Crusty French Bread Rolls (Printable Version)

Golden, crispy exterior with tender inside. Perfect warm with butter or paired with soups.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
03 - 2 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp sugar

→ Topping

06 - 1 tbsp flour for dusting

# Directions:

01 - Combine lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes foamy.
02 - Add bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball or oval.
05 - Arrange rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30-40 minutes until puffy.
06 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a tray of water on the bottom rack to create steam for a crispier crust.
07 - Lightly dust tops with flour. Slash each roll with a sharp knife. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crusty. Cool on wire rack.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The steam trick creates that professional bakery crust without any special equipment
  • These rolls freeze beautifully and reheat like they were freshly baked
02 -
  • The water tray in the oven is non negotiable for the crust, do not skip this step
  • Let the rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into them, the interior continues cooking
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale if you have one, bread making is more precise than other cooking
  • The slash on top is not just decorative, it gives the dough a place to expand as it bakes

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