I have been away from home for over two weeks because of two back-to-back business trips. So poor S. has been relying on frozen leftovers. Driving home last night, I decided to make sweet rolls for breakfast that I have seen on this blog. S. was very happy to walk into the kitchen, fragrant with freshly baked bread aroma, and snag several buttery sugary pillowy rolls. He also took several with him, to snack on later. I was very, very good this morning and only had one small roll. :) Now I need to get back to writing -- one chapter is ready to go, two more are getting close. I really would like (and know I can) finish rough drafts by the end of this weekend.
A few words about these rolls... Some breads don't do well if left overnight in the fridge. The original recipe did not say anything about that but I haven't had much sleep over the last two weeks (and I am not a morning person under the best circumstances) and wasn't about to wake up very early just to make rolls. So I made the dough and left it in the fridge overnight. It worked!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk -- didn't have any milk so used half-and-half
5 TBSP unsalted butter
2 4x1 inch strips of orange zest (use a vegetable peeler) -- chopped a medium orange into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract -- use almond emulsion, same amount
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast -- I used 2 tsp
1/4 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour -- used bread flour, King Arthur's (strongly recommended)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Topping:
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
(1) Heat the milk, butter, and orange peel on low-medium flame until butter is melted. Discard the orange peel. I chopped a medium orange, mashed to release juice while butter was melting, and then discarded lare pieces. I think it will be better to finely shred zest and just leave it in the dough for added fragrance and texture.
(2) While milk-butter mix is cooling, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit until bubbles form.
(3) Lightly whisk eggs and add to the cooled milk-butter mixture, along with almond emulsion.
(4) Pour milk-butter-egg mixture into the breadmaker bucket.
(5) Add the remaining ingredients -- flour, sugar, salt, and yeast mixture.
(6) Set on Dough -- takes 1.5 hours for my machine.
(7) When the dough is done, lightly spray the glass bowl with non-stick spray. If not ready to bake rolls right away, form the dough into a large ball and place into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
(8) Divide the dough into 24 small rolls. Roll each roll into a thick rope, about 4 inches long. Make a knot so one end is peeking at the top and the other at the bottom. Arrange on the baking sheet. Let rise in a draf-free place for about an hour (I use microwave oven -- you just need to make sure nobody decides to turn it on, lol). I set an alarm for approximately one hour before I knew S. would wake up for work, formed rolls, and went back to bed.
(9) Preheat oven to 350-400 F (I used a small oven and it does not heat as well, so used 400; 350 is better for large ovens).
(10) Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes or until evenly golden brown.
(11) Brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
(12) Enjoy with morning coffee or tea. I made Earl Grey this morning.
A few words about these rolls... Some breads don't do well if left overnight in the fridge. The original recipe did not say anything about that but I haven't had much sleep over the last two weeks (and I am not a morning person under the best circumstances) and wasn't about to wake up very early just to make rolls. So I made the dough and left it in the fridge overnight. It worked!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk -- didn't have any milk so used half-and-half
5 TBSP unsalted butter
2 4x1 inch strips of orange zest (use a vegetable peeler) -- chopped a medium orange into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract -- use almond emulsion, same amount
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast -- I used 2 tsp
1/4 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour -- used bread flour, King Arthur's (strongly recommended)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Topping:
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
(1) Heat the milk, butter, and orange peel on low-medium flame until butter is melted. Discard the orange peel. I chopped a medium orange, mashed to release juice while butter was melting, and then discarded lare pieces. I think it will be better to finely shred zest and just leave it in the dough for added fragrance and texture.
(2) While milk-butter mix is cooling, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit until bubbles form.
(3) Lightly whisk eggs and add to the cooled milk-butter mixture, along with almond emulsion.
(4) Pour milk-butter-egg mixture into the breadmaker bucket.
(5) Add the remaining ingredients -- flour, sugar, salt, and yeast mixture.
(6) Set on Dough -- takes 1.5 hours for my machine.
(7) When the dough is done, lightly spray the glass bowl with non-stick spray. If not ready to bake rolls right away, form the dough into a large ball and place into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
(8) Divide the dough into 24 small rolls. Roll each roll into a thick rope, about 4 inches long. Make a knot so one end is peeking at the top and the other at the bottom. Arrange on the baking sheet. Let rise in a draf-free place for about an hour (I use microwave oven -- you just need to make sure nobody decides to turn it on, lol). I set an alarm for approximately one hour before I knew S. would wake up for work, formed rolls, and went back to bed.
(9) Preheat oven to 350-400 F (I used a small oven and it does not heat as well, so used 400; 350 is better for large ovens).
(10) Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes or until evenly golden brown.
(11) Brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
(12) Enjoy with morning coffee or tea. I made Earl Grey this morning.
