Slow-rise, No-knead Soft (or Soft Light Wheat) Rolls

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fast rising yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water, room-temperature
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 for the first stage:.
• 2 thoroughly combine the flour or flours, salt and yeast in a 3- to 4-quart or larger bowl; mix with a large spoon.
• 3 add the water, stirring vigorously until evenly incorporated. use a greased flexible spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• 4 drizzle the dough top with about 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil (no need to measure); use a pastry brush or your fingertips to spread it evenly over the dough and up the sides of the bowl.
• 5 cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at a room temperature of about 70 degrees or cooler for 12 to 18 hours.
• 6 for the second stage:
• 7 use a fork to beat together 6 tablespoons melted butter, the sugar and powdered milk in a medium bowl until well blended.
• 8 beat in the egg until well incorporated.
• 9 vigorously stir the mixture into the raised dough until it deflates and the ingredients are well blended; the dough will seem rubbery.
• 10 vigorously stir in the 1 1/4 cups flour until thoroughly incorporated.
• 11 (second-stage mixing may be completed in a heavy-duty stand mixer, if desired.
• 12 transfer the raised dough to the mixer bowl; complete the mixing steps on low speed using the paddle.).
• 13 generously grease 12 “texas-sizeâ€? muffin tin cups or 24 standard-size muffin cups, or coat them thoroughly with nonstick cooking oil spray.
• 14 using a well-greased 1/4-cup measure for large muffin cups and a 1/8-cup measure (or coffee scoop) for small muffin cups, place a scoopful of dough in each cup.
• 15 divide any leftover dough evenly among the cups.
• 16 use 2 tablespoons total of the melted butter to drizzle over all the roll tops.
• 17 (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.
• 18 for a “regularâ€? rise:
• 19 let the dough stand at room temperature for 1 to 1 3/4 hours or until the dough nearly reaches the cup rims.
• 20 (the time will vary considerably depending on the temperature of the room and the length of the first rise.)
• 21 remove the plastic wrap. let stand until the dough rises just above the rims.
• 22 for a “quickâ€? rise:
• 23 fill a microwave-safe container with 1 cup of the water and set it far to one side of the microwave oven.
• 24 microwave on high for about 2 minutes, until the water almost boils.
• 25 put a muffin tin in the microwave oven as far from the water as possible.
• 26 let rise 30 to 45 minutes or until the dough nears the cup rims.
• 27 remove the plastic wrap. let stand until the dough rises just above the rims.
• 28 to bake:
• 29 position an oven rack in the middle third of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees.
• 30 gently transfer the muffin pans to the middle oven rack; jarring can cause deflating.
• 31 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.
• 32 transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool just slightly, then run a knife around the rolls to loosen.
• 33 sift a little flour over the rolls just before serving, if desired. the rolls are best served warm.