Baking Classics
The Technique
Honey-Butter Knotted Rolls
The bread basket is an integral part of exceptional gatherings & when it is filled with handcrafted, yeast risen rolls, a collection of carefully curated dishes become complete. Honey-Butter Knotted Rolls make a beautiful addition to any company worthy occasion, particularly a spring social. They can serve as an accent to fresh, seasonal side dishes or become the main attraction when filled with beef tenderloin. Learn the technique for making this classic yeast risen bread style & prepare to bake a batch in your own kitchen.
Honey-Butter Knotted Rolls
makes 3 dozen
If serving the rolls right away, brush them with butter & honey once they are removed from the oven. If the will be cooled & enjoyed another time, complete the step after reheating.
1 cup warm water
1 {1/4-oz} envelope active dry yeast
3 Tbsp honey
3 3/4 to 4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp softened butter
3 Tbsp whole buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk
Melted butter & honey
Stir together the water, the yeast & a teaspoon of the honey. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Whisk together the 3 3/4 cups flour & the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining honey, the butter, the buttermilk, the egg & the yeast mixture. Mix on Low speed 1 minute with a dough hook. The dough will come together in a ball around the hook. Increase the speed to Medium. Add an additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough clings more than 3 inches to the bottom of the work bowl as it mixes. Blend 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball & place in a lightly greased bowl. Spray the dough surface with cooking spray & cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a draft-free spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down & divide it into 36 {1-oz) pieces. Shape into balls & set aside to rest a few minutes, covered, while shaping the remaining dough pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch rope & twist it into a knot. Place up to 15 dough portions on each parchment paper-llined half sheet pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a draft free spot 25 to 30 minutes or until an increase by a half their original size has been achieved.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together the cream & the egg yolk; swipe over the tops using a pastry brush. Bake one pan at a time 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan after 9 minutes. Combine the 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1 Tbsp honey, if desired & brush over the warm rolls.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Honey-Butter Knotted Rolls
Handcrafted rolls are something to relish & when special occasions are in order, it’s always a good idea to make a batch of your own to share with family & friends. A rich dough enhanced with an eggs, butter & buttermilk produces a tender crumb while the honey adds just a bit of sweetened flavor. Shaping the dough into knots is a simple technique that results in a lovely offering from the bread basket.
The Technique
Yeast rolls aren’t difficult to prepare from scratch, however there are techniques you should be familiar with in order to make a successful batch. Aside from that, it takes patience to work with yeast as it needs adequate time to produce quality results. I began baking breads when in grade school all to say that you can certainly pull this off. A heavy duty stand mixer fit with a dough hook is a bread makers friend. It will take care of all of the muscle work when it comes to kneading the dough. Bread doughs will give your mixer a good workout. Don’t leave it unattended as it will rock & shake a bit as the dough mixes. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
Stir together the water, the yeast & a teaspoon of the honey. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Whisk together the 3 3/4 cups flour & the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining honey, the butter, the buttermilk, the egg & the yeast mixture. Mix on Low speed 1 minute with a dough hook. The dough will come together in a ball around the hook. Increase the speed to Medium. Add an additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough clings more than 3 inches to the bottom of the work bowl as it mixes. Blend 5 minutes. When the dough is ready to be removed from the mixing bowl, push the it away from the hook with well floured hands. Sprinkle a little bit of flour over the dough into the work bowl. Shimmy some between the sides & the dough using a rubber spatula or a plastic dough scraper. Allow it to tumble out onto a lightly floured surface. Expect a soft, supple mixture not a stiff ball of dough.
No. 2
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a flat circle using your hands. The imprints in the dough are from my knuckles. Make a fist to press it out quickly.
2a
Gather the outside of the dough & press sections of it to the center around the entire circumference until it all meets evenly in the middle.
2b
Flip the dough over. A few quick spins between your hands will have it shaped into a ball. The dough is now ready to be placed into a large, lightly greased bowl.
No. 3
Allow the dough to rest & rise. Place the smooth surface in a lightly greased bowl & flip it over so that the greased side faces upwards. This will prevent any unwanted sticking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & place it in an area in your kitchen free from drafts.
3a
Allow the dough to double in bulk. This can take anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. If it’s slow going, turn on your oven & place the bowl of dough beside it to speed along the process.
No. 4
Remove the dough from the bowl & place it onto a lightly floured surface. Punch the dough down into a relatively flat disc. Cut the dough using a bench scraper or a chef knife into 36 small pieces & weigh them using a kitchen scale. Each piece should weigh 1-oz. Shape into balls & set aside to rest a few minutes, covered, while shaping the remaining dough pieces.
4a
Roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch rope & twist it into a knot.
4b
Place up to 15 portions of the dough on each parchment paper-llined half sheet pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a draft-free spot 25 to 30 minutes or until an increase by a half their original size has been achieved.
No. 5
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together the cream & the egg yolk; swipe over the tops using a pastry brush. Begin with the pan that was shaped first. The additional pans can be attended to while the first pan is in the oven baking.
No. 6
Bake the rolls, in batches, for 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pan after 9 minutes to ensure an even color over the surface. Combine the 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1 Tbsp honey, if desired & brush over the warm rolls once removed from the oven. This is an optional step. The egg wash produces a lovely sheen so the rolls will have a glossy appearance nonetheless but the honey butter adds extra delicious flavor.
No. 7
The rolls can be prepared ahead of time for entertaining. Place the baked rolls into zip-lock bags & freeze up to 3 weeks. Thaw on the counter top in the bag. Place them in a single layer on a half sheet pan, cover loosely with foil & warm in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the rolls to a bread basket lined with a linen & cover them to keep warm.
The Tune
“Prelude To A Kiss” Billie Holiday
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