Rich and Delicious Dinner Rolls

The recipe for these fabulous rolls is from, The Everyday Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge, a thick (617 pages) lovely book, with tons of recipes, with detailed instructions, tips and techniques. Recipes Chapters are divided as Morning Food, Quick To Make, Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Tarts, Puddings and Custards, Yeast Breads, Pastry, Flatbread and Fruit Desserts. 

I'm a big fan of Abby Dodge and especially love her yeasted bread recipes, and as soon as I saw the name of these rolls, Rich and Delicious Dinner Rolls, I just had to make them.

She has given a few methods of shaping ; round rolls, single-knot rolls, twist rolls, cloverleaf rolls. I've chosen to make them as round pull-apart rolls. The dough is kneaded in the stand mixer, and it was a beautiful smooth, satiny shiny dough. Enriched with butter and eggs, the dough is similar to a brioche dough. 

I've baked the rolls in a 10" square baking pan, instead of the 13 x 9-inch pan as indicated in the recipe. There's four rows of four rolls each, making a total of 16 pull-apart rolls.

Rose beautifully and baked to a lovely golden brown.

So soft with airy texture! 

Wonderful when eaten warm, spread with cold salty butter, and a mug of hot black coffee. And we even ate the rolls, split, sandwiched with onion omelette on a bed of green salad leaves, with our favourite mayo-chilli sauce. A keeper recipe.

Rich and Delicious Dinner Rolls
(The Everyday Baker, Abigail Johnson Dodge)
makes 16 rolls
3-3/4 cups (479gm) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50gm) granulated sugar
2-1/4 tsp quick-rise (instant) yeast
1-1/2 tsp table salt (I use scant 1/2 tsp, as the butter is salted)
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
8 tbsp (4oz/113gm) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (I use salted butter)
4 yolks from large egg
1 whole large egg
1 tbsp water
nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil (safflower, canola, vegetable, or corn), for greasing the dough and bowl

1. Put the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until well blended. Heat the milk until very hot but not boiling. Add the butter and stir until melted. Check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer. For the yeast to activate, the liquid needs to be between 115℉ and 125℉ (45℃ to 52℃). Fit the mixer with the dough hook, turn the mixer on medium-low speed, and pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture along with the egg yolks, mixing until the flour is completely incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth and shiny, 8 to 10 minutes. If the dough climbs up the hook, stop the mixer and scrape the dough into the bowl as necessary. The dough will not pull away completely from the sides and bottom of the bowl, and it will be soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
2. Remove the dough hook, scrape the dough onto the counter, and knead once or twice until it no longer sticks to the counter and passes the windowpane test, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a ball. Lightly grease the sides of the bowl and put the dough, rounded side up, back in. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
3. Lightly grease a 9x13x2-inch (23x33x5cm) baking dish (metal or Pyrex). Scrape the dough onto an unfloured work surface and press down on the dough to deflate it. Using a bench scraper or knife, portion the dough into 16 equal pieces, about 2 oz (57gm) each. To ensure even rolls, use a scale to weigh the portions. Working with one piece at a time and keeping the others covered, arrange the dough toward the back of your flattened palm near the thumb joint. With the edge of your other palm (curved slightly), press gently but firmly on the bottom of the dough, moving your top hand from the front to the back. This will rotate or spin the dough while keeping the top side up, Repeat until it forms a smooth-skinned ball with a sealed bottom. The goal is to stretch the top of the dough from opening up as it expands during baking.
4. Put the ball, round side up, in the prepared baking dish, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and repeat with the remaining dough. (The dough balls can be arranged in four rows of four or just randomly yet evenly placed). Lightly spray the tops of the dough and cover loosely but completely with plastic. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 25 to 40 minutes.
5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375℉ (190℃/Gas 5). Put the egg and water in a small bowl and mix with a fork until well blended. When the rolls have risen to about 1/2 inch (12mm) above the pan, remove the plastic and brush with the egg wash. Bake until the rolls are puffed and deep golden brown, 17 to 21 minutes. Move the pan to a rack. Serve warm or let cool completely, cover, and stow at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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