May 2, 2010

Rosemary and Garlic Butter Rolls

May2-2010-01

My sister stopped by this weekend to drop off the Electrolux Assistant mixer she had hidden in her basement for the past 5 years. Can you believe someone owning a machine like this and not using it? Craziness.

It wasn’t until she caught me talking to one of our other sisters (I have 5 of ‘em!) about the KitchenAid she had bought that it dawned on her she too had a stand mixer lying around doing nothing particularly useful. Brand new (well, 5 years old, but never been used). With a meat grinder attachment. And she gave it to me. Oh man, did I mention I love my big sis?

In the short time I’ve had this mixer now, I found out that really bad things happen when I get cravings and have a powerful machine like this at my disposal. Bad things in a good way. Bad things in a double batch of rosemary and garlic butter rolls in only two days kind of way. Lord have mercy on my thighs. If this is wrong, I don’t want to be right!

Ingredients:

2 tsp instant yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast)
1 stick butter (soft)
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar 
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 rosemary sprig
2 garlic cloves
coarse sea salt

Directions:

The yeast. I opted for instant yeast, mainly because it only requires one rise. But active dry yeast works perfectly as well, just keep in mind that the dough has to rise twice then.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

First, mix 2/3 stick of butter with 1 cup of milk.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Lightly beat a large room-temperature egg.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Keep 3 cups of flour nearby.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Technically I wouldn’t have to add instant yeast to water. I could just mix it in with the flour. However, I’m a beast of habit and this is what works for me. Dump 2 tsp instant yeast (or 2 + 1/4 tsp active dry yeast) in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of warm water. Not hot, just warm. Stir and let the yeast sit there for 5 minutes.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

I’m using the stand mixer, but you can also do this by hand. You’ll need stamina. And a pair of hands that don’t tire easily because you’ll be kneading for 10 minutes straight to get the best, fluffiest dough. If you have a hand mixer with dough hooks, use it until the dough forms to a ball and then work the dough with your hands.

 
Pop the milk & butter mix in the microwave for a minute at full power. It doesn’t have to be hot, just luke-warm. Transfer the yeast water to your mixer bowl. Add 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, pour in the egg and add 1 cup of flour.
May2-2010-07

Now pour in the milk with butter. The butter will have melted a bit.
May2-2010-07b

Mix until the flour is incorporated before adding another cup of flour. Repeat this process until all the flour is incorporated. As soon as the wet and dry ingredients are combined, turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes before starting the kneading process. Unless you’re doing this by hand, then you start kneading straight away and only use extra flour if the dough starts sticking to your hands. The dough will look really sticky at first, but that will resolve itself during kneading as the gluten are developed.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

I let the machine knead for 6 to 7 minutes, by the end of which the dough will have formed into a ball. If your dough looks impossibly sticky in the final few minutes, add a tbsp flour at a time. But remember, it should still be sticky to the touch! Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

If you used active dry yeast you now transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, apply some oil to the top of the dough to prevent it from drying out and instead of the 10 minutes I’m giving it now, let it rise for about an hour, until it doubled in size. Proceed with the recipe as listed below after the first rise.

 
Lightly butter a baking tray. Or cast iron skillet if you want to get all fashionably old-fashioned on me.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

After 10 minutes I transferred the dough to a lightly floured cutting board. It should be a really supple and slightly sticky dough.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Flatten it with your hand and using a sharp knife divide the dough into 9 pieces. Or 12, if you want them smaller.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

In stead of rolling the dough in your hand, you simply fold the sides to the bottom and shape them in the palm of your hand. Transfer them to the baking tray but give them a little room to rise. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for an hour to an hour and a half. Until they doubled in size.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

That gives us time to do the compound butter. I love rosemary but don’t like it all burnt and crunchy on top of my rolls. So I put the flavor inside the butter, that way the flavor gets everywhere.

Let’s get all medieval and break out the mortar and pestle. Provided you have one.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

In order to get the flavor inside the butter, you have to release some of the oils. Strip the rosemary sprig and add 2 garlic cloves. Now smash the whole shebang, reallly bruise the rosemary. Add the remaining 1/3 stick of butter and lightly mix it. Leave it be for an hour or so, while the dough rises.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Then comes the moment you lift the towel and find this underneath. Can I hear some ahhhh’s and ohhhh‘s, please?
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

That’s your cue to nuke the flavored butter, this will intensify the flavor and will make it easier to brush on top of the rolls. Give it 30 seconds at full power.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Brush it all over the dough and don’t be shy, they’re not called butter rolls for nothing! I don’t mind a few lonesome rosemary leaves here and there, as long as it’s not too much.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Last but not least, sprinkle a generous amount of coarse sea salt all over them yummy rolls.
Garlic and Rosemary Butter Rolls

Bake them in a preheated oven at 350F (175C) for 20 minutes. Until all puffy and golden brown.

 
The best dinner rolls are not sweet: they’re pillow light, soft, puffy, savory and buttery, all things good. And these rolls are. Oh boy, they are!
May2-2010-21

Oh, and serve them with home made butter if you really want to make an impression.

Rosemary and Garlic Butter Rolls
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp instant yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast)
    1 stick butter (soft)
    1/4 cup warm water
    1 cup milk
    2 tbsp sugar
    1 large egg
    1 tsp salt
    3 cups flour
    1 rosemary sprig
    2 garlic cloves
    coarse sea salt
Directions
  1. Mix 2/3 stick of butter with 1 cup of milk and lightly beat a large room-temperature egg. Dump 2 tsp instant yeast (or 2 + 1/4 tsp active dry yeast) in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of warm water. Not hot, just warm. Stir and let the yeast sit there for 5 minutes. Pop the milk & butter mix in the microwave for a minute at full power. It doesn’t have to be hot, just luke-warm. Transfer the yeast water to your mixer bowl. Add 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, pour in the egg and add 1 cup of flour. Pour in the milk with butter. The butter will have melted.

    Mix until the flour is incorporated before adding another cup of flour. Repeat this process until all the flour is incorporated. As soon as the wet and dry ingredients are combined, turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes before starting the kneading process. Unless you’re doing this by hand, then you start kneading straight away and only use extra flour if the dough starts sticking to your hands. The dough will look really sticky at first, but that will resolve itself during kneading as the gluten are developed.

    Let the machine knead for 6 to 7 minutes, by the end of which the dough will have formed into a ball. If your dough looks impossibly sticky in the final few minutes, add a tbsp flour at a time. But remember, it should still be sticky to the touch! Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. When using active dry yeast you let the dough rise for the first time now.

    Lightly butter a baking tray. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured cutting board, flatten it with your hand and using a sharp knife divide the dough into 9 pieces. Or 12, if you want them smaller. Fold the sides to the bottom and shape them in the palm of your hand. Transfer them to the baking tray but give them a little room to rise. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for an hour to an hour and a half. Until they doubled in size.

    Strip the rosemary sprig and add 2 garlic cloves. Now smash the whole shebang, reallly bruise the rosemary. Add the remaining 1/3 stick of butter and lightly mix it. Leave it be for an hour or so, while the dough rises. As soon as the dough has doubles in size, microwave the butter for 30 seconds at full power, brush it all over the rolls and sprinkle them a generous amount of coarse sea salt. Bake them in a preheated oven at 350F (175C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Until all puffy and golden brown.
copyright © kayotickitchen.com

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46 Comments »

  1. 26

    This is the first recipe I’ve attempted from your blog! I made them literally immediately after reading this post.  I don’t have any machines so I had to use my hands but, contrary to what I had expected, it wasn’t difficult!  They were absolutely divine!  So light and fluffy (though nowhere near as beautiful as the ones in your pictures!) My boyfriend ate about four in one sitting and the Man Flu misery that had haunted him all day magically disappeared.  I think you found an important cure.

    Juls on May 13, 2010 @ 7:31 pm Reply
  2. 27

    @Juls:

    I’m so glad they worked out for you! The reason that it’s easy is probably because making dough is so much easier when you start with liquids first, then slowly add flour, 1 cup at a time.

    Mine are so fluffy because of the amazing mixer I made the dough in. Nothing beats that one.

    Kay on May 13, 2010 @ 7:34 pm Reply
  3. 28

    wow it looks perfect.. I’m going to try my hands on those this weekend .. :)

    Swee San on May 13, 2010 @ 8:31 pm Reply
  4. 29

    So I should totally be doing my Philosophy 202 Final paper right now, but this recipe has distracted me. It looks so good, I want to make it right this moment. >w<
    If only I had the time and the ability to make bread whenever I want and still get all the work done. Thank you so much for posting this the rolls look absolutely heavenly and I’ll have to try making the butter as well >w<  I’ll definitely try this once I get actual work done >w<

    Scheherazade on May 14, 2010 @ 8:28 am Reply
  5. 30

    Congrats on the new mixer! They are dangerous to have around…I’m always using mine to whip up a batch of cookie dough! :)
    The rolls sound amazing!

    Karly on May 18, 2010 @ 1:23 am Reply
  6. 31

    If any of your other sisters have extra stand mixers they aren’t going to use, please feel free to send them my way. No, seriously. I really need one. :)

    Dawn (KitchenTravels) on May 18, 2010 @ 11:26 pm Reply
  7. 32

    I made a batch of these yesterday, with outstanding results!  Soft and buttery on the outside and i let them go golden and crispen a bit on the outside. Everyone loved them. Now, guess what I’m doing today?
    Yes…………making the second batch!!!

    aadila on Jun 14, 2010 @ 3:47 am Reply
  8. 33

    I’m definitely making this! OOOOH! You have me smiling in the morning. So rare lately. :)

    Sarah on Aug 16, 2010 @ 4:44 am Reply
  9. 34

    Okay so I tried these and they were so amazing! My husband and I both thought so! I don’t have a kitchen aide mixer so I hand kneaded the dough and although it was pretty labor intensive I thought it was all worth it after we ate them! Great recipe!

    Stacy on Sep 6, 2010 @ 6:00 am Reply
  10. 35

    They are fabulous. I just baked them. Light, fluffy, like a snowflake. Whole house smelled amazing while they were in the oven. Thank you for the great recipe :)))

    Ljiljana on Sep 14, 2010 @ 6:00 pm Reply
  11. 36

    These look delightful! However, is it just regular ol’ flour or bread flour!? Let me know, thanks :)

    Rachel on Oct 7, 2010 @ 8:54 pm Reply
  12. 37

    @ Rachel:

    I doubt they even sell bread flour here. Maybe the kind where you only have to add water. I only use all purpose flour.

    Kay on Oct 7, 2010 @ 8:57 pm Reply
  13. 38

    Kay
         I don’t have the time for all the dough making but I do love to use Rhodes frozen dough. Any advice on using pre-made dough other than just what the directions on the package say? Can’t wait to use the butter-infusing step!!! YUM

    Mary on Nov 19, 2010 @ 8:04 pm Reply
  14. 39

    I made these rolls for Thanksgiving and they turned out absolutely fabulous! I was wondering, though, where that nifty attachment you’re using in the pictures came from?

    Ariel on Nov 26, 2010 @ 5:40 am Reply
  15. 40

    I made these for christmas dinner and they came out absolutely amazing. I was shocked at how fluffy they came out considering that I do not own a stand mixer!

    soymonster on Jan 3, 2011 @ 6:24 pm Reply
  16. 41

    I am in the process of making these for my easter dinner tonight :) can’t wait to try them!

    Kim on Apr 24, 2011 @ 7:17 pm Reply
  17. 42

    Thanks a lot, Kay for this wonderful recipe. I couldn’t resist making them after seeing the photo of the risen dough. They were just amazing, soft and fluffy. This is also my first successful attempt at bread making :) 

    Toosie on Jul 6, 2011 @ 1:19 pm Reply
  18. 43

    hello; made these and they turned out delicious! Just wondering- is it possible to freeze them?  If so, at which point do you recommend freezing? Thank you!!

    Lauren on Oct 3, 2011 @ 12:42 am Reply
  19. 44

    My first batch of these rolls is currently rising. My butter is compounded (I did that during my first rise), it smells incredible. 
    I have to disagree about sweet rolls being bad though, I’m planning to adapt this recipe to make honey-poppyseed rolls as a breakfast treat. 

    Niki on Feb 23, 2012 @ 4:09 am Reply
  20. 45

    so happy I found this recipe on Foodgawker yesterday.  These rolls are AMAZING. Buttery, soft, tender – you name it.  People at the table were swooning. Thanks so much for sharing this incredible recipe.  It will be a family-fave around here!

    Linda @ Lemon Drop on May 2, 2012 @ 4:08 pm Reply

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