Breaking (From) Bread
UPGRADE YOUR NEXT MEAL WITH ONE OF THESE BUTTERY ROLLS ALONGSIDE.
Rather than a mere vehicle for sopping up sauce, dinner rolls around the world often are the unsung star of the plate. In Hawaii, pillowy-soft butter rolls are made by baking a rich, lightly sweetened, yeasted dough in muffin pans with a pat of butter at the bottom. To achieve the soft, tender crumb, we use a combination of shortening and butter, as well as both milk and water. In Portugal, cooks add mashed potatoes to dough for a lighter, more tender crumb, and sweet potatoes multiply the impact, adding color, flavor, and tenderness.
Butter Rolls
MAKES 12 ROLLS
Terry Tanaka of Fresno, California, contacted us to help re-create the puffy butter rolls her husband’s grandfather used to make at M’s Bakery in Wahiawa, on the island of Oahu. Terry said butter rolls are mostly a bakery item and people rarely make them at home, which explains why she was unable to find recipes. They are reminiscent of Parker House rolls, so we used those as our jumpingoff point. The rolls are best served warm, but leftovers keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
¾ cup whole milk
1/3 cup ( 71 grams) white sugar
11 tablespoons (155 grams) salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, room temperature, divided
6 tablespoons (85 grams) vegetable shortening, cut into chunks, plus more for the pan
5 cups (650 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more if needed and for dusting
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon table salt
In a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium bowl that’s microwave safe, combine ¾ cup water, the milk, sugar, 57 grams (4 tablespoons) butter, and the shortening. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice; the butter and shortening should be almost fully melted. Remove from the microwave and stir until the fats are fully melted and the mixture is no hotter than 110 degrees; set aside.
In a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, and salt on low until combined, about 1 minute. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the milk mixture. Knead on low until the dough is smooth and elastic and clears the sides of the bowl, 7 to 10 minutes; if the dough sticks to the bowl, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it clears the sides.
Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the prepared bowl, turning to coat with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
Grease the cups of a 12-cup nonstick standard muffin pan with shortening. Cut each of the remaining 6 pieces of butter in half and place a pat in each prepared muffin cup.
When the dough is doubled in bulk, lightly flour the counter. Gently punch down the dough, then turn it out onto the prepared
counter. Using a chef ’s knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 portions. Using your hands, flatten and shape one dough portion into a rough 2-by-3-inch rectangle, then fold in half crosswise. Place the dough in a muffin cup; gently tuck in the edges as needed. Do the same with the remaining dough. Cover the muffin pan with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until the rolls have risen above the top of the pan, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the lower-middle position.
Bake until the rolls are deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the rolls directly to the rack. Serve warm.
Portuguese-Style Sweet Potato Rolls
MAKES EIGHT 5-INCH ROLLS
The Portuguese sweet potato bread, known as bolo de caco, is a griddled bread that resembles an English muffin or thick pita round. For our version, we use widely available orangefleshed sweet potatoes rather than the white variety that’s more traditional; the potatoes give the bread a saffron hue and a rich, moist crumb. The traditional way to cook bolos de caco is on a stone slab; we use a skillet on the stove top to brown the rounds, then finish baking them in the oven. The flatbreads typically are split while still warm, spread with garlic-chive butter, and served as part of a meal, but you also could toast the halves and have them for breakfast or use them to make a sandwich.
Let the cooked sweet potato mixture cool for 30 minutes before mixing — otherwise, the heat from the potatoes could kill the yeast. And, don’t worry if you don’t own an instant thermometer for testing the breads. Simply bake them for the full 14 minutes. The sweet potato makes this a forgiving dough, so even if slightly overbaked, the crumb still will be moist and tender.
12 ounces orange-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups (411 grams) bread flour, plus more for dusting 2 teaspoons instant yeast
In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the potatoes, butter, honey, salt, and 2/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring to melt the butter, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the potatoes and any liquid to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cool until just warm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mist a medium bowl with cooking spray.
Using the paddle attachment, beat the mixture on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour and yeast. Mix on low until a smooth dough forms, about 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high speed and knead for 1 minute to strengthen the dough. Transfer to the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, then divide into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a taut ball by rolling it against an unfloured area of the counter in a circular motion under a cupped hand; place seamside down on the prepared baking sheet. Using your hand, press and flatten each ball until it measures about 4 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; it is ready when a drop of water sizzles immediately, about 2 minutes. Place 4 dough rounds seam-side up in the pan and cook until deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip and cook the second sides until golden brown, about 1 minute. Return to the baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining rounds, returning them to the baking sheet.
Bake in the oven until the centers reach 200 degrees, 12 to 14 minutes. Immediately transfer directly to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes.
Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.