No-Knead Rolls
makes 24
These light, rich rolls are baked in muffin tins, which eliminates the skill and time normally needed for shaping rolls. They don’t require kneading, either, because the long, slow first rise develops both the gluten and the appealing yeasty flavor.
Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon "rapid rise," quick rise," "instant," or "bread machine" yeast
1 1/2 cups room-temperature water
Corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil for brushing dough top, plus more for greasing spatula
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, plus more for greasing muffin tins
6 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons powdered milk
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups white flour or whole-wheat flour, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
prep: 25 minutes
total: 45 minutes, plus 20 hours for rising
3- to 4-quart bowl (or larger)
large spoon
pastry brush (optional)
flexible spatula
plastic wrap
fork
medium bowl
muffin tin (24 cups)
stand mixer with paddle attachment (optional)
1/8 cup measuring cup (or clean coffee scoop)
sifter
wire racks
1. Thoroughly combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl; mix with a large spoon. Add the water, stirring vigorously until evenly incorporated. Use a greased flexible spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Drizzle the dough top with about 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil; use a pastry brush or your fingertips to spread it evenly over the dough and up the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at a room temperature of about 70F or cooler for 12 to 18 hours.
2. Use a fork to beat together 6 tablespoons of the melted butter, the sugar and powdered milk in a medium bowl until well blended. Beat in the egg until well incorporated. Vigorously stir the mixture into the raised dough until it deflates and the ingredients are well blended; the dough will seem rubbery. Vigorously stir in the 1 1/4 cups flour until thoroughly incorporated. (Mixing may be completed in a heavy-duty stand mixer, if desired. Transfer the raised dough to the mixer bowl; complete the mixing steps on low speed using the paddle.)
3. Generously grease 24 standard-size muffin cups, or coat them thoroughly with nonstick cooking oil spray. Using an 1/8-cup measure (or coffee scoop) for small muffin cups, place a scoopful of dough in each cup. Divide any leftover dough evenly among the cups. Use 2 tablespoons total of the melted butter to drizzle over all the roll tops. (Use your fingertips to spread out the butter and smooth each top until the dough surface looks smooth. Sift a little flour over each cup; cover the muffin tins with plastic wrap.
4. For a “regular” rise: Let the dough stand at room temperature for 1 to 1 3/4 hours or until the dough nearly reaches the cup rims. (The time will vary considerably depending on the temperature of the room and the length of the first rise.) Remove the plastic wrap. Let stand until the dough rises just above the rims.
5. Position an oven rack in the middle third of the oven; preheat to 400F. Gently transfer the muffin pans to the middle oven rack; jarring can cause deflating. Bake about 15 to 18 minutes for smaller rolls and 17 to 21 minutes for larger rolls or until well-browned on top and hollow-sounding when thumped with a finger. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool just slightly, then run a knife around the rolls to loosen. Sift a little flour over the rolls just before serving, if desired. The rolls are best served warm.
