INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg active dry yeast (equals 2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 c warm water
- 1/3 c white, granulated sugar
- `1/4 c butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c hot milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 1/2 c sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted (for brushing rolls)
DIRECTIONS
1. Sprinkle yeast over very warm water in large bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves. Leave to foam about 10 minutes.
2. Add sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt to hot milk and stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees.
3. Add milk mixture to yeast and then mix in egg. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Use some of remaining 1/2 cup flour to dust a pastry cloth.
4. Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes. Use remaining flour for flouring pastry cloth and your hands.
5. Place dough in a warm, buttered bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring hands, otherwise rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be.
7. With large knife, cut dough ball into four (4) pieces. Cut each piece into four (4) more pieces OR simply pinch off small chunks of dough and roll into round balls about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. As you roll into balls, pull sides down and under to shape roll. Place bottom side down in neat rows, not quite touching, in well-buttered 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan.
8. Cover rolls and allow to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk; 30 – 45 minutes. When doubled in bulk, brush tops with melted butter and bake in 375 degree F oven for 18 – 20 minutes or until nicely browned. My oven runs hot so I usually bake @ 325 so tops do not brown before rolls are done inside. Adjust your oven temp accordingly.
9. If desired, brush (or bathe!) rolls in more melted butter when they are hot. The butter will sizzle down sides and bottom of rolls for a buttery soft crust.
Last Step: Don’t forget to share!
Ingredients
- 1 pkg active dry yeast (equals 2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 c warm water
- 1/3 c white, granulated sugar
- `1/4 c butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c hot milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 1/2 c sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted (for brushing rolls)
Instructions
1. Sprinkle yeast over very warm water in large bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves. Leave to foam about 10 minutes.
2. Add sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt to hot milk and stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees.
3. Add milk mixture to yeast and then mix in egg. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Use some of remaining 1/2 cup flour to dust a pastry cloth.
4. Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes. Use remaining flour for flouring pastry cloth and your hands.
5. Place dough in a warm, buttered bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring hands, otherwise rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be.
7. With large knife, cut dough ball into four (4) pieces. Cut each piece into four (4) more pieces OR simply pinch off small chunks of dough and roll into round balls about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. As you roll into balls, pull sides down and under to shape roll. Place bottom side down in neat rows, not quite touching, in well-buttered 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan.
8. Cover rolls and allow to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk; 30 – 45 minutes. When doubled in bulk, brush tops with melted butter and bake in 375 degree F oven for 18 – 20 minutes or until nicely browned. My oven runs hot so I usually bake @ 325 so tops do not brown before rolls are done inside. Adjust your oven temp accordingly.
9. If desired, brush (or bathe!) rolls in more melted butter when they are hot. The butter will sizzle down sides and bottom of rolls for a buttery soft crust.
Last Step: Don’t forget to share!
FAQs
Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.
Should I brush yeast rolls before baking? ›
Butter basting: Rolls can be brushed with butter before, during, or after baking. While it doesn't brown the surface as much as egg wash will, it does promote browning and adds a lot of flavor.
Why are my homemade yeast rolls dry? ›
Too much flour makes dough too stiff to rise properly, creating a dry texture. A range of flour is always given in yeast bread recipes because flours vary in moisture content, reacting in different ways depending on the time of year, weather conditions, etc. Be careful measuring flour.
How do I make my rolls more airy? ›
Tips for Making Fluffy Dinner Rolls
- Don't get the milk too hot. The optimal temperature for milk is around 100 degrees F. ...
- Make sure your yeast isn't old. ...
- Use a combination of all-purpose and bread flour. ...
- Mix your dough long enough. ...
- Don't rush the rising time. ...
- Don't over-bake.
“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape.
Is butter or shortening better for yeast rolls? ›
Baked goods made with shortening are typically softer and more tender than those made with butter. They also tend to be slightly taller, as it has a higher melting point and doesn't spread as much.
Can you use too much yeast in rolls? ›
This can affect the bread by adding a "yeasty" taste if you put too much into the dough. General amounts of yeast are around 1 - 2 % of the flour, by weight. Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand.
What happens if you put too much yeast in rolls? ›
Putting too much yeast in bread dough will make it double in size very quickly during the bulk ferment and even more quickly during the proofing of your loaves. As long as you don't let the dough more than double in size at either stage, you should get a reasonable loaf of bread.
Is milk better than water for yeast rolls? ›
48 Milk in Bread Baking
Consequently, dough made with milk should come softer from the mixer than dough made with water. Other aspects of milk in yeast doughs include: Dough may be mixed more intensively. Milk yields dough with a higher pH compared to water dough, and the fermentation will be slower.
Can you use milk instead of water in yeast rolls? ›
If, for example, the recipe calls for a cup of water, use half water and half milk, or all milk instead. If the recipe doesn't call for any liquid at all, just leave out the dry milk and increase the amount of flour a bit. Incorporate it into the dough little by little, so as not to make the dough too stiff.
Butter gives baked goods the same golden, crispy finish as egg wash, with the added benefit of tasting like, well, butter. To proceed, first melt the butter over low heat—being careful not to brown it—and then use a pastry brush to sparingly apply an even layer to the soon-to-be-baked item.
Why do my yeast rolls taste bland? ›
Salt adds flavor to bread. If none or too little is used in a recipe, the bread will lack the right flavor and taste "bland." If you reduce the amount of salt, try adding some dried herbs to increase the flavor. Too much yeast in bread will give bread an off-taste.
What makes rolls taste yeasty? ›
Too much sugar in the dough can make the yeast grow too fast or too high for the dough. Letting it rise too long can promote a more yeasty flavor also.
How do you soften yeast rolls? ›
The most common way is to use your oven. Heat it up to about 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle a bit of water over the crust or lightly dampen the bread's surface with a cloth. Then, pop the bread into the oven for 10-15 minutes.
What makes yeast bread fluffy? ›
Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.
Why is my homemade bread not fluffy? ›
If the yeast has expired and is not active regardless of the recipe you put it in the mix, you won't make a fluffy slice of bread. Also, you must ensure you're using appropriate yeast and don't use alcohol or Brewer's yeast that could cause a flat, thick, and bitter loaf.
Why is my bread not fluffy and soft? ›
Over-kneading the dough can lead to a tight gluten structure and result in a dense texture. Using too much flour or not enough yeast can also affect the rise of the bread. Additionally, insufficient proofing time or improper shaping can contribute to a heavy loaf.
Which makes the bread fluffy? ›
The yeast releases carbon dioxide, which fills the dough and increases its volume. Due to the heat, more gas bubbles emerge when this dough is baked. The bread rises and becomes soft and fluffy as the gas leaves.
