Gluten Free Lion House Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

Notes

Instructions

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, place the flour, instant yeast, nonfat dry milk and sugar, and use a handheld whisk to combine well. Add the salt and whisk again to combine well. Add the water and 3 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, and the egg, and mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined. Raise the mixer speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes. This is a lovely, smooth, enriched dough. It climbs up the dough hook during kneading but remains intact and smooth. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket large enough for the dough to rise to double its size, spray the top of the dough with cooking oil spray, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top to your proofing bucket). Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. (See Recipe Notes)

• Preparing the dough for shaping. On baking day, line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper, and set it aside. Turn out the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using the scrape and fold kneading method and a very light touch, sprinkle the dough with more flour and knead it lightly, sprinkling with flour when necessary to prevent it from sticking, scraping the dough off the floured surface with a floured bench scraper, then folding it over on itself. Repeat scraping and folding until the dough has become smoother. Do not overwork the dough or you will incorporate too much flour and it will not rise properly.

• Shaping the rolls + the final rise. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an 11-inch square. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the dough generously with the melted butter. Using a pizza wheel or very sharp knife, divide the square in half, creating 2 equal rectangles, each 11-inches x 5 1/2-inches. Slice each of the 2 rectangles into 6 smaller rectangles, each about 1 3/4-inches x 5 1/2-inches (see step by step photos). Starting at the short end of each of the 12 small rectangles, roll the dough up into a snail shape and place, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart from one another. Dust the rolls lightly with more flour to give the dough a “cloak” to rise into. Cover the baking sheet with oiled plastic wrap (be sure to leave the dough room to rise under the plastic), and place in warm, draft-free location to rise only until about double its original size (about 40 minutes to an hour). If you overproof the rolls, they will lose their smoothness on top, so be sure not to overproof.

• Bake. As the dough is in its final rise, preheat your oven to 375°F. Once the dough has finished rising, uncover it, and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until the dough is very puffy, just beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a toothpick test is more useful here than an internal temperature). Remove from the oven and immediately cover the entire baking sheet with a clean tea towel, tucking the ends of the towel under the baking sheet to create a loose seal. Allow the bread to cool for at least 30 minutes under the towel. This will keep the crust soft and squish. Uncover, and serve, or cool the rolls completely and place in a well-sealed freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and refresh the rolls in the toaster oven before serving.

• Adapted from the Lion House Dinner Rolls recipe on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (thanks Mel!) as selected by you from my Must Make Gluten Free Pinterest Board.