A Secret Recipe
Bread, the staff of life, our daily bread and something that has become the “big bad wolf” lately on most modern diets – bread which is part of the carbohydrate group, has become the “No No” food group for lots of faddy diets, and of course, understandably, for people who have gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerance is one thing, and as I am not gluten intolerant I will leave that subject to those who know – but, I will say that one of the reasons why we have so many people who are gluten intolerant nowadays, is due to modern wheat production, which is very different to the ancient grains (as they are known now) we used to use, such as Spelt, Einkorn, Emmer and Rye, which are much lower in gluten and may be the key to why our ancestors ate more bread than we do now, with little intolerance, and as a main part of their main diet. But, I digress……today’s post and recipe is all about bread…..and a fabulous recipe for “Pull-Apart Buttery Garlic Dinner Rolls”, which are light and fluffy with a rich, buttery taste and a hint of garlic. 
I am a HUGE bread lover, I love it as much as I love cheese and wine! It’s very much the staff of life for me, and I bake it almost daily, even when I am in France and have access to freshly baked baguettes etc! I love to bake old-fashioned bread loaves such as Cobs, Split Tins, Coburg loaves, Boule, Stotty Cakes, Farmhouse Loaves, Cottage Loaves, Milk Loaves, Baps and Bloomers…..I have an infinity with yeast and love the tactile nature of making bread, the kneading, shaping, proving and baking, it’s never a chore for me and is very cathartic when I am sad or stressed. So, when I was looking for a recipe to make for this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment, which is the FABULOUS Karen’s Kitchen Stories blog, as soon as I saw her IMPRESSIVE recipe index for bread, I knew that was the perfect excuse to bake more bread and try a new bread recipe too. How can you choose from over 200+ bread recipes, when you are a yeast addict like me? Well, it’s hard, but I managed to choose a recipe I have seen on lots of American websites, and one that would fit in with a dinner party I was hosting, Pull-Apart Buttery Dinner Rolls. 
There were numerous other recipes that also caught my eye, and I have bookmarked them to make soon; recipes such as Russian Braided Rose Bread, Seventeenth Century French Bread, San Francisco Sourdough Bread and Anadama Bread. But it was the Pull-Apart Buttery Dinner Rolls that I eventually made, and with a few small amendments, namely adding garlic to accompany an Italian style dinner one evening. Karen’s recipe for PULL-APART BUTTERY DINNER ROLLS makes 16 rolls and is adapted from King Arthur Flour – I changed the ingredients to metric and also added the garlic as I mentioned before. I made exactly 16 dinner rolls, which looked wonderful when baked all together in two cake tins, and the pull-apart serving element was rather fun at the kitchen table for an informal dinner party, or “A Kitchen Table Supper” as I called it! Karen’s adapted recipe is shared below and I hope you enjoy making and eating these delicious dinner rolls as much as I did a few weeks ago. Karen 
About Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Karen lives in Southern California and her blog is a chronicle of recipes she has successfully attempted (and sometimes unsuccessfully). It all started with a kitchen remodel, a sourdough loaf, and an old camera……and that led to bigger and better things! She is married, has two grown children and two grandsons who live very close by, much to her delight! Her blog is an absolute delight and I lost myself for several hours whilst perusing her recipes……The recipes on her blog are adapted from her overly large cookbook collection, magazines, other blogs, family recipes, and some recipes that are her own creations, and she has some real gems over there, so why not pop over there and tell her I sent you!
PULL-APART BUTTERY GARLIC DINNER ROLLS
They’re really easy to make, and the flavour is reminiscent of a traditional holiday meal. They are baked in 20cm round cake tins, which helps to keep them extra soft. They make fabulous sandwiches the next day, if you have any left that is!
(Makes 16 rolls)
Ingredients:
450g strong white bread flour
2 teaspoons easy bake dried instant yeast
2 tablespoons potato flour or potato flakes
2 tablespoons skimmed milk powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
60g soft butter
150ml tepid water
150ml tepid milk
Melted butter for brushing on top + 2 teaspoons dried garlic granules
Method:
- Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir until the ingredients are moistened. Knead the dough with the dough hook until you get a soft dough, about seven minutes. Alternatively, you can knead by hand or by bread machine.
- Put the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic bag – I use a shower cap. Set aside to rise until doubled in size, approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knock back.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and roll them into balls by cupping the dough under your hand and rolling it around.
- Butter or spray two 20cm (8 inch) round sandwich cake tins, evenly place 8 rolls in each tin, and cover the tins with with a clean tea towel.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and let the rolls rise until they are puffy and are touching each other. This should take 60 to 90 minutes.
- Brush some melted butter over the top and sprinkle with dried garlic granules. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and well risen.
- Remove the tins from the oven and brush the rolls generously with more melted butter. Let them sit for two minutes and then remove them from the tin and place them on a cooling rack.
- These can be baked the night before and then reheated. Just wrap them well and store at room temperature.
- (You can also make and form the rolls, let them rise about half way, and freeze the partially risen dough in advance. The night before you plan to bake them, move them to the refrigerator. When it’s time to bake, remove the shaped rolls from the refrigerator, preheat the oven, and bake – possibly a little bit longer than the original recipe)
Oh they look fabulous! I’m on a real bread-baking kick at the moment and these are going straight to the top of the list. Lovely photos as always and great pick for SRC 🙂
Thanks Susan – I am also on a BIG baking kick lately too, and bake bread almost every other day! Karen
I love bread too – baking it and eating it and these rolls look delicious 🙂
Thanks so much Ann Jenny – and these were DELICIOUS and very easy to make too! Karen
Oh my they look good enough to eat before they were even baked!
LOL! That’s so funny Erin – thanks so much and yes, they were DIVINE!
These look wonderful Karen …thanks for sharing
Thanks so much – they flew off the table – I served them with lasagne and salad, and then with the cheese course – for 6 of us, so a couple of rolls each! Karen
Ooh, these sound wonderful! I’m bookmarking to try soon. I have a family of mega bread-and-roll lovers, so I must try these out on them!
Thanks Amy – these are just the rolls to make soon then!
Thanks so much for the kind words Karen! I love the addition of garlic to the butter! These are probably my most popular dinner rolls, and I even made a double batch this last Christmas. Gorgeous photos as always.
De rien Karen as we say down our way! Love bread and was in heaven choosing recipes from your blog! Karen
These rolls look amazing. I can almost smell them through the computer. I am a big believer in homemade bread. Great pick!
Homemade bread is the best Emily – I agree! Karen
These rolls look wonderful and your photos are gorgeous. Great SRC post!
Thanks Stephanie – that’s very kind of you! Karen
I agree with you about the processing of wheat causing the problems with gluten intolerance and I also think it may be all the chemicals used that people cannot tolerate and it just gets blamed on the wheat. These rolls look delicious.
Thanks Wendy – yes, our modern wheat is very high in gluten and the chemicals don’t help either. Karen
Love Karen’s blog! These rolls look amazing and I love that you included a loaf chart.
Her blog is fab isn’t it Tara! These rolls were amazing – Karen
these look so absolutely beautiful… I do adore a pull-apart bread. My favourite bread!
They are fun and great to share aren’t they Dom?
From one Karen to another! Winning assignment, you are lucky! 😉
her blog is amazing, and the great thing is that I cook from it even when I’m not part of group D anymore…. love it!
Hahaha! Thanks Sally – which group are you in now? Must visit you soon to see what you’ve been up to! Karen
I am a carbs lover…these dinner rolls look heavenly with garlic and butter, Karen.
Me too Angie and these just hit the spot!
These look delicious! Lovely garlic bread…well anything garlicky if the truth be told so these are right up my alley!!
Thanks Tracey! These bread rolls were SCRUMPTIOUS!
Karen, I have a serious bread addiction! I make lots of different breads and rolls, some yeast, some sourdough with no added yeast. I do love a nice soft pull-apart dinner roll!
Thanks Jean! YOU and ME both! I am REALLY into bread making lately and this recipe is a keeper! Karen
I am totally with you there, I love bread very much and … yes, with cheese and wine it’s excellent. The garlic rolls are looking very good and I for sure would enjoy some. I guess I have to do some bread baking soon again … any kind of bread baking.
Thanks so much Chris – when you next bake bread, DO try this recipe, it’s FAB! Karen
Aww it seems so delicious! I love bread!
Wish you a great Monday!
kisses
Dili
Thanks so much! Karen
These look amazing! Pinning to make them soon!
Thanks Susan! You’ll love them! Karen
I live in Greece & am wondering what ‘potato flour/potato flakes’ are….could I substitute Instant Mashed Potato” from a packet
Hi Linda, yes, that is absolutely fine to sub that in place of the potato flour or flakes! Karen