Crusty or soft, plain white or whole wheat, stuffed with olives or sun-dried tomatoes, topped with herbs, seeds or nuts, big hearty loaves or dainty little rolls, bread is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. No meal is considered complete without it. No food is ever offered without a little bread on the side.
With so many different grains and flours available, it is easy to experiment with different flavor combinations. In this recipe whole wheat flour–with its high protein content–adds fiber, vitamins, and nutrients to the bread and the addition of potato flakes (or potato flour) creates a soft and moist crumb. The addition of orange juice and honey ensures a balance to the slight earthiness of the whole wheat flour. As with all yeast-based breads, allow the dough to rise once and then, once the rolls are formed, to rise again.
These bread rolls will disappear fast…… Enjoy without guilt!
Delicious Honey-Wheat Dinner Rolls
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ tsps.)
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 3 TBSP. honey
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp. salt
- ⅔ cup instant mashed potato flakes (or ¼ cup potato flour)
- ¼ cup nonfat dry milk
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 TBSP. old fashioned oats
- Dissolve the yeast with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, or until the mixture has formed bubbles. (N.B. – If you use instant yeast, you can skip this step.)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dissolved yeast with the remainder of the water and the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything until it forms a nice and smooth dough. It should take 4-5 minutes at second-lowest speed.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it is puffy, about 1½ hours to 2 hours.
- While the dough is rising, lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) a 9″ x 13″ pan, or two 9″ round cake pans.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it into 24 (or more) pieces. Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the dough into a very small knot at the bottom, then tucking it under the palm of your hand and rolling it into a smooth ball.
- Place the rolls in the 9″ x 13″ pan, or, divide them among the two round cake pans, spacing them evenly so they do not touch one another. Cover the pans and allow the rolls to rise for another 1 to 1½ hours. The rolls will become very puffy and will eventually touch one another. During this second rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- When it is time to bake the rolls, brush the tops with some beaten egg white and sprinkle with some oats. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes then, if they appear to be browning too quickly, tent them loosely with aluminum foil. Continue to bake until they are mahogany-brown on top, but lighter colored on the sides. This may mean an additional 10 minutes, depending on their size. Remove the rolls from the oven, and, after 2 minutes, carefully transfer them carefully to a rack. Serve warm–slathered with butter–or at room temperature.
Note: this recipe is adapted from a King Arthur flour recipe.
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