When it comes to bread, let me tell you how I roll.
In my opinion, rolls are the only way to go when it comes to bread. I prefer them over sliced bread basically 100 percent of the time. For me, it's a matter of texture: the roll's exterior has the perfect ratio of crust to inner crumb, as opposed to the exposed spongy expanse of a slice of bread, with mere little crust.
I'm also that jerk who loves the heels of the bread loaf, just in case you were wondering.
I really love dinner rolls in particular, because there are just so many different types out there. There are hearty, grain-stuffed rolls; there are soft and fluffy snowflake rolls; there are so many other variations in between.
This recipe is actually a sort of hand-me-down from another recipe, for stuffed buns. I made it a few different times recently, and with one batch, I decided to substitute the sour cream called for with skyr, since I found with an excess of this particular ingredient.
Since skyr is kind of a weird, not-yogurt-not-cheese thing, I figured it would work well, and boy, did it ever! It gave these rolls a wonderfully tender texture and tangy-yet-not-distracting flavor. Soft and pillowy, they are an absolute dream right out of the oven, smothered with butter.
Of course, if you don't have skyr you can use Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Fluffy Skyr Dinner Rolls
Makes 16 - printable version here
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet (or about 2 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup skyr
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup warm water (105 degrees-ish)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey
Egg wash: 1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
- Make the dough: combine all of the ingredients (except for the egg wash) in a large bowl, and mix-then-knead, either by hand for about 7 minutes or using a mixer with the dough hook for 3-4 minutes, until a soft dough forms.
- Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rest for about 1.5 hours, or until puffy (it will be double or a little less in size).
- Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets, 8 to a sheet, and leave some space for each one to grow.
- Let them proof for about 1 hour, they'll puff up nicely.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Brush the buns with the egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, and let cool briefly before serving. These are incredible when served warm.
Note: These rolls don't stay fresh for terribly long, so plan on making them when they can be consumed within 48 hours. If you find yourself with stale leftovers, don't despair: they make an awesome bread pudding, or excellent french toast.