Dozens. Tens of dozens. Hundred of dozens. This is Suzen’s favorite roll and, once you try it, you’ll understand why. I know, it’s hard at first to think about “potato” and “roll” in the same phrase. Trust me. These rolls are soft, velvety, with a subtle flavor that loves to be mated with butter and honey and jam.
There is time needed here and several steps. It’s all worth the time and effort.
This recipe calls for potato water, water in which you have boiled potatoes. Suzen takes a more certain route: ⅞ cup of water and ¼ cup dried potato flakes.
King Arthur Potato Rolls
Yield: 16 rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup lukewarm potato water
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 ¼ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, very soft (plus a bit extra to brush on the tops of the rolls)
- ¼ cup nonfat dry milk
Preparation:
Whisk together the egg and potato water. Place into a bowl, or the bucket of a bread machine, if you have one. "That's my favorite method of kneading yeast dough," says Sue. Add the soft butter.
Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients, stirring everything together as best you can. If you're using a bread machine, just add the ingredients to the bucket.
Mix and knead everything together — by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle — until you've made a smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 5 to 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), the dough should form a smooth ball.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.
While the dough is rising, lightly grease two 9" round cake pans, or a 9" x 13" pan.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it into 16 pieces.
Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the dough into a very small knot at the bottom, then rolling it under the palm of your hand into a smooth ball.
Place eight rolls in each of the round cake pans (or all 16 rolls in the 9" x 13" pan), spacing them evenly; they won't touch one another.
Cover the pan(s) with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise till they're very puffy, and have reached out and touched one another, about 1 hour. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the rolls until they're a deep golden brown on top, and lighter on the sides, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the rolls from the oven, and after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack. They'll be hot and delicate, so be careful. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
Source: King Arthur Flour
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4 for1/50th second at ISO‑3200