Taking shortcuts generally has a bad rep – and for good reason. Shortcuts can lead to mistakes, poor quality end results, and missed crucial steps. But sometimes, shortcuts are masterpieces, and this is one of those times.
Behold, the simplest way to make sourdough rolls.
My favorite thing about this method is you have the ability to hit two birds with one stone. Most sourdough bread recipes, including mine, yield two loaves. You can make one batch of dough and out of it get one loaf and a few rolls, adding some versatility to your bread rotation.
This post is less of a recipe and more of an alteration to the final steps of the sourdough process. It was inspired by Ashley from the Turner Farm.
Let’s get to it!
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Directions:
First things first, you’ll need to make a batch of sourdough bread. I have a versatile recipe that works great here! Follow that recipe up until you get through the Cold Proof section, and forego the rest of the recipe; come back here for baking and shaping instructions to turn your loaf into rolls.
For your convenience, I included a step by step video tutorial on cutting the rolls. Feel free to reference it to help visualize the process.
The Morning after the Cold Proof:
- Preheat oven to 450F, giving it at least 30 minutes to get really hot.
- Bring a few cups of water to a boil and set aside.
- Remove your loaf from the refrigerator and flip the dough onto a lightly floured countertop.
- Carefully lift the banneton off of the dough, revealing your beautifully proofed loaf.
- Use a floured bench-scraper to divide the dough in half, and each half then into thirds. You can get 6-8 rolls from each loaf, depending on the size you want.
- Us the bench-scraper to lift each roll and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Pour the boiling water into a deep baking dish and place onto the bottom oven rack.
- Place the rolls onto the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes at 450F, then lower the oven temperature to 425F and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the rolls reach the level of golden brown you prefer. Rolls should sound hollow when you knock on the bottom.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing and enjoying!
