Ingredients
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 7/8 to 1 1/8 cups (198g to 255g) lukewarm water*
- 3 cups (361g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons (35g) sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (28g) Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
- 1/2 cup (39g) instant mashed potato flakes (or 1/4 cup leftover mashed potatoes)
*Use the lesser amount in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled.
Instructions
- Combine the all of the ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle — until you’ve made a smooth dough. If you’re kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 5 to 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it’s nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Rising may take longer, especially if you’ve kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.
- While the dough is rising, lightly grease two 9″ round cake pans, or a 9″ x 13″ pan.
- Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it into 16 pieces.
- Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the dough into a very small knot at the bottom, then rolling it under the palm of your hand into a smooth ball.
- Place eight rolls in each of the round cake pans (or all 16 rolls in the 9″ x 13″ pan), spacing them evenly; they won’t touch one another.
- Cover the pan(s) with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise till they’re very puffy, and have reached out and touched one another, about 1 hour. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the rolls until they’re a deep golden brown on top, and lighter on the sides, about 25 minutes.
- Remove the rolls from the oven, and after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack. They’ll be hot and delicate, so be careful. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with flaky salt to finish.
- Serve warm, or at room temperature.
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE INSTRUCTIONS:
First make the dough with cool, not lukewarm water. We do not want to activate the yeast. Then combine all ingredients and follow step 1 of the recipe. After step 1, immediately shape the dough into 16 small balls. Dont let them rise. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze the dough balls. Once frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag and store for later.
When ready to bake, take as many rolls as you want out of the freezer; place them in a pan; and let them thaw/rise for 4 to 5 hours or so. Then Bake @ 350 till golden on top about 25 minutes. Enjoy.