I’m still stuck with Happy New Year!
Time just flies by so quickly toward the end of the year that it’s already New Year before I even realized it!
When I was a kid, we would always have a huge honeyed ham, creamy mashed potatoes, buttered corn, peas, and carrots, bread, and some sweets for our New Year’s Eve Dinner. We would eat all these around midnight. We were, however, constantly sneaking bites here and there as we pass by the kitchen.
Since New Year was here before I was ready, I want to share this recipe for homemade rolls that I make when I am short on time (seriously, when do we have enough time?). I mean, what do you do when you want to serve warm bread rolls for dinner and it’s already past 3pm? Try this recipe! It’s easy, fast, super soft, and has a really good flavor.
The addition of extra yeast speeds up rise times significantly but doesn’t sacrifice flavor. I promise it tastes really wonderful, and the buns are ready in about 2 hours, more or less.
*If you have time to spare, just use half the yeast and let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled, for both proofing times.*
I made the dough in the Thermomix and then asked my son to shape them into buns. They are not all the same size but I couldn’t have made this bread without him at this time. Plus, that is what truly makes homemade feel special, they’re not all the same as it was hand made individually.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. My right arm has been in a splint for 3 weeks so I could not really do much, but smelling this bread baking is enough for now. And I know it’s really delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons instant yeast (yes, tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 1/2 to 6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Combine the water, milk, and yeast in the Thermomix bowl. Set to 2 minutes/37 degrees/speed 2.
- Add the butter, sugar, 5 1/2 cups the flour, and salt. Set to Knead/3 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add more flour if needed to form a soft, manageable dough. Knead for 2 more minutes if needed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.
- Cover dough and let rise for 20 minutes at room temperature or until the dough is full and puffy.
- Gently remove the dough and pat it out to a rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, then cut each strip into 6 portions for a total of 24 dough balls. Shape into balls, pulling ends to the center to create tension. Roll on the counter to seal the seam.
- You can place the rolls into any of the following pans, well greased or lined with parchment paper: One half-sheet baking pan or 2 quarter-sheet pans. Two 13″ x 9″ x 2″ pans. Four 8″ or 9″ round baking pans OR a combination of any of these pans.
- Cover rolls with plastic wrap or towel and let rise at room temperature for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until well rounded and full looking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and an internal thermometer reads 190°F. While hot, brush with melted butter. Serve warm.
- Left overs can be stored in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
To make without the Thermomix:
1. Combine the water, milk, and yeast in the a large bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes until bubbly.
2. Add butter, sugar, 5 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Mix well until a dough forms. Turn out onto a board and, adding flour as needed, knead until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes. Continue with procedure #3 onwards.
*If you want to freeze the unbaked buns, place in the pans as described in step 6 and allow to rise for 10 minutes. Wrap airtight and freeze for up to 4 weeks. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then unwrap and bake as directed.*
