Updated: Mar 2
Nothing goes better with a bowl of homemade soup, than a steaming hot dinner roll fresh from the oven.
As if they weren't good enough to begin with, the addition of dehydrated milk powder and instant potato flakes makes these dinner rolls pillowy soft and divine.
These dinner rolls stay soft and pillowy and leftover rolls make delicious sandwiches the next day.
Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
11 g instant yeast
113 g water
454 g whole milk
21 g granulated sugar
43 g butter, softened
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp powdered milk
2 Tbsp instant potato flakes
600 g bread flour
200 g whole wheat flour
In a stand mixer, hydrate the yeast in the water. Add the milk and sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and knead with the dough attachment for 5 minutes. Hydration levels vary in different brands of flour, so adjust moisture as needed. Check hydration by touching the dough after about 1 minute of kneading. If it's very sticky, add a few tablespoons of flour. If it's too dry for all of it to become one solid ball of dough, add a tsp or so of water. Once the consistency is correct and you've completed kneading, let the dough rest at room temperature, covered, for 45 minutes or till doubled in size.
A message on kneading dough by hand: People have been making yeast bread since waaaayyyy before the invention of stand mixers and electricity. These days we are often in a hurry. But of course, this and any bread recipe can be mixed by hand. It takes a bit more time and a lot more muscle. Kneading dough by hand can be a very fun activity for kids. It's also GREAT therapy, so if you're feeling a bit stressed out today, this is a wonderful way to let it out.
I promise: the bread can take it.
Recipe, Cont'd:
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C and line a baking tray with a Silpat liner or baking paper.
To divide the dough, a dough cutter and scale are important tools to easily separate equal sized portions of dough. If you don't have these, you can pull the dough apart with your hands and eyeball it. For small rolls, aim for golf ball size portions; for large rolls, aim for tennis ball sized portions. Keep in mind that during the 2nd rise and baking, the dough will grow about 50% more.
Once divided, you're ready to shape the dough. Grab a ball of dough and stretch it from the outside inward, pushing the dough towards one spot in the center till it is tight around the surface but not so tight that it's beginning to tear. This tension helps the dough to retain its round shape during baking. If you went too far and it's torn, leave it to rest for about 10 minutes and start over after doing the rest of them. Push the edges together to help seal them in place and set the roll round-side up (seam on the bottom) on your prepared baking sheet. Be sure to leave at least 1" between them. Continue with the rest of the dough. I usually get between 18-24 dinner rolls, depending on size.
Cover and let rise at room temperature for 30 additional minutes.
Bake 30 minutes or till golden brown, and an internal thermometer reads 190°F.
Enjoy them warm! Leftovers can be kept at room temp, covered in plastic, for up to 24 hrs. These don't freeze well, so if you have a lot leftover, I recommend using them for sandwiches the next day. You can also halve the recipe and just follow the same procedure.