Tangzhong Dinner Rolls
The softest homemade dinner rolls! We're making these rolls with an enriched dough & a tangzhong, for a rich flavour & fluffy texture.
Servings: 12 Rolls
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Digital Food Probe
- 9" x 13" Baking Tin
- Pastry Brush
- Dough Scraper
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 20 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 40 g Whole Milk
- 40 g Water
Dough
- 395 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 6 g Instant/Fast Action Yeast
- 8 g Fine Sea Salt
- 20 g Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Skimmed Milk Powder (Optional)
- 1 Large Egg
- 100 g Whole Milk
- 60 g Water
- 40 g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Cold Water
- A Pinch Of Table Salt
To Finish
- 20 g Unsalted Butter (Melted)
- Sea Salt
Instructions
Tangzhong
- Place the flour, milk & water into a small saucepan & whisk to combine. Cook over a low heat until you have a thick paste, stirring constantly with a spatula. Transfer to a bowl & leave to cool to room temperature.
Dough
- Place the flour, yeast, salt, sugar & milk powder into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk to combine then add in the egg & tangzhong.
- Add the milk & water into a jug, warm in a microwave to 38°c/100°f then pour into the flour.You can also do this in a pan, over a low heat.
- Using the dough hook, mix the dough on a medium speed until smooth & starting to come away from the sides of the bowl. This will take around 5 minutes.
- With the mixer still running, add in the butter a small amount at a time, incorporating each piece fully before adding more. Once all the butter has been incorporated, keep mixing until the dough passes the window pane test. This will take another 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm (or a tea towel) & leave to double in size at room temperature. This will take 45 minutes - 1½ hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- In the meantime, grease & line a 9" x 13" baking tin.
- Once risen, knock the dough back then transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, each weighing around 60 grams.
- To shape, take a piece of dough & bring the edges into the middle. Flip the dough over & use a cupped hand to shape into a tight ball. Place seam side down in the tin.Dragging the seam on the work surface helps increase surface tension.
- Repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough, placing them into the tin, spaced a centimetre or two apart, to form 4 rows of 3. Cover the tin with clingfilm then leave to prove at room temperature, until doubled in size. This will take 45 minutes - 1 hour.The rolls should be touching once proved!
Baking
- Whilst your buns are proving, preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).
- Using a fork, whisk together the egg, water & salt for the egg wash then brush a generous amount on top of each roll once proved.
- Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until risen & a deep, golden brown on top.
- Once your rolls are baked, brush them with the melted butter then sprinkle with sea salt. Leave to cool slightly in the tin before serving.
Notes
1. To Cook In An Aga – Use the simmering plate to make the tangzhong. Bake the buns in the baking oven, on the bottom set of runners.
2. Flour - You'll need a strong white bread flour for these dinner rolls. Make sure to use one with a protein content of 13-15%. I use a Canadian bread flour from Shipton Mill.
3. Yeast - This recipe uses instant yeast, which doesn't need activating first. Dried active yeast can also be used but will need activating in the warm milk & water first. Keep in mind that dried active yeast will take slightly longer to prove as well.
4. Milk Powder - Adding skimmed milk powder to the dough is optional but helps keep the bread soft & gives it a deeper golden colour once baked. I used skimmed milk powder but whole will work as well.
5. Storage – These dinner rolls are best eaten the same day as being made but any leftovers should be kept in an airtight container & will stay fresh for 2-3 days. I've found that the best way to reheat dinner rolls is to microwave individual portions (1-2 rolls) for 10-20 seconds.