Honey wheat rolls
These small round rolls combine whole wheat flour with honey and milk, for a gentle nutty wheat flavor and a soft, floral sweetness. They're baked snug together in the pan, so they join into one sheet in the oven and pull apart into cotton-soft rolls, perfect for breakfast or a family dinner.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rising or chilling
- 2 hr 15 min
- Total time
- 3 hr 5 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Dough
Honey butter glaze
Instructions
Step 1
Put 240 g whole milk, 50 g water, 60 g honey and 45 g unsalted butter in a small saucepan and warm over low heat just until the butter melts, then let it cool a little. Warm liquid wakes up the yeast faster, but liquid that's too hot will kill it. The mixture is ready when it is only as warm as bathwater and feels comfortable when you dip in a finger.
Step 2
Put 200 g whole wheat flour, 250 g bread flour, 7 g instant yeast and 8 g salt in the mixer bowl, pour in the warm milk mixture along with 50 g eggs, and knead for about ten minutes on medium speed. Whole wheat dough needs a longer knead so the gluten is strong enough to carry the bran. The dough is ready when it is soft, elastic, just slightly tacky, and smooth and taut when you shape it into a ball.
Step 3
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover it tightly, and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Whole wheat dough rises more slowly than white dough, so be patient. It's ready when it has doubled in volume and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent that doesn't spring back right away.
Step 4
Punch down the dough, divide it into sixteen equal pieces, roll each into a tight, smooth ball, and arrange them in four rows in a buttered 23 x 33 cm pan. Rolling them tight helps the rolls rise round and even with a smooth top. The pan is ready when the balls are all the same size with a little space between them.
Step 5
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for about 45 minutes more. This rise lets the balls puff up and touch, forming a soft pull-apart sheet. They're ready when the rolls are pressed against each other and the dough springs back slowly when pressed lightly.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 180°C during the last twenty minutes or so of the second rise. A moderate temperature keeps rolls made with honey from browning too fast. The oven is ready when the indicator light goes off and the oven thermometer reading has settled.
Step 7
Bake at 180°C for 18 to 22 minutes, laying foil loosely over the top if the rolls darken too soon. Honey makes the crust brown quickly, so keep an eye on them. The rolls are done when the tops are evenly golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the center reads about 90°C.
Step 8
Melt 15 g unsalted butter with 10 g honey and brush it over the rolls right out of the oven. The honey butter keeps the crust soft and gives it a beautiful shine. The rolls are finished when the tops glisten and smell of honey; let them cool for a few minutes and they're ready to pull apart.
Equipment
- Oven
- Rectangular pan
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Pastry brush
- Kitchen scale
- Plastic wrap
Tips
- Finely ground whole wheat flour makes softer rolls than coarsely ground flour.
- For a stronger wheat flavor, increase the whole wheat flour and reduce the white flour by the same amount, but add a little more water.
- Sprinkling a few rolled oats over the tops before baking gives the rolls a lovely rustic look.
Storage
The rolls stay soft in an airtight bag at room temperature for about three days. You can freeze them for up to a month and reheat them in a 160°C oven for about seven minutes.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The rolls are heavy, dense and don't rise well.
- The dough wasn't kneaded enough or didn't proof long enough. Knead until the dough is clearly elastic and wait until it has truly doubled in size.
- The tops burn dark while the inside is still underbaked.
- Honey makes the rolls brown quickly, and your oven may run hotter than its setting. Lower the oven by ten degrees and cover the rolls with foil after ten minutes of baking.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
