Soft and tender on the inside, crispy on the bottom, these are not your ordinary dinner rolls. We've used a Dutch oven to achieve these decadently buttery, dual-textured buns that are clear winners when it comes to either sopping up leftover juice from an extravagant holiday roast or dipping into a warming bowl of soup.
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all the dough ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine set to the dough cycle — until a soft, smooth dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes.
To prepare the topping: While your dough is rising, set a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the pot and heat until melted. Remove the pot from the stove and set aside.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
Place the rolls into the pot on top of the melted butter. Cover the pot with its lid and let the rolls rise until they fill the pan, 45 to 60 minutes.
Towards the end of the rising time preheat the oven to 400°F.
Transfer the covered pot to the oven, and bake the rolls for 15 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot, and bake the rolls for another 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the pot from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, and brush over the warm rolls in the pot.
Serve the rolls warm or at room temperature.
Store the rolls, well wrapped in plastic, for several days at room temperature; freeze for longer storage.
Want to make these rolls several days ahead of time? Try the tangzhong technique, an Asian method for increasing the softness and shelf life of yeast rolls. Begin by measuring out the flour and water you’ll be using in the recipe. Now take 3 tablespoons of the measured flour (either whole wheat or all-purpose) and 1/2 cup of the water; put them in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it forms a thick slurry; this will take about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, then combine it with the remaining flour, the remaining water (+ 2 additional tablespoons), and the other dough ingredients. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Well-wrapped and stored at room temperature, your finished rolls should stay soft and fresh for several days.
