The Science Behind Perfect Dinner Rolls
Using a food processor significantly simplifies the process of kneading dough, reducing the time to just about 90 seconds. By refrigerating the dough, it rises slowly and evenly, enhancing its flavor and allowing for better timing. Boiling the rolls before baking helps to gelatinize the starches on their surface, resulting in a beautifully crisp, glossy crust that is deeply browned.
While I appreciate soft and fluffy Parker House rolls as much as anyone else, when faced with rich dishes like creamy casseroles, buttery mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, and gravy made from pan drippings, I find myself craving something leaner with a crusty texture. Classic hard rolls are great but often lack that desired crunch without a steam-injected oven.
Many recipes attempt to solve this issue by placing ice in the oven or splashing water onto hot baking sheets to create steam. However, I’ve recently discovered an unexpected alternative while perfecting my homemade bagels. My experience working in a Japanese bakery introduced me to yukone (or tangzhong), a bread-making method that utilizes pre-gelatinized starches to enhance crumb tenderness and extend shelf life.
By combining these two techniques—bagel boiling and yukone—I created an exceptional dinner roll recipe. The result is chewy like French bread yet tender due to yukone’s influence; plus it boasts a crisp crust thanks to that initial dip in boiling water.
This innovative recipe yields my ideal dinner rolls: light yet hearty with an appealing crustiness. One of its best features is that you can prepare and shape the dough up to one day ahead of time. This allows you to tackle messy tasks well before your dinner rush begins! After boiling—which stops further rising—the rolls can be kept at room temperature for up to four hours without any issues regarding timing.
#### Preparing Yukone
Start by making yukone the night before; it’s essentially cooked flour mixed with water over medium heat until it thickens into a paste resembling mashed potatoes—about two minutes will do it! This process gelatinizes flour’s starches which alters how they behave during baking: not only does this keep your dough manageable despite being around 75% hydration (meaning there’s 12 ounces of water for every pound of flour), but it also creates an exceptionally tender crumb while enhancing browning for deeper color and flavor on your crust.
Once prepared fresh off heat (it will initially be too hot for yeast), allow yukone cool down between 70°F – 100°F (21°C – 38°C). Then pulse together remaining flour along with yeast, sugar, salt in your food processor before adding cooled yukone along with additional cold water.
In just about 90 seconds of processing time—watch as rough ingredients transform into silky smooth dough! It may feel sticky at first but requires only minimal extra flour for handling ease.
Shaping Your Rolls
Letting your dough rise inside the fridge prevents rapid growth while making shaping easier since it’s less sticky after chilling for about an hour. Divide into twelve equal portions; if you’re feeling precise use scales or simply eyeball them—it won’t affect results much either way! Roll each piece against an un-floured surface using quick circular motions until they form smooth balls.
Place these shaped rolls onto parchment-lined baking sheets covered loosely with plastic wrap until they double in size overnight—this usually takes between eight-to-ten hours depending on conditions!
Boiling & Baking
Just like bagels benefit from boiling prior cooking so do these delightful dinner rolls! To avoid squishing them during transfer from parchment paper into boiling water snip around each roll instead; this allows easy lifting without damage!
After briefly immersing them upside down then flipping right side up after sixty seconds—you’ll have what looks like dumplings ready for their final transformation: arrange boiled pieces back onto lined trays where they’ll bake at high temperatures until golden brown all over—approximately thirty-five minutes should suffice!
These versatile creations can be served warm immediately or held at room temperature up-to-six hours prior serving—they reheat beautifully too if needed later on!
Recipe Overview:
For Yukone:
- 6 oz cold water (3/4 cup) - 2½ oz bread flour (1/2 cup)
For Dough:
- 13¾ oz bread flour (2¾ cups)
- ½ oz sugar (1 tbsp)
- 2½ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ tsp instant dry yeast
- 6 oz cold water
Follow detailed instructions above regarding preparation methods including cooking times & temperatures ensuring optimal results every time you make these deliciously unique dinner rolls perfect any occasion—from Thanksgiving feasts year-round gatherings alike!