Honey Oat Rolls

Honey Oat Rolls

Yield: 11 (3 oz) rolls

Heaping 3/4 cup old fashioned oats, plus more for garnish (optional)

1 1/2 cups water, room temperature

1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1 1/2 Tablespoons honey

2 3/4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 3/4 cups bread flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or additional bread flour)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon dry instant yeast

In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine oats, water, and milk. Let sit for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until combined on low speed. With the mixer on medium speed, knead the dough until it forms a smooth, uniform ball, about 4 minutes. Coat dough in a little bit of vegetable oil and place back into the mixing bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Allow to ferment for one hour. Remove dough from bowl and gently fold over in half, and then half again. Place dough back into bowl and allow to ferment for an additional hour. Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a very lightly floured surface. Cut and weigh rolls into 3 oz each. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth, tight ball by making a “C” shape (or backward “C” if you are right handed) by pressing gently on the sides of the ball while making a circular motion. You will feel the dough tighten as you roll it. After each roll is shaped, cover them with a clean, damp cloth. Allow to ferment for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Rolls will spring back to the touch halfway once they are fully proofed and ready to be baked. While rolls are fermenting for the final time, place racks on the top and bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat to 450F.  Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack. For the glaze, mix together 1 Tablespoon of honey and 1 Tablespoon of warm water. Place rolls about 2 inches apart on a large pizza stone. Brush each roll with glaze. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut about 1/4″ deep into each roll in one swift motion. Sprinkle rolls with additional oats, if desired. Place pizza stone in oven, and toss in about 4 ice cubes into the preheated cast iron skillet. Bake rolls for 15 minutes at 450F, and then lower heat to 400F for an additional 15-20 minutes. Open oven door halfway through baking for about 10 seconds in order to allow excess steam to escape. Rolls should be medium brown, and should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Move rolls to a cooling rack to allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

*Recipe slightly adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman’s Oatmeal Bread Recipe in Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes