dinner rolls

This is the second iteration of the trial runs for dinner party on Friday. Today is Tuesday. These rolls are 100% a/p flour with sage, garlic powder, and coriander. Apparently, I'm a nut for coriander and I do like sage. This test was to compare 100% a/p with 75% A/P + 25% whole wheat. These rolls experienced much more oven rise than the ww / ap mixed rolls shown in the previous post, all other variables are constant. 

The dough was started with 2 cups a/p flour whisked with salt and herbs, then one cup warm water was added started with 1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast and 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Even at 100% hydration by weight, the dough was still insufficiently sticky so another 1/8 cup water or so was added to loosen the dough. The dough was stirred vigorously but only for about one minutes. 

Twelve hours later the dough was turned out onto a floured work surface and divided into 8 segments. This turns out to be just the right size for dinner rolls or for slider type sandwiches. So, 1/4 cup flour for each roll.

The individual rolls were folded in thirds as customary loaves, then thirds again in the opposite direction, then  pinched completely, totally, absolutely sealed around the three open sides. 3/4 cup water was dropped into the oven via its chimney that exits through the center of a back burner. The hole was covered with an upturned mug to hold the moisture in the oven chamber as well as possible. The oven rise and the overall expansion due to intense heat caused each roll to break open at its seam. 

These rolls are perfection. No brag, just fact. They could be served with pride at any restaurant in any city in any country. ← Rhetorical device I just learned called epistrophe, repetition of words at the end of of a series of sentences or clauses. It's a type of conduplicato. It was big in the 19th century. 

So are these rolls insane or what? These are so going to kick ass on Friday. The best my friends can do is Pillsbury refrigerator rolls, which aren't bad, they're just not artisan. I can't wait to reaffirm my status as the most awesomest cook for a regular bloke that any of my friends know, and I'll be all, "Wut?," shrug.