by mrslarkin
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Expand2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 11 oz., I use King Arthur Unbleached) Ask a question about this ingredient
*when measuring flour, fluff it first with a whisk, sprinkle it into measuring cup, and sweep the top with the flat edge of a knife or offset spatula Ask a question about this ingredient
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (not rapid rise) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup lukewarm water, like around 80 degrees or so Ask a question about this ingredient
olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
a sprig of fresh rosemary Ask a question about this ingredient
Place flour in large bowl. Stir in salt.
Ask a question about this stepDissolve yeast into water. Pour into flour and stir with a beautiful wooden spoon if you have one, or a dinner fork, until it comes together. Dough will ball up onto the spoon/fork. Remove spoon/fork.
Ask a question about this stepPlace a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and set it near your work area. This way, you don’t have to grab the bottle of olive oil with your dough-y hands like I usually do. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of olive oil over the dough and along the sides of the bowl. I use an oiled plastic bowl scraper to help knead the dough, scraping, folding and pressing as you would for any kind of kneading. Do this for a couple minutes.
Ask a question about this stepAt this point, lift the dough ball up with your lightly oiled hands and hold along one edge of dough, letting the rest of the dough hang down and stretch out. Move along the entire edge of the dough, turning it in more or less a circular steering wheel motion. Don’t be tempted to add more flour. Do this 5 or 6 times, folding the dough back up into a ball each time. Total turning and stretching: a few minutes.
Ask a question about this stepFold the dough up over itself, gather it into a ball and place back in the oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, lay a dish towel over it and place in a warm spot. I always stick my bowl of dough in the microwave, a warm and out of the way place. Sometimes, before putting it in, I heat a mug-full of water, to get the microwave nice and warm.
Ask a question about this stepLet rise for 1 hour. Then deflate dough with your fingers, and let rise for another hour.
Ask a question about this stepWhen the second rise is done, place baking stone on center rack of oven. Place a large cast iron skillet on bottom rack. Preheat oven to 435 degrees F. You want the oven good and hot.
Ask a question about this stepPinch off dough into small, 2 ounce pieces (I use a kitchen scale for this; my scale is flat and fits into a gallon zipper bag. I oil the top of the bag so the dough doesn’t stick. Or you can go ahead and lay the dough on your naked scale, swipe it with oil, and clean it when you are done.) I like to roll the dough with my very lightly oiled hands on my marble pastry board that I’ve swiped with a lightly oiled paper towel, so the dough has a little tackiness and resistance to roll smooth, but doesn’t stick like crazy. Now, don’t squish the balls. Form your hand over it like a cage and start rolling in a circle and roll into a smooth, firm ball.
Ask a question about this stepPlace dough balls on a parchment-lined heavy-duty sheet pan, at least 1 inch apart. Take a long sheet of plastic wrap and brush it lightly with olive oil, or spray it with Pam. Lay the oiled plastic over the buns. Let rise for 30 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepRemove the plastic from the buns. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt over and lay a few leaves of rosemary over each.
Ask a question about this stepJust before placing the sheet pan in the oven, very carefully, and using oven mitts, pour ½ cup very hot tap water into the cast iron pan that you already set on the bottom rack. Keep your face averted, as the hot steam will billow up, and I do not want you to burn yourself. Immediately place the sheet pan on the baking stone and quickly close oven. After 10 minutes, open the oven door to let the steam out. Total bake time is around 25 – 30 minutes, until tops are a deep golden brown. The bottoms will sound hollow when tapped. Slide rolls, parchment and all, onto a cooling rack. Serve warm.
Ask a question about this stepWhen completely cool, store leftovers in a freezer zip top bag for up to one day. Freeze for longer keeping. These rolls reheat and crisp up very nicely in a 350 degree F oven.
Ask a question about this stepOh, and one last thing. I know I've harped on this before, but seriously, get yourself an oven thermometer. It's really important that you have an accurate read on your oven temperature, regardless of what you are cooking in it.
Ask a question about this stepHello Devangi. These are like Italian bread - crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, like the inside of pizza crust. Hope that helps!
Mine are on their third rise, however, I know they're not turning out. I'm not sure what happened, and I am not a new baker by any means, but the dough was very, very gloppy! I don't have the greatest flour on hand, but my yeast is fine, and I double checked my measurements, and it just isn't turning out. Rolling into firm little balls was impossible! We'll see what happens, the oven's heating up now...
If the dough is really wet, you should add some more flour.
Hi Passenger,
Yep, I'm guessing you needed a touch more flour, too. Take a look at my photos above; should give you an idea of what your dough should look like.
Curious, did the dough rise when it was in the bowl?
Good luck! Hopefully, they'll still taste yummy! Let us know.
just finished making these! they are so tender in the center yet have a really crunchy exterior....love, love, love!!! was wondering, have you successfully doubled or tripled this recipe for a larger yield? was thinking of making a bigger batch and freezing.
Hi Laura_K! My bowls are only large enough for one batch, so no, I haven't ever increased. But I don't see why it wouldn't work if you've got the right equipment! I love this recipe - it's what I use for pizza dough, too. Lately I've been using 1/2 regular flour and 1/2 white whole wheat - awesome crisp crust pizza. Haven't tried that with the buns yet. Good luck!
Thanks for the BD/festivus wish, mrslarkin :) OH....and I was looking forward to calling "dibs" on your roll recipe for Editors' Pick, but they already took care of that for you....congrats! Cheers to the Season, have a good one!
Thank you, lapadia! Hope you make the rolls anyway! Have a lovely holiday!!
By the way, I completely agree with your oven thermometer harping. So much that one year I gave a friend of mine an oven thermometer as part of a Christmas gift!
That is such a great gift idea, with, say, a bunch of cooking-related items!! I'm gonna have to steal it - s'that okay??
I'm with you about the smell of fresh-baked bread! Bread is my weakness and these are beautiful. Thanks for your lovely recipe and all of your tips. Makes a bread novice like me eager to dip my toes into uncharted baking waters...
Oh, thanks so much, gingerroot! Bread really is one of the simplest things in the world to make. You should definitely give it a go!
gingerroot, I've made your manapua twice now, and it's bread dough! You can definitely bake bread. Go for it!
I'm definitely in the right place, among the right foodie friends to really start baking. This week's contest is an eye opener...I love it!
See, gingerroot? You CAN bake! I'd forgotten about the manapua. Thanks for reminder, hla!
what beauties MrsL! I'll bet this really can go with so many things. Knew you'd come up with something great!
oh, thanks, monkeymom!! I just ate the last ones reheated in the oven, sliced up, and slathered with soft butter. Mmmm....so good.
Yay, mrslarkin! Gorgeous! You reminded me of a college friend who went off to start the Port Bakehouse up in Maine. I have lost touch, but boy did he know bread and rolls! I think he has sold his business, but King Arthur Flour is not too far away in NH. Field trip, anyone?
Thanks, Sagegreen!! I thought of you when I went outside to harvest my rosemary.
Beautiful! And I love the sprinkle of coarse salt at the end. I too am a huge fan of BakeWise. That book is just full of useful information. I went to a lecture Shirley did with Harold McGee about a year ago when she was in the area - what a kick she was. Really fun.
Thanks, ChezSuzanne! oh my gosh, I would LOVE to hear BOTH of them speak! I love all that science-y stuff. Shirley really makes it understandable to the lay person.
You are so right on this. And the 2 of them together was amazing. They approach the science from 2 different directions and along the way bth make all that interesting stuff so accessible and useful.
Wow! I've been waiting for your recipe, and you did not disappoint.
mmmmmmmmmmm
Back to the old drawing board for me. Again! One day, I'll get this bread thingy down. Love this recipe!!
Thanks for the smile!! I'm off to the gym. And a punching bag.
Way out of my league but look fantastic!!
Thanks! And that is so not true! Just turn pizza night into bun night. :)
Shuna is a pastry chef in New York City and author of the acclaimed blog Eggbeater.
Hi mrslarkin - could you please share with me more about the texture of these rolls. One of my husband's uncle asked me if i can make him crusty rolls, now I really don't know what he is exactly wanting me to make. So , i would like to know about these? thank you!