Nothing tastes quite like a pillow-soft yeast roll, fresh from the oven. With a golden-brown crust and a light airy center, yeast rolls are one of the all-time favorite accompaniments to a home-cooked meal. Understanding the dynamics of yeast rolls as they bake can make your next batch a heavenly treat.
Instructions
1. Allow for "oven spring" by giving your rolls plenty of time to rise before baking.Oven spring occurs during baking because the yeast grows quickly one last time before the high temperature of the oven stops it. However, if your rolls didn't rise sufficiently before baking, oven spring will cause the outside portion of the rolls to rise too quickly and leave a dense or doughy center.
2. Make small cuts in the tops of dense-grain rolls to prevent the sides from tearing in the oven. Hot Cross Buns take their name from a traditional "X" cut in the top of whole grain rolls that allows them to split along the cuts instead of pulling apart on the sides as it rises during baking. Alternately, form your rolls into small balls and put three in each muffin cup to make cloverleaf rolls that won't tear.
3. Brush the tops of your rolls with milk before baking for a soft light-colored crust or with a little egg white for a shiny golden crust. When using egg white, mix it together in a small bowl with 1 tbsp. of water before using. Mix the yolk of an egg with 1 tsp. of water and brush on for a soft dark golden crust.
4. Spray your Italian white rolls with a fine mist of water every 5 minutes during the baking cycle to achieve a thick chewy crust just right for dipping in seasoned oils. Just moisten the surface, don't soak the rolls. Alternately, place a pan of boiling water on the lowest rack of the oven while baking to achieve similar results.
5. Test the temperature of your oven with a baking thermometer and adjust the baking temperature to match your recipe. Unfortunately, ovens vary in baking temperatures, altering the outcome of your finished rolls.
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