A standalone mixer is
quite necessary here so you can easily work with very sticky dough near the beginning.
You'll also need a reliable instant-read thermometer (I adore mine from thermoworks.com,
bought directly from the company, which offers good prices and of course then
you'll be sure it's not counterfeit like some at a certain big retailer). You'll
also want to make sure you have room for a big bowl in your refrigerator before
you start.
You'll need to start these at least 5 hours or so in advance. You
can keep the dough in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours; that's the
longest I experimented with, and the old recipe didn't mention a maximum time (nor a minimum time, in fact).
This is very adapted
from "Master Icebox Roll" in the booklet Baking Is Easy with
These Master Recipes from Omega Flour by
H.C. Cole Milling Co. in Chester, Illinois, found just this past weekend at an antique
shop. It's c1940. There's more about the booklet at http://vintage.recipes/index.php/Cookbook/Baking-is-Easy .
I also followed the fantastic
idea from a cooking class I took to add 10% more liquid to whole wheat doughs
if one is adapting a recipe for all white flour; the whole grain needs more
liquid, though it takes a while for it to absorb.
Sprinkle over 4.5 Tbl of 110F water in a small bowl
1 package dry
yeast
Let sit a couple minutes then stir to dissolve.
Meanwhile, heat to 110F in a small pan
1 cup plus 1.5
Tbl milk (skim is fine though I'm sure fattier would be even better)
Mix in
4.5 Tbl olive
oil
Stir together in the big bowl of your standalone mixer until
well mixed (you can use the paddle or the dough hook until you have added much
flour in a moment):
2 eggs
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Mix in both of the above mixtures from the bowl and pan.
Start adding gradually
about 5 cups
whole wheat pastry flour, preferably Bobs Red Mill (I know, it's not bread
flour, but it's delicious and makes nice soft rolls)
Knead with your dough hook 5 minutes once the flour has been
incorporated. If the dough is quite thin add more flour (you want enough so
that it would be hard to stir with a spoon but you don't want to add so much
the rolls will be dry).
Keeping the dough in the same bowl, wet your fingers very well and push down
any dough on the sides until the sides are quite clean.
Then pour over some olive oil on the top and spread it out
to cover the top.
Cover the bowl with a smooth kitchen towel wrung out in hot
water.
Let rise at room temperature about 1 hour (it might not be
doubled, but you have raw eggs and milk in this dough at this point so you
don't want to risk any health problems).
Stir or push down to deflate.
Cover the bowl well eg with its lid.
Put in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, up to at least 48 hours
(it's fun to use up the dough over a couple of days, not all at once).
When you're ready to eat hot rolls in about 1.5 hours, take
off what dough you need and shape it as you wish into an oiled pan; ideas are
below. Let rise, covered, just 1 hour (again, for the eggs and milk safety
issue). Bake at 400F for 15 to 25 minutes, until the rolls etc are lightly browned
including the bottom (times are also mentioned below). Wait about 5 minutes
then enjoy! They refrigerate and freeze nicely.
some shaping and
additional flavor ideas
my favorite: cinnamon-raisin "cake"
Place about 1/3 of the dough in an oiled 8x8 or 9x9 pan
(preferably glass; it bakes nicely in glass and you can check that the bottoms
are done). Don't worry about making it smooth; it's actually better a little
rustic.
Gently press in maybe ¼ cup raisins over the top.
Sprinkle/pour over top
about 1 Tbl
melted butter
about 1 tsp
cinnamon
a generous Tbl
or so of sugar (not the white normal kind but the tan-colored
"natural" type that's not too finely ground)
Let rise 1 hour, covered.
Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes; it should be nicely but
not darkly browned. Let cool 5 minutes then eat – amazing still warm from the
oven, but also fabulous heated a bit in the microwave! Store leftovers in the
refrigerator because of all the butter.
my next favorite: butter rolls
Place about 1/3 of the dough in an oiled 8x8 or 9x9 pan
(preferably glass; it bakes nicely in glass and you can check that the bottoms
are done).
Cut into about 12 rolls with sharp kitchen scissors. They don't have to be completely separated.
Pour over top
about 1.5 Tbl melted
butter
Let rise 1 hour, covered.
Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes; they should be nicely but
not darkly browned. Let cool 5 minutes then eat – luscious still warm from the
oven, but also fabulous heated a bit in the microwave or even cold! Store
leftovers in the refrigerator because of all the butter.
straightforward rolls
You can shape the rolls with oiled hands and put them in/on
an oiled pan. I prefer mine placed not too far apart so they rise up against each
other to be torn apart to serve. For soft rolls I prefer a pan 1 to 2"
deep rather than say a cooky sheet.
Let rise 1 hour, covered.
Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of
the rolls; they should be nicely but not darkly browned. Let cool 5 minutes
then enjoy. You don't have to refrigerate unless you want to keep them for
quite a few days or your kitchen is very humid or hot.
You can get very creative -- how about orange zest and cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar on top maybe?...or roll out, put light fillings on the dough, then roll up and cut for spiral filled rolls...
These are soft and
wonderful; I also like crisp and chewy rolls – for that see the incomparable Kneadlessly
Simple by Nancy Baggett.
