Homemade super soft and fluffy dinner rolls, but with an amazing Japanese technique to make them 100x better. I used a Japanese Milk bread dough (also known as hokkaido milk bread) with a tangzhong to make these beautiful bread rolls. Oh, and they're brushed with garlic butter so that helps too.
ITEMS USED:
INGREDIENTS:
Tangzhong:
2 Tbsp (20g) bread flour
2 Tbsp (27g) water
4 Tbsp (60g) whole milk
Bread Dough:
2.5 cups (320g) bread flour
1 Tbsp (9g) active dry yeast (instant works as well)
3/4 tsp (3g) fine sea salt
1/2 cup (120g) whole milk
1/4 cup (56g) granulated sugar
3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, softened
1 whole egg, room temperature
Egg wash:
one egg
splash of whole milk (about 2 tablespoons)
Garlic Butter
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Method:
For the tangzhong, add all ingredients together over medium heat, and constantly whisk until it becomes a paste.
Once thick, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
For the primed yeast mixture, add and mix together. Store in a warm area and let sit for 10 minutes.
In a stand mixer bowl, add the dry ingredients. Add in milk and yeast mixture, the tangzhong mix, and a whole egg. Mix on low speed, scraping the sides occasionally.
When dough starts coming together, increase speed to medium-low. Gradually add butter until incorporated and nothing sticks to the sides. About 5-7 minutes.
Dump dough onto a work surface and roll into a tight ball.
Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or doubled in size.
Punch dough down and dump onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into 9 equal pieces (75 g each).
Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking dish, roll dough pieces into small tight balls and place into the baking dish in rows of three. Cover with a damp towel and let proof for 1-2 hours.
Brush with egg wash (egg beaten together with a splash of whole milk). Bake in a preheated oven set to 350F for 28-30 minutes.
For the garlic butter, finely chop garlic and add to a cold pan with unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat. Sweat the garlic for 30 seconds and immediately remove from the heat.
Remove buns from oven and immediately brush with garlic butter and flaky salt.
Great recipe. Definitely recommend the video instructions rather than the written. I made 15 rolls from the same batch size above (45-50g dough balls). They fit better in the pan I had (11x7), and still are plenty big enough for a dinner roll. I also topped them with a salted honey butter in lieu of the garlic butter. Delish!
Turned out pretty good.
Came out perfect! Delicious!!!!!!
The written recipe was a little confusing at first but the video was so clear that I forgive him for it. Excellent recipe. Will make again.
Although it takes a little more time, the tangzhong contributes to an amazingly unique flavor and a stunning, feathery, flaky texture visible as you pull the rolls apart. The rolls are sweet and have a flavor, difficult to describe, but somewhat like that of milk bread, unsurprisingly, or a Hawaiian roll. Additionally, the dough is easy to work with -- just tacky enough so that it sticks slightly to the surface when rolling them into balls, helping to achieve that seamless look. To restate, the process is so satisfying, from whisking together the tangzhong, to rolling the dough balls, to pulling apart the fluffy rolls to reveal the instagram-worthy, feathery inside.