Holidays make me appreciate the aromas from the kitchen like no other time. Be it succulent meats, warmed spices, or baked goods, we inevitably find ourselves being drawn towards the gastronomical pull of the kitchen. So in an effort to boost the wonderful gravity of these happy smells, let’s make some bread.
For most, bread making can be daunting task. Weighing ingredients, moisture levels in the house, time demands… These are all roadblocks most people lean on to not try bread making during this most wonderful time of the year. Don’t let this dissuade you from giving this a go. This is a forgiving recipe and a great gateway dough towards more advance yeasty breads. So lather up with some butter cause we are about to be on a roll!
A few after the fire critiques: these are best straight out of the oven but they can be stored for a week at room temp, a month in the fridge or frozen for quarter the year. I’d suggest a flavored butter or fruity jam to top these with but these are so good you really don’t need anything.
Fuel
4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Buttermilk
¼ Cup Water, lukewarm (100-110°F)
¼ Cup Sugar
8+ ounces/1 stick Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 package Active Dry Yeast
2 Eggs
2½ tsp. Salt
Tools
Stand Mixer
9-by-13 Inch Baking Dish
Large Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Tactics
Brush a large bowl with butter. Place the water, yeast and a pinch of sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle and mix to combine. Let it stand for 10 minutes to get foamy. Add the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs and remaining sugar and mix till combined. Switch to a dough hook and add the flour and salt. Knead at a low speed for about 2-minutes or until it forms a smooth ball. Scrape the ball into the prepared large bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let it stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1½ hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Place the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and work into a ball. Cut in half, then slice each half into 7 wedges and arrange them into the prepared dish. Cover with plastic dish and let it stand in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Indulge.