Classic Dinner Rolls

Classic Dinner Rolls

Makes 2 dozen

1 cup whole milk
6 Tbsp. butter (room temperature)
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 to 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (not unbleached)
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
Melted butter
Softened butter

Heat the milk to 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F; add the butter and set aside to
cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add cooled milk, eggs,
and sugar to dissolved yeast and stir to blend. With a wooden spoon stir in 2
cups of the flour and the salt; stir until smooth. Add 2 cups of remaining
flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough
is smooth and elastic and only slightly sticky. (Only if needed, after 3 minutes
of stirring and dough is overly wet, stir in 1 tablespoon flour at a time.

Cover the surface of the dough with lightly oiled plastic wrap.
Cover the top of the bowl with a second piece of plastic wrap. Let rise until
doubled (1 to 2 hours).*

Lightly butter 24 muffin cups. Gently press the dough to deflate. With lightly
buttered hands pinch off generous 1-inch pieces of dough. Fold the dough over,
turning and tucking the edges to form a ball. Pinch the seam together to seal.
Dip in melted butter and arrange three dough balls in each muffin cup. Let rise
until fully doubled (about 1 hour).

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until
well-browned. If needed, to prevent overbrowning, cover rolls with foil during
last few minutes of baking. Remove from oven. Brush with softened butter. Return
to oven for 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove rolls immediately from cups to a wire cooling rack. Let cool about 5
minutes before serving..

* For extra-light rolls, let the dough rise a second time (1 to 2 hours) before
shaping.