Hooked - Quick and Crusty Hard Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe comes close to producing a perfect hard roll. When freshly made, they have crusts that shatter when you bite into them and their interiors are pillowy soft. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, this recipe defines simplicity. All the ingredients get thrown into a bowl and the contents are beaten until everything is mixed and a dough is formed. The dough goes into the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before it is shaped and left to rise again. That's it. The original recipe came from King Arthur Flour and I found it on a food board whose name I no longer remember. The slow rise in the refrigerator actually improves the flavor of the rolls, so don't be tempted to cut it short. The dough can be kept for up to five days before it begins to sour. This recipe calls for instant yeast which is slightly more potent than active dry yeast. A discussion of the two types of yeast can be found here. You can substitute one for the other if you wish. Like all breads of this type, the rolls are best eaten the day they are made. They lose their crackle if they sit over night and stale very quickly. The stale rolls do, however, make wonderful stuffing for pork chops or a small chicken, and when the rolls are fresh from the oven, they make a perfect accompaniment for soup. I hope you'll give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Cornmeal Dinner Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been testing a few recipes for new versions of soups and stews this week. I've also been looking for different breads or rolls that could be served with them. When I saw these cornmeal dinner rolls, I thought they'd be perfect to serve with the heavier winter meals I was testing. I made them tonight and while they are pleasant enough, I must confess they are no match for the "bread in my head." The reason for a less than stellar review is that the dough is wet and hard to work with. With patience it comes together, but, while the finished rolls are very nice, they aren't, in my opinion, worth the effort it takes to get them to the table. I made one other embarrassing discovery when I tasted them. I'd made them before. They are nearly identical to sandwiches rolls I posted earlier in the year. I had forgotten about them until that first taste, and, while you can't see it, my face is really, really red. At least I'm consistent in my criticism. The addition of cornmeal makes the rolls interesting and very moist. Here's the recipe for those of you I haven't scared away.

Cornmeal Dinner Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup cornmeal
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast or 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs
4-3/4 to 5-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon cornmeal

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter, cornmeal and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 5-8 minutes or until thickened. Cool to 110 to 115 degrees F.
2) In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cornmeal mixture, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
3) Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
4) Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 30 balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
5) Uncover rolls; brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake at 375° for 13-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks; serve warm. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.










One Year Ago Today: Cranberry Glazed Roast Pork


















Two Years Ago Today: Potato Soup

Rue Tatin Sweet Crescent Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every year at this time, I renew my search for the perfect cinnamon roll. I've been looking for decades now and still come up short. I've finally decided that the only way I'll ever find my golden fleece, is to rob elements of existing recipes, and combine them in such a fashion that they can be called my own. Tonight's post is not about cinnamon rolls, it is, rather, about an outstanding sweet dough that I think will work very nicely as a base for them. I know most of you have read the charming memoir, On Rue Tatin, written by Susan Loomis. Tucked between its covers is a lovely recipe called Les Pains De Rapprochement or The Rolls That Brought us Together. That dough is the one I'll be using next week when I feature the world's ultimate cinnamon roll. They are really good and I think you forgive my modest brag when you taste them. Anyway, I tested Susan's recipe exactly as it was written before forging the path that will lead all of us to those very special rolls. The Silver Fox loved the basic recipe and was charmed by the shape and color of the rolls. It is at his urging that I'm sharing the original recipe for her crescent rolls with you. These are really easy to do, especially if you have a large stand mixer to do the work for you. The dough requires a bit of kneading, but it is so velvety in hand that that is a pleasure to do. These are really nice. They are meant to be served warm from the oven, but they can be reheated in a microwave if needs be. There are no tricks here. Follow the recipe and you have gorgeous crescent rolls to serve your family and friends. I hope you'll come back next week when we feature them with added bells and whistles. Here's the basic recipe.

Sweet Crescent Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Susan Herrmann Loomis

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon table salt

Directions:
1) Scald milk over medium-high heat. Pour it into large bowl of an electric mixer. Add butter and stir until butter has melted. Set aside until mixture is lukewarm.
2) Stir yeast and sugar into milk. Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt and 1 more cup of flour. Mix vigorously until dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes on medium speed.
3) Add reserved 2-1/2 cups flour and mix just until incorporated. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading by hand until it is smooth.
4) Place dough in a bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
5) Lightly flour 2 baking sheets.
6) Turn dough onto a well-floured surface, divide it in half, and roll each half to form a circle that is 1/8-inch thick and 16-inces in diameter. Cut each circle into quarters, and cut each quarter into 4 wedges, Roll edges up, beginning at the wide end, to form crescents.
7) Place rolls on prepared sheets, leaving 2-inches between them and arranging them with tips tucked underneath. Cover rolls with a kitchen towel and let rise until they have doubled in size, at least 4 hours.
8) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9) Bake rolls in center of oven until they are golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. Yield: 32 crescent rolls.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Dark and Soft Restaurant Dinner Rolls - Handle the Heat
Olive and Asiago Rolls - Cookie Madness
Soft Whole Wheat Rolls - One Perfect Bite
90 Minute Dinner Rolls - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Sour Dough Dinner Rolls - Phoo-d
Potato Dinner Rolls - Sweet and Savory Tooth
Parker House Rolls - The Pioneer Woman
Soft Dinner Rolls - Inspired2Cook

This post is being linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Soft Whole Wheat Rolls

Ready for the oven.



Ready for the table.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have, for the longest time, been looking for a recipe that would produce a soft whole wheat roll that was as delicious as it was healthy. To that end, I tested three new recipes this week and I'm happy to report that, while not yet there, I'm gaining ground. I'm featuring the best of the lot tonight and I think you'll really enjoy it. The recipe originally appeared in Eating Well Magazine. It's a bit unusual in that it uses low gluten cake flour to help make a soft dough. If you do not keep cake flour in your pantry and don't want to purchase it just to try this recipe, all-purpose flour can be substituted. Just remove 2 tablespoons from each cup of flour that you measure and you'll be fine. While this works well with bread, the results are less satisfactory when making a cake, so be careful where you use this substitution. I wanted a hint of molasses in my rolls, so I used turbinado rather than granulated sugar in my version of the recipe. Turbinado is just another name for raw sugar, that still has its molasses content intact. It's made from sugar cane juice that is heated and crystallized. Some consider it to be more healthy because it is less processed than granulated sugar. I use it when a want a hint of molasses flavor in a dish and I usually keep it on hand because the Silver Fox likes it in his coffee. It is not a key ingredient here and you can use granulated or brown sugar if you prefer. I know those of you who try these rolls will love them. Here's the recipe.

Soft Whole Wheat Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups warm low-fat milk
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
3 large eggs, divided
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups cake flour, divided, plus more for dusting
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons wheat germ

Directions:
1. Whisk milk, sugar, butter, oil and 2 eggs in a large bowl. Whisk yeast, whole-wheat flour, 1-1/2 cups cake flour and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon. The dough will be very sticky.
2) Sprinkle 1/2 cup cake flour on a work surface. Turn dough onto it and knead until all flour is incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, coat top with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature (about 70°F) until doubled in volume, 1-1/4 to 2 hours.
3) Coat a 10-inch round pan with cooking spray. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 12 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Arrange balls in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 1-1/4 hours.
4) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk remaining egg in a small bowl, and brush tops of rolls with it (you'll have some left over); sprinkle with wheat germ. Bake the rolls until light brown on top, about 20 minutes.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Buttered Rosemary Rolls - A Feast for the Eyes
90 Minute Dinner Rolls - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Sweet Potato Bread Dinner Rolls - Pham Fatale
Sour Dough Dinner Rolls - Phoo-d
Potato Dinner Rolls - Sweet and Savory Tooth
Parker House Rolls - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Soft Garlic Knots - Annie's Eats
Anadama Rolls - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds and Blue Ribbons for Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was one of those calls you wish could be frozen in time. The words aren't as important as the excitement they engender. Our oldest grandson, heading to middle school next year, had just received a President's Award at his graduation ceremony. He's not yet old enough to be cool, so you could hear the excitement in his voice as he talked. I swear I could hear him smile and it didn't take much imagination to picture the crooked grin on his face as we were speaking. Next came his brother who dutifully reported his "boring" grades. I was thrilled, not by the grades, but by the measured and balanced way in which these two special guys have achieved their personal best. It was a blue ribbon day for the boys and their parents. Kudos and kisses for all. You get to stay in the will.




The developer of this buttermilk cluster also deserves a blue ribbon. Excellence should be recognized in all pursuits and this recipe is a winner. It's a great place to start our buttermilk bonanza - the bonanza being a series of recipes that will expose you to more buttermilk than you ever dreamed existed. If you are looking for a soft and delicious roll for large gatherings, this recipe has your name on it. The rolls are easy to make and when served warm from the oven they'll enhance your reputation as a cook and hostess. The recipe is one of the many standouts from the book Country Breads of the World. The only alteration I've made was to increase amount of buttermilk and honey called for in the original recipe. I also used blue poppy seeds as the topping for my rolls. Yes, these seeds do come from the opium poppy, but - and it is a big but - the seeds that are bought and sold come from mature capsules that no longer contain narcotic substance. Only unripe seed capsules contain the milky substance from which opium is extracted. Having said that, do not eat foods that contain or are sprinkled with poppy seeds before taking a drug test. False positive results have been reported and there's no reason to beg trouble that can be avoided. The blue poppy seeds used in baking are minuscule kidney shaped gems that impart a sweet nutty flavor to breads, cakes and pastries. They are very popular in European cooking and, while their primary use is for baking, the seeds can also be crushed to extract their flavorful oil. If poppy seeds put you off, use sesame seeds or serve the cluster without a topping. Here's the recipe for truly outstanding dinner rolls; they're just waiting for you to pull them apart.

Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tablespoons salt
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon lukewarm water
2 cups warm buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 to 2 tablespoons seeds (poppy, sesame) or grains (cracked wheat, wheat bran, rolled oats)

Directions:
1) Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine warm water and yeast in a small cup and allow to proof for 10 minutes.
2) Pour yeast, buttermilk, and honey into flour mixture and mix well. If dough is so dry that some of flour won’t stick, add a bit more buttermilk or water. If the dough is too sticky to knead, more like a batter, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until correct consistency is achieved.
3) Knead by machine or hand for approximately 10 minutes. Return dough to bowl, cover, and set aside to rise until dough has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
4) Divide dough into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place in a 12-inch round dish or a 12-inch spring-form pan close together. Cover again with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
5) Uncover rolls and brush gently with egg wash. Sprinkle with seeds or grains, if using. Bake for 30 minutes, or until are firm and spring back when tapped. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm if possible. Yield: 16 rolls.

Other Recipe Links

Buttermilk Cluster at The Fresh Loaf

Buttermilk Cluster at Toxo Bread

I'm send this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.