As part of a blog-writing and recipe-testing frenzy yesterday, I also made a batch of these stove top yeast bread rolls, adapting a recipe from Sheila of Hillbilly Kitchen. She grew up with these rolls that her grandmother made when bread was needed for lunch but she didn’t want to heat up the kitchen baking loves in the oven. Of course, there was no air conditioning at the time and running to the store wasn’t practical.
As we encounter rising energy costs, more supply chain disruptions, spoiled food in stores, and additional challenges that seem to crop up weekly, we may find ourselves needing to make some bread quickly. These yeast bread rolls require the normal kneading and rising times, but they’re cooked on the stove in about 10 minutes. You get a light, fluffy roll (in comparison to the stove top quick bread posted previously this month) with the yeasty flavor without heating up an oven (and the rest of the house).
Stove Top Yeast Rolls
½ cup warm water (about 100°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour (may use bread flour)
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
Oil to coat dough
In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let proof 5-10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, milk, and salt. Once the yeast mixture has proofed and become nice and bubbly, add it and the oil, honey, and egg to the flour mixture. Stir together until it forms a ball. Knead on the counter until it becomes nice and smooth, about 6-8 minutes.
Oil a bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into eight equal pieces for hot dog buns or dinner rolls. Divide into four to six pieces for hamburger buns. With a little additional flour, form each piece of dough into a smooth roll or ball and flatten slightly. Set on an oiled pan or counter to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat a heavy bottom skillet with a tight lid on low heat. (My stove has settings for low, 2-10, and high. Right between 2 and 3 is the sweet spot for me.) Carefully transfer the bread dough to the skillet and cover. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown.
Family reviews: For us, nothing compares to our regular homemade buns. These are acceptable, but a little bit of a hassle to watch carefully and cook and flip in the pan without causing them to collapse. The flavor is good, and this recipe and technique are a good option if the oven is out or time is short.
Links to related posts:
All the Different Kinds of Yeast
References:
