KNOT UP!

This week was highly more interesting than last weeks foundations of baking class, well at least lab was. Lecture is actually quite boring. lol. None the less, the topic for lab was enriched rolls aka soft rolls and yeast rolls. We got split into a couple groups, and our group had to make yeast rolls. I don't know what it is, but every week, something HAS to happen to me. I must be a magnet for trouble. Just to update you all on last weeks cookie stealing drama, I may have forgiven this guy for stealing my cookies - maybe. So I gave him my evil eyes all week last week and I think it worked quite wonderfully because when it came time to bake the rolls, I was running around trying to find a free oven and lo and behold he took time to grab some mittens, rearrange the racks in the ovens for me so that my rolls could fit in. I was surprised. Perhaps he has a bit of guilt inside?

Anyways, this weeks drama is that one of the guys that was in my group had taken a similar class to this over the summer, so he took over EVERYTHING - that is until chef told him to let others try. I snickered. Then, while we were handling the dough, I noticed that everytime his hands touched the dough, a reddish color would get stuck on the dough. Now, for a while I thought it was blood, but it remained red. I told him to wash his hands and he said he already had, it must just be "something" he had touched. GREAT! No way am I eating this! He didn't wash his hands till Chef was standing next to us. Lucky for us, each group made like 108 rolls, and there were like 6 groups. So, evidently I tried the rolls that were from another groups. There was NO way I was about to gobble down something with red spots on it. Ewwwwww! Santitation people!

I thought I would really love the yeast rolls, but it was smothered in so much butter I could really taste the actual flavor of the rolls. The soft rolls I liked alot more, I could actually taste it and it had a slightly saltier taste.

We used the straight dough method:
1) Add water, yeast and milk powder in mixing bowl
2) add bread flour, salt & sugar (in that order)
3) mix for 2 minutes on 1st speed, stop the mixer, add the eggs, shift to 2nd speed for 3 minutes
- when dough picks up, add fat/shortening/butter
-allow to rest on dusted wooden bench covered for 1 and a half hours or until doubled in size.
-roll into 1oz balls, shape and proof for 20 minutes in proofer
-Brush egg wash on the top & bake at 350 F for 12 - 15 minutes.
* be aware the yeast rolls make 108 and the soft rolls make 72

YEAST ROLLS

2 oz dry active yeast

2 lbs 3 oz water (110 degrees F)

5 oz milk powder

4 whole eggs

4 lbs 6 oz bread flour

10 oz granulated sugar

1 1/4 oz salt

11 1/4 oz unsalted butter/margarine

SOFT ROLLS

1 oz dry active yeast
2 lbs water (110 degrees F)
4 oz milk powder
3 lbs 8 oz bread flour
4 oz granulated sugar
4 oz A.P shortening

Enjoy guys, next weeks task: Crusty breads aka FRENCH! YES!