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Grandma's Finger Rolls
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Grandma’s Finger Rolls

I hope my grandma Lois would be proud of these. The reason I enjoy bread baking is a memory from many long and grainy thanksgivings ago. A warm house in northern Minnesota, steam on my glasses, cookies before dinner, turkey gravy and stuffing, and the softest, finest and most tender buttery bun stuck in with some gravy on the corner. My God. That's why I need rolls with soup or pot roast. That's why I eat toast in the morning. That's why I bake bread.

These pull-apart rolls are tender, flaky and shreddy, buttery, sweet and so deep in flavor from a very long rise. I have also adapted the recipe for onion rolls with parm and shallots.
I have been a bit inconsistent in bake times as my pictures will show, but it's more dialed in nowadays! The secret I believe is taking the enriched dough all the way to just slightly over-proofed before baking. I swear it makes a huge difference.

by wizardtroubles

2 Comments

  2. wizardtroubles

    Ok I had to ask permission but here’s the recipe for Finger Rolls by Grandma Lois (caution: long)

    Starter:

    1/2 cup milk

    1 Tbsp butter

    50g bread flour

    Combine in saucepan over low heat, cook until slightly thickened, remove from heat.

    Yeast:

    1 cup milk, very warm (not hot)

    1 Tbsp sugar

    1 packet (14g) active yeast

    Whisk and set aside 10 minutes. Ensure yeast foams.

    Dough:

    650g bread flour

    110g sugar

    10g salt

    2 eggs

    Combine in mixer with starter mixture and yeast mixture. Mix 4-5 minutes and rest 5 minutes.

    1 stick butter cubed room temp

    Add butter and mix on medium-low (KitchenAid mixer setting 3) for 8-10 minutes. Scrape sides often. Remove dough hook, scrape sides, use an oiled hand to shape dough into a tidy ball and let rise in a warm place, covered, 1-2 hours until doubled.

    The dough should be well-developed, elastic and barely sticky.

    Divide into 3. Divide each piece further into 7, and shape into tight rounds. Spray with water while working.

    In buttered 8″ pans, lay in 7 rolls each. Let rise until peaking over top and very airy, 1-2 hours. Brush lightly with heavy cream, and bake 30-32 minutes until golden.

    I use small loaf pans for quickbreads which are about 8×3″ and the rise is perfect in that size. Happy baking and love your Grandma!

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