered with bubbles, you're ready to go onto the next step.
- Add 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour. Stir until incorporated. Using a dough hook on the mixer, add additional flour ½ cup at a time. Mix for one minute between each addition.
- You may not need all the unbleached flour. There's a big difference between 2 cups and 3½ cups. You will know you've added enough flour when the dough begins to clear the sides of the bowl and begins to cling to the hook. The dough should feel soft and look smooth, and slightly wet. If the dough is sticking to your fingers, add more flour until you reach the soft/smooth stage.
- Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set in a warm spot to rise until double in bulk - 1 hour to 90 minutes. (I like to put my dough in my oven with the oven light on.)
- Once doubled, gently punch down the dough. Reform into a ball. Cover again with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and allow to rise until doubled - 1 hour.
- After the second rise, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half, and each half into halves again - you'll have four dough rounds. Cover the rounds with a kitchen towel, and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Divide each round into four equal-sized balls. Place the dough balls on a lightly greased half-sheet pan - 16 rolls total. Place a kitchen towel over the rolls, and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Uncover the rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Remove from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I didn't use my stand mixer, but mixed and kneaded by hand. The result outstanding. I also left out one tablespoonful of wheat gluten. You can add it if you wish.
