I made these two days ago and they were awesome! Love this recipe, only one problem. Yesterday (day old), they were not at all soft anymore. Not quite stale, but not soft. I followed directions to let cool completely, the store airtight. I'm not sure what went wrong. Can you help please? I used parmesan cheese, not fresh grated but a high-end parmesan-reggiano. Could that be the problem? I brushed with butter twice, before and after, like the recipe states. Like I said, the flavor was incredibly good, I just would like a better keeping quality. Especially since I'm just one person. Also, can they be freshened in the oven like artisan bread? Thanks!
Sorry, I'm not sure what caused them to "stiffen up" - except for the natural stiffening that comes with cooling. As bread cools, the starch in the flour absorbs as much liquid as it can; this causes bread to quickly lose its fresh-baked softness as it cools. Why doesn't this happen to store-bought rolls? Because they add various chemicals to prevent "staling," as they call it. The way to release the starch's liquid, and to make the rolls soft again, is to reheat - as you suggest. So yes, when you want to enjoy a soft roll with fresh-baked texture and taste, simply heat it briefly in a toaster oven or regular oven - just until it's soft and starting to warm. I think you'll enjoy the result. Good luck - PJH
December 14, 2012 at 1:23pm