Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Refrigerator Potato Rolls

Growing up, bread was served at virtually every meal. It was the store-bought, squishy kind, but it was there, slices piled high on a plate with homemade butter beside it. When dining out, it was customary to have a bread basket of crusty rolls or the soft fluffy rolls served as part of the meal.

Nowadays, with all the anti-carb hype, bread has lost its status as a mealtime staple. Even here we have bread primarily for French toast or the occasional sandwich; we rarely see bread baskets in restaurants. Times do change. Yet, the much beloved tradition of homemade rolls at the holidays is still very much alive. At holidays, my mother always made homemade rolls, usually cinnamon rolls, which were my favorite (and to this date, I cannot make them as good as I remember hers to be). I cannot consider a holiday or family gathering without homemade bread; it's ingrained.

The rub, though, is multi-tasking cooking. I have a wee Victorian with just barely enough room in to change my mind. When cooking and baking a big meal, space and time is a premium commodity. Sure, I can bake cakes or pies the night before, have the vegetables peeled and ready to be cooked, get my slow cooker involved for slower cooked mashed potatoes to free up a burner for the half dozen different vegetables and sauces I am wont to prepare. It seems no matter how much I do in advance, there is always a last minute rush to get everything hot on the table at the same time.

Especially the rolls. They have to be hot. I want to split one open, see the steam still rising, and the butter melting and spilling out. The thing with bread (and especially rolls because now you have to take the time to form them into shapes) is that they take precious time. Unless you make refrigerator rolls, of course.

I found these perfectly delightful rolls on My Kitchen Cafe. Melanie swears these are perfect and her absolute favorite to date. After trying them for myself, I think these are indeed excellent. These golden globes are beautiful to behold and toothsome (having a bit of a chew to them). I didn't try them as a refrigerator roll because I didn't plan far enough in advance to be able to bake the next day, but potato rolls make an excellent refrigerator roll. (As a matter of fact, my cats also liked them; they broke into my bag and bit into every single one that I had left over, naughty cats!) These rolls will be part of our Thanksgiving celebration this year.

Perfect Dinner Rolls

1 1/4 cups warm water (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup instant potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, lightly beaten for glazing

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the water, oil, sugar and yeast, and allow the yeast to dissolve.

In a separate large bowl, add the flour, potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes), and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring as you do so, until well combined. Continue to stir until the dough all comes together.

Then on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough, about six to eight minutes. This dough has a rough feel to it (because of the potato flakes) so it will not have the smooth silky feel of other non-potato doughs, even after eight minutes of kneading, but it will loose its shaggy appearance or an under-kneaded dough.

Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour and a half.

After the dough has risen, deflate it by punching it down. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. For the pieces into balls, either by cupping your hands and rolling it on a smooth, unfloured surface. Here's a U-Tube link that really explains it better than I can.

As the balls are formed, transfer them to a parchment-lined or lightly greased rimmed baking sheet (aka jelly roll pan). Once all the rolls are formed, cover lightly with greased plastic wrap (I usually tent with aluminum foil because I don't want to risk the wrap sticking to the dough and deflating the dough when I remove the wrap). If you are making the rolls for immediate use, allow the dough to rise in a warm area until doubled, about one hour.

If you are making the rolls for the following day, do not let them go through this second rise. Instead, cover them with the greased plastic wrap and place directly in the refrigerator. Take the rolls out 2 hours before baking to allow them to come to room temperature and complete the second rise.

Beat the egg, and with a pastry brush glaze the tops of the rolls.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until a beautiful golden brown.

This recipe makes 12 ample-sized dinner rolls.

49 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, your rolls look PERFECT!!

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  2. Hi Katy ! ...Oh my...this was food for my eyes. They are beautiful 'GOLDEN GLOBES'... I don't have any instant mashed potato's or would have made these tonight HONESTLY. I will however get some when i do the shopping this friday. You are so right about the anti carb campaigns...although I will never buy it... I LOVE BREAD ! : ) ... and the way you write/ bake makes me LOVE it even more !

    PS : I can't imagine how gorgeous your mom's cinnamon rolls might be...when your take on it already looks so GORGEOUS !... Another one I plan for the holidays. ( PS : I am making the meat loaf tonight...will email you a picture when I'm done ) : ) ...

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  3. Your rolls are glorious looking! What would there be without carbs and sugar? I wouldn't last a day on a carb free diet!

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  4. I never grew up with bread on the table but when I would go over to my friends homes they had it there. I thought that was so neat because at our house, bread was for sandwiches or toast. You dont see it anymore like that at resturants. I used to love that part.

    These look fabulous. I am going to try these this weekend!

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  5. Picture perfect rolls Katy....too good

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  6. Katy, These rolls look perfect. I hope you have room to cook all of your wonderful food for Thanksgiving. I would love to see your Victorian kitchen. I will be posting a Kitchen Reveal that I hope you will participate in. I feel like I already know you. Now I want to know your kitchen. Stay tuned for my post.

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  7. Katy....these look so good! What a great colour you got on the top! And this recipe sure looks doable to me! Yes, I have the same memories as you and am beginning to despair as arthritis settles in to my hands prematurely I am not able to make bread as well as I did a few years ago. My boys don't eat bread on their low carb diet so what is a girl to do....bake for work and bring along the homemade jam me thinks! Grin. Love it...thanks for sharing!

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  8. These really do look perfect. For what it's worth we often use our outdoor grill to help with holiday meals. Not to grill on but to use as an oven.

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  9. Oh, these are glorious little globes!! I'm going to add them to my list...although I wish I could tear into a few myself right now! I thought my cat was the only bread lover :D

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  10. Potato flakes do add extra goodness, dont they. I use to make a wonderful bread in my bread machine with them. Havent made that in years.

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  11. Katy I just love potato rolls, I'm sitting here trying to put a Thanksgiving menu together. Now that I've moved my kitchen space is small too so I have to figure this out! I want to make homemade rolls for Thanksgiving too! I think I'm in trouble!!! LOL!!

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  12. Thanks for the recipe, Katy. Last year I made potato rolls for the very first time and love, love, loved them. I'll have to compare this recipe to that one and see how/if they're different. Yum, I can picture that butter melting already :)

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  13. Ohhhh so soft and spongy potato rolls.

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  14. "I have a wee Victorian with just barely enough room in to change my mind." I just love the way that you write. Like we're sitting down for a visit over a cup of tea.

    Like you, there was bread on our table at every dinner when I was growing up, often a basket of plain sliced bread next to a butter dish and knife.

    These rolls do look perfect and delicious and would be awesome with any holiday meal!

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  15. Oh my! hot rolls with butter. I don't think it gets any better than that! These rolls look awesome! Bread is such a basic food and it has nourished and continues to nourish millions as a staple food all over the world. I always grimmace when I hear about the evil of carbs-Just eat and enjoy!
    Could these rolls be made ahead of time and then placed in freezer bags for later use?

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  16. The rolls look so perfect and quite doable for a novice like me. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. We always had bread and butter when a was a kid too! My dad loved it!

    Your rolls are so beautiful. I'll take one right now please! :D

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  18. My mother and Aunt Marlene both made some awesome rolls and we always looked forward to eating them with leftover turkey sandwiched in between!

    Your rolls look yummy and Tsk, on those kitties! ;o)

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  19. Velva, I think there are a couple of different methods to reheat frozen dinner rolls, but this is the method I've always used:

    Take an impeccably clean brown paper grocery bag (or a brown luncheon bag for smaller amounts) put as many rolls as you wantt. Fold and roll down the top of the bag to close it. I run the closed bag under the faucet a couple of times and then put in a preheated oven for maybe ten minutes or so.

    Some folks wrap them in a damp paper towel and reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

    Anyone else have any other ideas they've used to reheat rolls?

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  20. we used to have Italian bread with dinner every night but now that I cook for myself, the bread goes stale before I get a chance to eat it! So I don't buy any, generally. I love bread baskets though.

    These look so adorable and fluffy and tasty!

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  21. These are on my absolutely must make list also. Yours came out beautifully Katy!!

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  22. Katy...oh my goodness....it's 7:30 in the morning and I'm craving homemade rolls after looking at these wonderful pictures.

    That's not a bad thing...is it?

    I can't wait to try these!

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  23. That's a perfect bread roll! Potato flakes make the dough absorb more liquid, so that the bread is softer and moister.

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  24. These are perfect golden brown delights! I can imagine how delicious they are piping hot from the oven!

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  25. Those rolls do look beautiful. You're right also - bread needs to be nice and warm. I love bread with my meal. Even when restaurants don't offer it, I always ask for it....

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  26. Oh Katy-your rolls look perfect and absolutely delicious!! I marked these to try as well, just haven't gotten around to it yet. You have convinced me that these are a must make before Thanksgiving! :)

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  27. I'm going to try these...look like I would have enough time to make these in the evening, they look so good and I'm a bread girl afterall!

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  28. I love potato rolls, they're always so light and tender. Your photos are beautiful, making them look oh so appetizing. No Thanksgiving table is complete without rolls.

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  29. Oh Katy..I was a 'goner' as soon as I saw these rolls..baking with yeast is my very favorite! And these rolls look mmm-mm good:) And I agree they must be steaming hot when they are served at the meal! I always say I need at least 2 more ovens when preparing a meal for large gatherings.

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  30. First time here, excellent blog with mouth-watering delicacies. I loved your bread rolls and much more......

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  31. Those rolls are a true thing of beauty. And what's this a read about slow cooker mashed potatoes? Is it here and you'r ehiding it?
    ~ingrid

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  32. Your rolls are beautiful. Their golden brown color would be perfect for our thanksgiving table.
    Mimi

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  33. They are SOOOO beautiful, just delicious looking! My dad thought we had to have bread with every meal...his father taught him you'd get sick if you didn't..ha!

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  34. Katy, Your rolls are beautiful! (You and I were thinking along the same lines this week, yes?) :)

    I have not made Refrigerator rolls in a long time and I don't know why. The dough is so pleasing to shape. Thank you for jogging my memory! xo ~m

    PS My mom used to reheat rolls the same way, in a brown paper bag... works like a charm.

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  35. These are gorgeous! I love the color you've gotten on the tops. There really is nothing quite like homemade bread...I really should make it more often!

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  36. Gotta have my carbs, especially when they are in the form of homemade rolls! These look fantastic, Katy!

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  37. Your rolls are absolutely delicious!
    I'm going to try these:))

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  38. A kindred spirit. I adore bread and these rolls are gleamingly perfect. Love your blog.

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  39. Hi Katy! I went to a bread making class this week. I have never been comfortable working with yeast. But I think I am up for the challenge now. These look wonderful!
    Hope you are well. ~Linda

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  40. Yo Katy! Grin....just wanted to say a very happy weekend to you! I came by to see if there were any new aromas coming from your kitchen and I saw wowsa...42 comments on these special buns. You are a wonderful homemaker and I am thinking that everyone is loving coming by for a 'chat'. Have a great weekend and I wanted to tell you...my special parcel arrived this week. What a MAJOR blessing and great timing. Singing all the way to pick up the son yesterday....grin! Thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks and more thanks! Will chat with you later on that kiddo! Bye and happy Saturday!

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  41. waww those buns look really really PERFECT! Have a nice weekend Katy.

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  42. these looks so good. I have not made bread for years. I may try these over the next few weeks... :)

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  43. These look so nice and light, Katy! Beautiful job.

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  44. I don't have the instant yeast. Could you give me some direction in how to use the regular yeast instead?
    Same amount?

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  45. Lauren, even though the recipe I copied calls for instant yeast, I used regular active yeast and just proceeded to follow the directions as written.

    Hugs! Happy Holidays to you.

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  46. Your rolls look gorgeous. I am about to make some tomorrow (for Thanksgiving), but my old standby recipe uses fresh potatoes. I have made them in the past with dried potatoes, but prefer using fresh.

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