Soft White Dinner Rolls

Source:New York Times
Yield:30 tiny rolls
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:2 hours
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons rapid-rise, bread-machine or other instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • Vegetable oil for bowl and baking sheet
  1. In a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt and sugar. In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter, and place over low heat until milk is lukewarm. Pour into bowl of dry ingredients, and mix with a fork to make a rough dough, adding more flour if necessary.
  2. Using a mixer with dough hook, or by hand, knead dough until smooth and silky. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
  3. Punch air out of dough. Oil a baking sheet, and set aside. Pull off pieces of dough the size of walnuts, and form into round balls. Place on baking sheet almost touching, about 1/4 inch apart, in 6 rows of 5 each. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees.
  4. When rolls have risen, make a glaze by beating together the egg, milk and salt. Paint rolls with glaze. Sprinkle one row with sesame seeds and the next with poppy seeds; leave the third row plain, and then repeat pattern. (A teaspoon of seeds should decorate 2 rows.)
  5. Bake rolls until risen and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack or serve immediately. To serve, place on a plate so rolls can be torn off to be eaten.