Especially when they're fresh from the oven! A lot of people might not want to load up on too many carbs these days, but I think it's okay to enjoy some every now and then.
This is a recipe I found on allrecipes.com a few years ago, and I've been making them for my folks every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter since then. It takes a little under an hour from start to finish, but a lot of that time is spent waiting for the dough to leaven, so it can be made alongside other meal prep. They're simple, and tasty. What's not to love about freshly-baked bread?
These measurements make 12 small rolls. Here are all the dry ingredients needed:
And the wet ingredients:
Make sure to set aside half of the flour for later. Heat the liquids for about 60-80 seconds, until it's hot enough that you wouldn't want to hold the bowl with your bare hands, but not much hotter than that.
It will cool the liquid down a bit, which is good because we don't want it to be too hot.
You can use a whisk or a fork, but I prefer to use a fork because the dough will eventually get too thick to whisk. It will look quite slimy and thin at first.
As we add the remaining flour a bit at a time, the dough will thicken to a kneadable consistency. At this point, you'll want to abandon the fork and use your hands instead to work the dough.
Tip: To knead dough, you should fold the dough in half, then press down with the heel of your palm, and then repeat in the other direction. You can also use your knuckles to press into the dough. The important part is the folding!
You may need more or less than a full second cup of flour. The dough is done when it feels elastic and springy, and is no longer sticky.
Tip: Hardly any of the dough should be sticking to your hand when you're finished!
Okay, good work so far! Now the dough needs some time to rest. You can cover the dough with cheesecloth or saran wrap to keep the surface from drying out as it rises. This picture was taken about 15 minutes after I finished kneading-- the dough has already risen considerably.
To divide the one ball of dough into 12, I divided it in half, then in half again, then into threes. Try to be gentle with the dough! You can feel the air pockets inside it deflate if you press too hard.
Tip: When separating the dough, you can use twisting motions to minimize the pressure applied.
After dividing the dough and waiting about another half hour, they're ready to go in the oven! I like to keep mine spaced farther apart so that you don't have to grab more than one at a time, but some people like the pull-apart fluffiness. It's your choice!
Keep an eye on them at around 18 minutes! They burn easily past 20 minutes, so you'll want to be sure you remove them when they've just turned a golden brown on top.
I'm thinking this recipe could easily be modified to include a variety of herbs like rosemary, garlic, and thyme, if that's what you enjoy, but I like my rolls plain so I can slather them in butter and gravy. They're best enjoyed fresh, so only make as many as you can eat or share (although, they're so good, there are never any left over when I make them)!
~Mel.
