How to Shape Dinner Rolls (convenient refrigerator method)

Individual dinner rolls have been popular since the middle of the nineteenth century, when the brioche conquered Paris, and there is nothing quite like a basket of fresh, homemade dinner rolls on the table.

Once your dough is ready (see recipe), shaping and baking your dinner rolls is fast and easy. The trick to knowing when your rolls have risen to double is to gently press your finger into the side of one of the rolls. If the dough springs back, the dough needs to rise more; if the indentation stays, your dough has risen to double and it is time to bake them.

Illustrations are from 1950's Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook.

Pan Rolls: Divide dough into 18 equal pieces. Roll each piece into ball, pulling edges under to make a smooth top. Place 9 balls, smooth side up, in each of 2 greased 8-inch round baking pans.

Dinner Rolls: Divide each dough half into 12 pieces, and shape each piece into an oval. Grease a couple baking sheets and place the rolls 2 inches apart. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Mix together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg mixture on the rolls, then sprinkle with poppy seeds, caraway seeds, or coarse salt.

 

Individual Dinner Rolls: Roll dough into cylindrical shapes with tapered ends and place on pan.

 

 

Butterfly Rolls: Roll dough only 1/8" thick into an oblong 6" wide. Spread with soft butter, and roll up like jelly roll. Cut into 2" pieces. Make a deep impression with narrow wooden handle in middle of each roll (to resemble butterfly).

Easy Cloverleafs/Crowns: Divide dough into 18 equal pieces. Roll each piece into ball, pulling edges under to make a smooth top. Place balls, smooth side up, in 18 greased 2 1/2-inch muffin pan cups. Let rise as directed. Just before baking: With scissors, snip each roll in half, then in quarters, cutting almost to the bottom but not through roll.

 

Cloverleaf Rolls: Divide dough into 18 equal pieces. Divide each again into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into ball, pulling edges under to make a smooth top. Dip in or brush with melted butter and place 3 balls, smooth side up, into each of 18 muffin pan cups.

 

Crescents/Butterhorns: Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 16-inch circle and brush with melted butter. With sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up tightly from wide end. Place rolls, with points down, on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents.

 

 

Salt Sticks: Roll dough very thin into oblong 8" wide. Cut into 4" squares. Starting at a corner, roll each square diagonally to opposite corner. Round the ends. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with coarse salt.

 

Knots: Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece to 9-inch rope. Tie loose knot in center of each rope. Press ends down on greased baking sheet.

Rosettes: Divide each dough portion into 16 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 12-inch-long rope. Tie in a loose knot, leaving 2 long ends. Tuck top end under roll. Bring bottom end up and tuck into center of roll. Place 2 to 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Parker House Rolls: On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch-round cutter. Brush with melted butter or margarine. Using the dull edge of a table knife, make an off-center crease in each round. Fold each round along crease with large half on top. Press folded edge firmly. Place rolls 2 to 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

 

Coils/Snails: Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece to 9-inch rope. Coil each rope and tuck end under coil.

 

Figure 8's: Hold one end of strip in one hand and twist the other end.stretching it slightly until the two ends when brought together on greased baking sheet will form a figure 8.

 

Twists: Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll to 12-inch ropes. Fold each rope in half and twist three to four times. Pinch ends to seal.

Fan-Tan Rolls: Fan-Tans refers to the name of a Chinese card game. Lightly flour a rolling pin, and roll one dough half out into a 13×9-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Cut the rectangle lengthwise into 6 strips. Stack the strips evenly, with the buttered side up, and cut the stack into 12 pieces. Repeat with the other dough half. Grease 2 regular muffin pans, and place one piece in each muffin pan cup, with the layers facing up.

The picture to the right is of King Arthur Flour’s Frangipane and Fruit-Filled Wool Rolls. The recipe is quite different, but I liked the pattern and thought that dinner rolls made in the shape of Fan-tans would be nice baked in this pattern.

 

Turk's Caps/Toad-In-Hole: Roll into 12" lengths. Twist and tie each strip with a knot in one end of strip. Then pull the longer end through center of knot.

 

Clothespin Crullers: Wrap strip around greased clothespin so edges barely touch. When baked, twist clothespin and pull out. May be filled with fruit fillings.