valentine's Pull-Apart Wheat Germ and Honey Dinner Rolls

These rolls have something to offer everyone at the table—they’re soft like white bread, but have a nutty whole-grain flavor that comes from wheat germ. Placing the rolls together in a pan so that they touch as they bake makes them especially tender.

ingredient list

Makes 16 mini rolls

• 1 0.25-oz. pkg. active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbs. butter or margarine, softened, plus more for greasing bowl and brushing dough
• 3 Tbs. honey or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar3

Directions

1. Stir yeast into 1/4 cup warm (105°–115°F) water until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Combine flour, wheat germ, and salt in bowl of food processor, stand mixer, or regular bowl. (Reserve 1/3 cup flour if kneading by hand.)

3. Stir butter and honey into 3/4 cup warm water. Stir yeast mixture and butter mixture into flour mixture. (If using food processor, add liquids through feed tube with processor running. If using stand mixer with dough hook, add liquids in steady stream with mixer on low speed.) Follow kneading instructions below.

4. Place dough in buttered bowl, and cover. Let rise in warm place 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

5. Deflate dough, and divide into quarters, then divide each quarter into 4 pieces. Roll dough into balls on floured surface. Place dough balls in 4 rows in greased 9-inch baking pan.

6. Cover dough; let rise 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Brush dough with melted butter, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops of rolls are golden and edges are browned. Serve warm.


3 ways to knead

By Hand Best for cooks who want to “feel” when dough is ready and desire more control.

1. Combine all but 1/3 cup of flour (reserve this for kneading) with dry ingredients in bowl. Stir in yeast and liquids until a shaggy dough forms. Turn dough onto work surface dusted with reserved flour. Gather the edges of dough into center to make a tight ball, and press with heel of hand several times to remove air from dough. Let dough rest 4 to 5 minutes so it will be less sticky when you knead.
2. Flatten dough ball by pushing down and away from you with the heel of your hand (dough will be an oval-shaped blob). Pull and fold far edge back over dough. Turn dough a quarter turn. Repeat. Kneading can take 2 to 10 minutes. Fully kneaded dough will be smooth and won’t stick to your hands.

Stand Mixer (with hook attachment) Best for traditionalists who don’t like to get their hands sticky. This method comes closest to hand kneading without the effort.
Place dry ingredients in mixer bowl, and fit mixer with dough hook. Mix on low speed 1 minute to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add yeast and liquids by pouring them down the inside of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-low, and mix 2 minutes. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Mix at medium-low speed 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Increase speed to medium, and mix 2 minutes. Kneading is done when dough makes a slapping sound as it hits the side of the bowl. Dough temperature should be close to 90°F.

Food Processor (with regular or dough blade) Best for bakers in a hurry. The blade kneads dough in under 90 seconds.
Pulse dry ingredients in food processor fitted with dough blade to combine. With processor running, add yeast and liquids through feed tube. Stop once liquids have been added. Pulse on and off 8 to 10 times until dough comes together in a ball and no dry ingredients remain. Dough temperature will be about 90°F.