Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Perfect Freezer Friendly Dinner Rolls

My crazy cousin String Cheese is finally back in town and able to mix things up with me a little more often. That being said, we had way too much kookie fun today making freezer rolls. Then again...that is the whole point. If I just baked for myself, it would get old. Baking for and with other people fills a need deep in my soul. String Cheese understands me. We share the need to cook as a deep down emotional fulfillment. Not unlike the part of my Spirit that understands on a very very small level what God might have felt when the earth was finished after being unorganized matter that got put together and made into something beautiful and useful. Playing with scattered matter probably wasn't much different on a much larger scale, than me baking. Taking those unorganized things and putting them together to create something new, yet from things very old...is cool. It's deeply spiritual. If that makes weird wise sense and you understand that...then we are indeed kindred souls and should cook together often. Really...that is where cousin String Cheese comes in. She gets it. Really. She also loves bread. So...it's a shared sickness on so many levels of good. Here is a whole new world...or something. Okay, it's a cinnamon sugar covered breakfast bun made from this freezer dough. Isn't it dainty?
Everything Dinner rolls are a hit too.

Finally I have found a freezer dinner roll recipe worthy of my blog. It's taken a while to find a method I liked and one that fits my family needs. So, I did use white flour this time because well...I actually prefer dinner rolls made of white flour. We don't do them very often. You can use whole wheat as well, just adjust the liquid by adding about 1/2 cup more water or milk. This recipe comes to you from America's Test Kitchen and I applaud it fully. We had great success with it and it's outcome. Very versatile dough just sweet enough for rolls that are either savory or sweet. Some we did with "everything bagel" topping, some we did with cinnamon and sugar. Yes...they all came out superb. As a bonus we also made some into pizza bites, just to see if the dough would lend itself to freezer friendly ready to bake pizza muffins. Yes...it did wonderfully there too! So haaazaaa!! We have a winner!! This recipe yields 24 rolls, and yes, can easily be doubled.
Combine:
1 1/4 cup water (no hotter than 110 degrees)
2 tsp yeast (1 packet) rapid rise
2T sugar (1T honey)
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat works too)
1 1/2 tsp salt
6T oil (original recipe called for 12T of melted butter)
1 egg
2 egg yolks
Combine everything in one large bowl or mixer. I like that. Knead 5 minutes by hand or 3 minutes in a mixer on medium setting. This is a less developed dough as far as gluten is concerned. Form into a ball and place in a bowl covered with plastic or a lid for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. I kind of put them in a log form. this helps to keep things pretty even. You can get science-like and weigh the dough and then divide it into 24 equal portions, but on most given days, I just eyeball it. I may go to baker's heck for saying that.
Divide the two logs in half again, so you have 4 logs. Each one will get cut into 6 pieces. See...you will have to use a little math, but I think you can handle it. I really do.
Is that six pieces? Just checking.
Now, lightly (I do mean lightly) dust the counter top with a little flour...just a little. We don't want the rolls sticking too much. On the other hand, we don't want so much flour that they just roll all over the place. The point is, we want a little tacky stuff so they form correctly. Take the dough piece and pinch the sides together...

Then turn it over so the pinched side is down.

You don't want it to look loose like this...
I keep a combination of what I call "everything bagel topping". It's basically 1/4 cup sesame seed, 1/4 cup poppy seeds, 2T kosher salt, 2T dry onions, 1T dehydrated minced garlic.
You want the dough balls to look like they have a skin holding them together. Like this picture below. Place the rolls on a pan lined with parchment paper (or a freezer friendly pan for easy make and bake). If you use metal pans, you don't have to worry about the glass shattering going from the freezer to the oven. I may mention that again.

Allow to raise at room temperature, uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the rolls are touching if originally placed 1/2 an inch apart. Cover with foil and place in the freezer. Keep frozen up to one month. Removing them from a pan once frozen and placing directly in a freezer bag will save space in your freezer...big time!


When you want fresh rolls, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove pan from the freezer. Important note...don't place glass pans directly from the freezer to the oven, they will shatter. If you keep rolls frozen in freezer bags, place frozen rolls on pan and then place in the oven.
Bake 375 degrees 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Try not to eat them all in one sitting...alone.

There you go.

25 comments:

Coby said...

I have been making freezer dinner rolls for about 5 years. They are really great for holidays!

Unknown said...

Yum!!! Those look so good!!!! :D :D I have to get Mom to let me make them!!!! :D :D

Chef Tess said...

Coby, outstanding! I would love to hear what differences or similarities we have in our recipes. Emalie...you can make these rolls girl! I've seen you with pie crust.

Rachelle said...

Oh Yay, Yay, Yay. Now I don't have to buy those Frozen Rhodes dough stuff. As soon as I get some free time I am having a roll making day.

Coby said...

My regular dinner roll recipe is simalar to yours. I also like to make a potato roll recipe. I usually freeze mine before the last rise, then take them out, let them rise and then bake. I will have to try letting them rise all the way before I freeze them next time.

Anonymous said...

Tess, this is absolutely wonderful! I had completely forgotten about frozen rolls, although many years ago I DID make them. This is perfect for those who are single or have small families! It also is perfect as something to do ahead so that they do not have to add time and energy to the prep time for BIG meals.

Shannon said...

Chef Tess, five stars for this recipe! I made half plain and half loaded as you did. Oh my gosh, I may just eat them all.....here.....alone.....before the rest of the family finds out!

Chef Tess said...

Happy dance!! Thanks for the sweet comments. They keep me going!

Kim Rapier said...

Looks yummy - quick question - do I let them raise before I put them in the freezer or can I put them in the freezer as small little balls of dough and let them raise after they come out of the freezer before I cook them?

Chef Tess said...

Kim, you definitely let them raise before you put them in the freezer. That is what threw me for a loop as well. The beauty is they are raised already, so you can literally just take them from the freezer to the oven. It's insane genius!

Olivia said...

Can I substitute 2 tsp. Saf-instant yeast for the 2 tsp. rapid rise yeast your recipe calls for?

Kim Rapier said...

Just tried you recipie - my family (and I) love it! First time I actually got rolls to rise and taste good! You are amazing!!

Olivia said...

Could this recipe be used to make hamburger buns and bread bowls? If so, what changes would need to be made, if any? Thanks!

I made this recipe today with 2 cups of whole wheat flour and they turned out great. I wonder if I could use garlic salt for the salt to give it added flavor. Your thoughts?

Marylois said...

I'm going to have to try these. I make bread once a month out at a local hospice house. These would be so easy to do. I wouldn't have to take all that time waiting for them to rise. I could just take them from my freezer and put them in their oven. Great!

Anonymous said...

Question. Do you have ot let them rise before you freeze them or is it best to do it after? I've heard both ways. Which gives a litter, fluffier roll?

Thanks, Tracy

Chef Tess said...

Definitely raise before you freeze them. I've found this to be the only way to go straight from the freezer into the oven without having to wait any amount of time for them to raise. They are the ultimate convenience that way. Other rolls, if you freeze before rising, not only do you have to wait for them to defrost, but also raise...and then you can bake them. That is of course, if they have been in the freezer a short enough time for the yeast to still be good. This method is by far my favorite (the freeze after the rise and then bake directly).

Misty Makes said...

Will these still turn out if I shape them into rosettes, but do everything else the same? like these ones http://www.tammysrecipes.com/one_hour_dinner_rolls
I'm a newbie bread baker.

Chef Tess said...

Yes, they will work in a rosette.

Evelyn said...

I just wanted to say thank you so much for this post! I'd been looking all over for a recipe like this. Just made them, and they came out even better than I'd hoped.

I'll be using this frozen dough technique with other bread recipes I have, and I can't thank you enough!

Chef Tess said...

Hoooray Evelyn!! I'm so excited!!

Callie said...

Made these today (okay I didn't do the freezer step just made them straight fresh). Soooo good and so easy to do! Next time I'll double it and freeze one batch while I eat the other :)

Thanks for sharing!

Heidi said...

I have such a hard time getting the second rise and especially in the time you list. I even put them in the oven which I had heated to 200 degrees and then turned off and mine still didn't look like your picture were they are touching. What size pan did you use? I have mine on a large baking sheet. Really want to have this be the no fail roll recipe for Thanksgiving, any suggestions?

Chef Tess said...

If you are going to put them in the freezer, do not put them in the oven, even to raise. My first question is if your yeast is fresh or if you checked it for freshness? Second is what temperature the water was when you activated the yeast? Last, how warm is it in your home when they are raising?

Vanessa said...

I absolutely understand what you mean about feeling like a creator when cooking! I tried these using tge rise-and-freeze method, subbing a little leftover pumpkin pie filling for some of the liquid. They were yummy! Onto the family fave list they go....

Vanessa said...

Oh and I am KNOCKED OUT by the bread painting! It's going my Easter baking menu for sure!