Growing up my mom would make these amazing home made breads and rolls and all you can eat “good things” with flour.  I remember how we used to devour each and every bite of the goodnesses she used to make and bake.  She still makes and bakes, but she has slowly passed that duty to me.  Hey, I don’t mind sorting out the recipes and testing thme, especially when it comes to making bread.  What, I truly remember is standing next to her as she made breads and dishes for us and admiring her.  I hope one day I will have the oppurtunity share those special mom and daughter  moments in the kitchen with my daughter.

I must admit, I am not a great bread baker.  Their have been dozens of times where either I can’t get the dough to rise because the yeast was not enough or I over baked the bread (yes I have done this), let just put it in simple terms, like my aunt says ”I over analyzed it!”  This is so so so true, she goes its not a math calculation, just dumb it all in and mix it.  Well she is the expert, but I am not their yet, at least I keep trying RIGHT!

Since, this month all and most of my cooking will be either for Iftar or Suhoor, I decided to start with trying one of my mom’s easy soft roll recipe.  Just because it was one of was the easiest recipes and because I wanted to try something different.

SOFT WHITE DINNER ROLLS
                                 makes about 25-30 rolls

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons of rapid rise or instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons of corn meal (for the bottom of the pan)
• non-stick spray or parchment paper

For the Glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 1 tablespoon of sesame
• 1 tablespoon of black nigella seeds
  (you can use poppy seeds as well)

Preparation:

1. In a large mixing bowl, swift in the 3 1/2 cups of flour, salt, sugar and yeast.
2. In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine the butter and milk until lukewarm.
3. Pour the milk butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix making a rough dough.
4. Dump the dough mixture onto to your counter top sprinkled with extra flour and began to knead the dough with your hand until smooth and silky.  Add more flour if you feel as if the dough needs it or is wet.
   (This process can be done in a mixer with the dough hook)
5. Spray a medium sized bowl with a non-stick spray and place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm place, until it doubles in size.  About 1 hour. (see pic below)
6. Once the dough as doubled in size, knead one more time, this punches out the air.  Oil a baking sheet and sprinkle with the corn meal and set it a side.
7. Begin pulling off pieces of the dough, about a size a bit larger then a walnut and form into round balls.  Place on baking sheet almost touching about 1/4 in apart.  Align them to be about 5 pieces on each row.
8. Once you have formed all the rolls, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again in a warm place about 30 minutes.
9. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
10. Prepare your glaze,  beat together the egg yolk and milk.
11. Once the rolls have risen, brush each roll with the glaze and sprinkle one row with sesame seeds and one rolls with nigella seeds. Or leave plain.
12. Bake rolls until risen and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven, let it cool for a few minutes and serve right away. 
    (I reheated for a few minutes before I served.)
13. This batch makes about 25 – 30 rolls, depending on how big or small you make the rolls.  I find that the bigger the better!
14. Enjoy!

the dough

dough doubled in size

cooked rolls

Print

Tags: FLOUR, milk, Ramadan, Ramadan Bread, SOFT WHITE DINNER ROLLS