Round Rolls

I thought that once I perfected a roll recipe I could shape it any way and get similar results. I was wrong. I got my crescent rolls right and love them shaped as crescent rolls, but they taste terrible shaped as round rolls. To get light and airy round rolls here a few things that I learned.

1. They can't handle eggs or too much butter in the dough, it weighs them down.
2. Much of the flavor comes from the milk, water leaves them flavorless.
3. The milk has to be scalded then made cold, the dough is very sticky and it won't knead properly with warm milk.
4. The same amount of sugar is good in both round and crescent rolls.
5. The dough needs to be as sticky as possible while still able to hold its shape.
6. They need gluten and more yeast than crescent rolls to fully rise.
5. The rolls need to be close together, they support each other to fully rise.
7. Round rolls are usually what you find in bakeries and restaurants because they stay good after they cool. Crescent rolls are really only good right out of the oven.

Heat a little more milk than the recipe calls for in the microwave 3-4 minutes or until it (1)boils rapidly.

Re-measure (2)it. If a lot has evaporated add a little milk to make up the difference. Set in the refrierator to cool for later use, or in the freezer to cool immediate use. Once the milk is (3)cold it is ready to use.

Measure the remainder of the ingredients except the 2 T salted butter in a bowl of an electric mixer.

Add the cold milk and knead 8-10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down after 1, 4, and 7 minutes.

The dough will be very sticky and will not clean the sides of the bowl. It should be able to hold a shape however.

Place it in a lightly greased bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and ferment 90 minutes. You can also refrigerate it at the point up to 24 hours. The dough should double in volume.

Bring the 2 T butter to room temperature.

Spray a 9 x 12 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Eyeball it or weigh it at 2 1/4 oz each.

To form a roll pick up one of the pieces and use both thumbs to push the dough through at the center.

Bring the rest into the hole you have created and pinch the bottom.

Continue to pinch the bottom to stretch the dough tightly into a ball.

Roll the dough in the butter and place it on the prepared pan.

Repeat with the remaining rolls. Place the rolls close enough together so they can rise and bake touching each other. Do not overcrowd however, or they will not have room to fully rise.

Cover and proof 1 hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours. If you refrigerate it, remove it 2 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 350, 15 minutes prior to baking. Bake the rolls 18-20 minutes. They start to look done about 15 minutes, but they will be doughy in the middle.

Bake them until the tops are nice and brown and they are cooked all the way through. Let sit on pan 5 minutes before moving. They can also cool on the pan. Great served hot or cold. Best eaten the same day.

Problems

I wish I had taken pictures of all the failures I had making these. I have them listed in the top paragraph, but I'll explain more here.

Heavy dough - the round roll shape can't take a heavy dough or it will not rise. A crescent roll is longer and the dough is more spread out, so they can handle a heavier dough and still be light and airy

Water or milk?- Water was easier to use because the consistency of the roll was much lighter. It was really lacking in flavor however, so I adjusted the flour and liquid proportions to get it right

Butter or oil?- oil works great for breadsticks, but butter was the clear winner for round rolls

Sticky or stiff dough? - the dough for these rolls needs to be as sticky as possible while still able to hold their shape. The stickiness lets them rise and bake together supporting each other. It creates a very light and airy roll. If they are so sticky that they can't hold their own shape, they won't rise or bake high enough.
A stiff dough will not allow the rolls to rise together, but holds a rigid shape, and creates a dense roll.

Placement - The rolls need to be close enough together that they will rise and bake touching each other. They should not be so close that they are overcrowded and cannot fully rise.

Round Rolls
makes 12

1 1/2 c plus 1 T (12.5 oz) scalded then cold milk
3 c plus 2 T (15.5 oz) all purpose flour
2 T (.5 oz) gluten
1/4 c (2 oz) brown sugar
2 T (1 oz) butter at room temperature (salted or unsalted)
1 1/2 t salt
1 T yeast

2 T salted butter

Heat a little more milk than the recipe calls for in the microwave 3-4 minutes or until it (1)boils rapidly. Re-measure (2)it. If a lot has evaporated add a little milk to make up the difference. Set in the refrierator to cool for later use, or in the freezer to cool immediate use. Once the milk is (3)cold it is ready to use.

Measure the remainder of the ingredients except the 2 T salted butter in a bowl of an electric mixer. Add the cold milk and knead 8-10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down after 1, 4, and 7 minutes. The dough will be very sticky and will not clean the sides of the bowl. It should be able to hold a shape however. Place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment 90 minutes. You can also refrigerate it at the point up to 24 hours. The dough should double in volume.

Bring the 2 T butter to room temperature. Spray a 9 x 12 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Eyeball it or weigh it at 2 1/2 oz each. To form a roll pick up one of the pieces and use both thumbs to push the dough through at the center. Bring the rest into the hole you have created and pinch the bottom. Continue to pinch the bottom to stretch the dough tightly into a ball. Roll the dough in the butter and place it on the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Place the rolls close enough together so they can rise and bake touching each other. Do not overcrowd however, or they will not have room to fully rise. Cover and proof 1 hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours. If you refrigerate it, remove it 2 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 350, 15 minutes prior to baking. Bake the rolls 18-20 minutes. They start to look done about 15 minutes, but they will be doughy in the middle. Bake them until the tops are nice and brown and they are cooked all the way through. Let sit on pan 5 minutes before moving. They can also cool on the pan. Great served hot or cold. Best eaten the same day.

Notes
1. This is called scalding the milk. It denatures a protein that attacks the gluten.
2. I like to remeasure it into a plastic bowl to cool. Glass holds heat longer than plastic so it takes too long to cool.
3. The cold temperature of the milk holds the dough together better. It is a sticky dough, so it has a hard time holding together and will not knead thoroughly if the milk is warm.