Title: Crisp and Fluffy Dinner Rolls Tips
Categories: Breads, Info
Yield: 1 Info file
Dinner rolls
Ever since working in a Japanese bakery, I've been obsessed with
yukone (also known as tangzhong), a bread-making technique that
harnesses the power of pre-gelatinized starch to tenderize the
crumb and improve the shelf life of certain recipes.
This Frankenstein recipe proved to produce my ideal dinner rolls,
not only because they're light, lean, and crusty but because the
dough itself is made and shaped a day in advance. That lets me knock
out the messiest and most time-consuming stages of the recipe long
before the last-minute crunch of pulling a fancy dinner together.
Once they're boiled, which halts their rise, the rolls can be held
at room temperature for up to four hours, so you've got plenty of
wiggle room when it comes to timing.
Start the night before by making the yukone, which is cooked on the
stovetop. It's something like a roux, but with water in place of
butter—essentially a flour/water paste that's cooked over medium
heat until thickened. This gelatinizes the flour's starch, changing
its behavior in several important ways. Aside from keeping the dough
thick and easy to handle, despite the fact that it clocks in at
close to 75% hydration, a baker's way of saying there are 12 ounces
of water for every pound of flour, pre-gelatinized starches create a
particularly tender crumb, and improve Maillard browning as well,
giving the crust a deeper color and flavor.
Freshly made, this roux-like paste will be hot enough to kill the
yeast at first, so let the yukone cool down to somewhere between 70
and 100 F (21 and 38 C). From there, you'll pulse the remaining
flour with yeast, sugar, and salt in a food processor, then add the
yukone and remaining water.
In just 90 seconds, the dough will transform from a rough and shaggy
ball into something silky, smooth, and strong. The dough will feel
extremely sticky to the touch, but you'll need only a pinch of flour
to handle it with ease.
The dough will rise for an hour in the fridge, which keeps it from
growing too fast and makes it less sticky to the touch, so it's
easier to shape. For that, you'll divide the dough into 12 roughly
equal portions; you can use a scale if you're feeling compulsive,
but the subtle variations you'll get from doing it by eye won't
cause any problems. Just cup each portion against an un-floured work
surface, and move your hand in quick circles to round up each piece
of dough into a ball.
Arrange the rolls on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, cover with
plastic, and refrigerate until they're roughly doubled in
size—between eight and 10 hours. This is a great dough to make ahead
and proof overnight.
Like a bagel, the rolls are boiled in water to help develop their
crust. Rather than attempt to pull the puffy dough off the
parchment, I just snip the paper so that each roll sits on its own
little square. Handling the parchment lets me pick up each roll
without fear of squishing it, and drop it into the boiling water
without any fuss. Steam also makes it easy to peel off the parchment
along the way, but most often, it simply slips off on its own.
After a few seconds, you'll have a weird, matzo-ball-looking
dumpling on your hands, but fear not! Simply arrange the boiled
dough on a baking sheet, and have faith—a half hour in a hot oven
will transform them into golden dinner rolls with a beautifully
crackling crust.
Enjoy immediately, or hold them at room temperature until you're
ready for dinner, then toss 'em back in to warm before serving.
Whether served with butter or split in half to stuff with slices of
turkey and a spoonful of cranberry sauce, these unusual rolls will
make a welcome addition to your table at Thanksgiving (or any time
of year, for that matter).
