Rustic Dinner Rolls

By LaurieGerber

These rolls from Cooks Illustrated get height from rising together in a round pan, and crunch from being split apart and baked till crisp after an initial baking to set the rise.
They were a hit at Thanksgiving 2008 - the rolls appeared in Cooks November 2008

November 2011 - again a hit. Everyone ate a couple - surprisingly tasty and pleasant texture.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c plus 1 T water (12.5 oz)
• 1 1/2 t instant or rapid rise yeast
• 2 t honey
• 3 c plus 1 T bread flour (16.5 oz) plus extra for forming rolls
• 3 T whole wheat flour (about 1 oz)
• 1 1/2 t salt

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

1. MIX all but salt (first combine honey with water and yeast to dissolve, then add flours.) Can be mixed on low with dough hook.

2. SET, covered 30 minutes at room temp.

3. ADD SALT and knead (hand or dough hook - if dough hook 5 minutes on low - kitchen aid speed 2 - 1 minute on medium. Add 1-2 T flour is dough is very sticky.)

4. SET to rise for 1 hour in an oiled bowl until doubled.

5. Fold dough over itself (fold and rotate bowl) 3 times. SET to rise 30 minutes.

6. Repeat 5 - dough should double volume now.

7. SHAPE: Oil 2 9" round cakepans. On a floured surface with a bench scraper, divide dough in to 16 evenly sized pieces. Gently roll each piece to coat with flour. Place 8 pieces in each cake pan with one piece in the middle.

8. Final PROOF: Turn over to 500 degrees. Loosly cover rolls and SET ~30 minutes till double.

9. BAKE stage 1: Spray lightly with water. Bake 10 minutes until tops are brown. Have a rimmed baking sheet handy.

10. DIVIDE and adjust temp:Remove from oven. Reduce oven to 400 degrees. Invert rolls onto baking sheet. Turn right side up. Pull apart and space evenly on the pan.

11. BAKE stage 2: Return to oven until deep golden brown and hollow sounding - 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate pan half way through.

12. COOL to room temp - about 1 hour on a wire rack.

KEEPING:
- Up to 2 days in ziploc.
FREEZING:
- Wrap in foil and ziploc. Thaw to room temp before recrisping.
REHEATING:
- From room temp - 6-8 minutes in 450 degree oven.