I've been making dozens of these wheat rolls every month lately (a batch a week). Healthy, easy, and yummy. Nice!

The Recipe

I use an adapted dough from Artisan Bread in Five. Their 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread dough, adjusted for my high but humid home, makes a nice loaf or free-form bread. I found out after baking it a few times that it also works great to make these adorable, high-fiber rolls!

I don't want to steal their recipe by posting it here, but you can find it in the "Peasant Loaves" section of Artisan Bread in Five. To make rolls of your own, start with a whole wheat bread dough or use the main "Master Recipe" from Artisan Bread in Five, a white flour dough, maybe substituting whole wheat flour.

The Technique

Unlike some recipes, the Artisan Bread in Five technique doesn't require extra time for a knead - rest - rise cycle. Instead, it rises slowly in the refrigerator overnight. Regardless of what you use, flour your hands, the risen dough, and the table.

Since I like to eat these rolls for health reasons, I weigh out the dough so each roll is an equal 1 oz roll. That way, I know how much whole grain I'm getting. If it doesn't matter for you, just do this by sight.

First, cut the dough in half using a floured or oiled serrated knife. Then, do this again. Next, do it again. You get the point. Keep cutting in half until the rolls are around 1 oz. I use a pound of dough and end up with 16 rolls.

Now, shape each chunk of dough into a ball using the technique in step 3 at the Artisan Bread in Five Master Recipe.

At this point, you can leave the dough to rise for larger, fluffier rolls, or bake them right away for a more dense, chewy dough. I bake mine on 200C (that's about 400F; try 350F if you're not at a high altitude). Use this Artisan Bread in Five technique: preheat the oven with a baking stone and a broiler tray or other pan. When the oven's heated, place the rolls on the stone and pour a cup of water into the broiler tray. The steam creates moisture for a soft inside and crisp crust!

These usually take about 3/4ths as long as the recipe says, since you're baking small rolls, not one large loaf.

The Verdict?

These have come out wonderfully for me every time. They're quick to make and are also healthy, tasty, and versatile! (Try poking a hole in a roll with your finger and sticking a cheddar cheese cube in there. Microwave 5 minutes. Delicious!)

Cleanup is easy; with Artisan Bread in Five dough, all you have to wash is a bowl, a measuring cup, and a spoon. Rolling the dough on the table, I just use a plastic rice paddle (what comes with rice cookers) to scrape it off, maybe wiping it off with a bit of vinegar, and it's clean. And the baking stone doesn't need much washing; the bread should come off of it cleanly since it's so hot.

...and you?

I'd recommend getting a copy of the book I use (yes, I get a commission if you buy it through these links, but I honestly do think it's a good buy for simple families everywhere!), but if you don't have it, try the bread-dough-as-rolls technique on other favorite recipes, and comment here with how they turn out (and links to recipes, if you have 'em!)

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