Fluffy Dinner Rolls

I'm going to start this blog with my latest recipe "Fluffy Dinner Rolls."  I started working on this about 4 months ago (last Thanksgiving.)  This was my first go round with any type of bread.  My goal was to create a light, mildly sweet & fluffy dinner roll; after a lot of trial & error, I just finished the recipe last night & typed it up today.  I took the best of the best from various recipes & techniques to get what my family & friends say is "perfect" so I'm happy, hope you like'm too.  My recipe appears a little more extravagant than others, but well worth it;  you'll get great rise with these rolls. This is my interpretation of what those cheap "brown & server" rolls you get at the store are trying to represent;  except with body & flavor!

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

•  7 cups bread flour
•  3/4 cup sugar
•  3 tbs milk powder
•  3 tbs vital wheat gluten
•  1 1/4 tsp salt
•  2 cups warm milk
•  2 eggs, beaten
•  4 tbs "just melted" butter
•  1/2 cup warm water
•  1 tsp sugar
•  1/2 oz. active dry yeast
•  2 tbs. veg. oil
•  egg wash (1 egg & 1/4 milk thoroughly mixed)

Instructions:

1. Combine 3 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, milk power & wheat gluten in mixer bowl, set aside.
2. Combine 1 cup flour & salt; set aside.
3. In microwave, heat milk 2 min.s, let cool to approx. 110°F
4. Warm water to 110°- 115°F., add tsp sugar & dissolve, then add yeast; mix thoroughly with fork; let stand until about 1" of foam forms on top (5-10 min.)
5. (wet mixture) In medium size bowl, beat eggs thoroughly/bubbly; slowly temper/mix in melted butter & then slowly mix in milk, thoroughly.  Then thoroughly mix in foamed yeast water.
6. Add (wet mixture) to mixer bowl with the 3 cups flour (from step #1.) w/ paddle, mix thoroughly (will look like pancake batter).
7. Add 3 more cups flour & mix w/ dough hook until all flour is incorporated, then add the cup of salted flour & do the same. (will be sticky)
8. Remove dough ball & place on a lightly floured surface & knead using as little flour as necessary, until smooth & elastic/y (10-15 min.s) will feel like a baby's butt or woman's breast.
9. Place dough ball in a large bowl with veg. oil, coating ball entirely with oil; cover, place in warm spot (or proof box) & let rise until doubled in size.
10. When doubled in size, punch down, then remove dough to a lightly floured surface & form into a long sausage like shape (about 3" in diameter.)
11. Cut about 1" to 1.5" length pieces (should fill a cup cake mold about 3/4 full.)
12. Take dough pieces & form into balls; taking the edges of each piece & stretching down, around & under & poke into the bottom of the piece, forming a nice round tight top; place pieces in greased cup cake tin.
13. Thoroughly brush dough balls with egg wash, then place in warm spot or (proof box) for 45 min.s; should about dbl.in size, with nice mushroom like top.
14. Bake at 375° until golden brown (about 10 min.s) (makes about 24 - 30 rolls)

Total prep time =  about 1 hr,  Total time = about 3 hr.s

Enjoy,  Todd