Not sure how to describe these awesome Honey Milk Anytime Rolls except to say they are delicious in every way. Soft and fluffy with pull-apart strands.
The simple technique, known as tangzhong, which is used in Japanese milk bread adds lightness and softness to these beauties.
So what is tangzhong all about?
Using the tangzhong technique here, you cook a small portion of the flour and milk in the yeast recipe very briefly. The resulting thick slurry is then combined with the remaining ingredients.
- This greatly affects the yeast dough.
- It pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, so that they can absorb more liquid.
- In fact, the flour will absorb twice as much hot liquid as it does the cool/lukewarm liquid you’d usually use in yeast dough.
- Also, heating the starch with the milk creates structure, so that it’s able to hold onto that extra liquid throughout the kneading, baking and cooling processes.
- Since there’s less unabsorbed liquid in the dough, it’s less sticky and easier to knead.
- The rolls will have greater oven-spring – the rise that occurs when dough is put in the hot oven.
- Having retained more water during baking, the rolls will be moister.
- They should stay soft and fresh longer.
So many benefits from a quick five-minute process.
Before starting on the tangzhong, here’s the full list of ingredients for your Honey Milk Anytime Rolls…
- Water
- Milk
- Bread flour
- Active dry yeast
- Granulated sugar
- Honey
- Salted butter
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Regular rolled oats
Let’s get started on preparing the tangzhong…
- In a small saucepan whisk together the water, milk, and bread flour.
- Cook and stir over medium heat until it is the consistency of paste.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Now we can get started on making the enriched dough…
- In a large bowl, stir together 2½ cups of the flour and the yeast.
- In a medium saucepan combine the milk, sugar, honey, butter, and salt.
- Cook and stir over medium heat until warm (115°F to 120°F) and the butter almost fully melts.
- It can be helpful to use your digital thermometer here… actually highly recommended.
- The liquid should not be overheated.
- Yeast is very sensitive to heat.
- If your liquid reaches temperatures of 130°F or more, the yeast will begin to die off.
- Stir the milk mixture, cooled paste, and two of the eggs into the flour mixture.
- Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
- Using a Danish dough whisk works well.
- The one you see here is from Sunrise Flour Mill, where I always buy my bread blend flour.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that is smooth and elastic.
- It will be slightly tacky but should not be sticky.
- The kneading process will take a total of about 3 to 5 minutes.
Resist the urge to knead in all of the flour …you may not use it all.
When you think you’ve finished kneading, press the palm of your hand on the dough. If it sticks a little but then releases without leaving much dough on your hand, it’s ready for the rise.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all surfaces of the dough.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for about one hour, until nearly double in size.
- Punch the dough down.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Shape the dough into 20 balls.
- Arrange in the prepared pan.
When forming the dough balls, pinch and pull the dough tight to make a smooth surface. Turn over and round the dough with your hand, continuing to pinch the dough together on the bottom to tighten. And keep in mind …they don’t have to be perfectly shaped!
It’s important to create consistent portions for even baking. Weighing as you go will ensure that the size of each roll is uniform.
Using your digital food scale, determine the weight of the risen dough in grams then divide by 20. Easy enough.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size for about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Gently brush the rolls with the egg mixture.
- Sprinkle with the rolled oats.
- Bake until golden, for about 25 minutes.
- Cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together room temperature butter with the honey until fluffy.
- Serve the rolls while still warm with the honey butter on the side.
What is the best way to enjoy these Honey Milk Anytime Rolls?
- Serve as dinner rolls alongside your turkey feast for a delicious sweet & savory combo.
- If you have a few to spare, pile on some leftover turkey goodness for an awesome mini-sandwich.
- Use as a base for an over-the-top breakfast sandwich.
- Slather on some butter and jam for a sweet treat.
honey milk anytime rolls
Adapted from BH&G Test Kitchen
This enriched dough is created by adding cooked flour paste. The resulting rolls are super-soft with yummy pull-apart strands.
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup bread flour
For the Dough
- 5 cups bread flour, divided
- 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs, divided
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup regular rolled oats
For the Honey Butter
- 1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
Prepare the Tangzhong
-
In a small saucepan whisk together the water, milk, and bread flour. Cook and stir over medium heat until it is the consistency of paste. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Dough
-
Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together 2½ cups of the flour and the yeast.
In a medium saucepan combine the milk, sugar, honey, butter, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until warm (115°F to 120°F) and butter almost fully melts.
Stir the milk mixture, cooled paste, and two of the eggs into the flour mixture. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
-
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that is smooth and elastic. It will be slightly tacky but should not be sticky. The kneading process will take a total of about 3 to 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all surfaces of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about one hour, until nearly double in size.
-
Punch the dough down. Let rest for 10 minutes. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Shape the dough into 20 balls. Arrange in the prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size for about 30 to 45 minutes.
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush the rolls with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with rolled oats. Bake until golden, for about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.
Prepare the Honey Butter
-
In a small bowl, whisk together room temperature butter with the honey until fluffy. Serve the rolls while still warm with the honey butter on the side.
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