Milk Bread Pull-Apart Rolls
Published Aug. 29, 2024
- Total Time
- About 3 hours 10 minutes, plus 1¼ hours’ cooling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- About 3 hours, plus 1¼ hours’ cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons/16 grams bread or all-purpose flour
- ⅓cup plus 1 tablespoon/75 milliliters whole milk
- 2½cups/300 grams bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping the dough
- ¼cup/50 grams sugar
- 2¼teaspoons/7 grams instant yeast
- 1teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ½cup/120 milliliters whole milk, warmed to 120 degrees
- 1large egg, at room temperature
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch squares, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 1large egg
- 1tablespoon milk
For the Tangzhong
For the Dough
For the Egg Wash
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
261 calories; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 230 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk the flour and milk until smooth. Cook over medium-low, whisking or stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and heats to a temperature of 149 degrees, about 3 minutes. It’s ready when you drag a spoon through the tangzhong and it leaves a clean track on the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature (makes about ⅓ cup).
- Step 2
Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. When combined, add the warm milk, egg and tangzhong. Mix on low speed until you have a soft dough, about 3 minutes. Switch to the hook attachment, add the butter pieces and mix on low, nudging the butter into the dough with a spatula as needed, until combined, about 3 minutes. Adjust speed to medium-high and continue mixing until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom, 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth and tacky.
- Step 3
Lightly grease a large bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a large ball and gently lift and transfer to the greased bowl. Cover and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Step 4
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Very lightly flour your work surface. Gently deflate the dough and divide into 8 pieces, about 75 grams each.
- Step 5
For a round shape: Roll each piece into a tight ball and place seam side down in the cake pan, leaving about ½ inch between each dough ball. For knots: Roll each piece of dough into an 8- to 10-inch long log. It’s helpful to use little to no flour for this process. Bring the ends of 1 log together, and then twist 3 to 4 times to form a spiral. Tie into a single loose knot, tucking the ends under the knot, forming the seam. Place the knot seam-side down in the cake pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving about ½ inch between knots in the pan. Cover and let rest until the balls or knots have risen, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 6
Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position. Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk. Brush the shaped dough with the egg wash. Bake until the top is golden-brown, about 25 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent with parchment paper. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Private Notes
Comments
Please, please tell me how to make these without either a hook or paddle attachment. Will it work using just regular beaters or even all done by hand?
From an ATK recipe I use often, there is an easier microwave option for tangzhong: Whisk water and flour together in small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 25 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 50 to 75 seconds.
Made this the first time following recipe exactly. The second time, I poured the cold milk on the hot tangzhong, then cracked in the egg, then put in the butter pieces, and I didn't stir. I let it sit while I mixed the dry stuff together, then dumped in the wet stuff and kneaded. Came out the same, but less fiddly to prepare.
To any of my southern, warm, humid state dwellers (hello from Louisiana!) - my dough consistently doubles in close to 30 minutes every single time. I had been over proofing every commercial yeast recipe under the sun until that clicked in my brain. I bought an Cambro also which helped me really dial in proofing. For context: I proof my dough in the oven with the light on. It’s around 82 degrees in there. I always make a double batch and I make 18 rolls total - 9 each in a 9x9 square pan. These rolls are gorgeous. Don’t skip the egg wash. And use real milk! I was making them with oat milk which is fine but whole milk is the best way to go. I think shaping is important as well. I tightly shape each of the 18 balls of dough the same way that you see bakers creating surface tension on sourdough loaves - the push/pull method. I don’t just roll them under my hands to form a ball. I create some nice tension on top of each. It really helps with that classic puffy but pull-apart look. My favorite soft, fluffy, mouth watering bread recipe to date! Happy baking!!
Delicious, pillowy and soft, with a great sheen from the egg wash. Followed someone else’s suggestion to make the tanzhong in the microwave. Worked well, but check it every 15 seconds.
These are definitely delicious, but mine came out dense in texture. I didn’t have time for a full 2nd rising of an hour, could that be why?
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