Parmesan Pull-Aparts

Nice fluffy and light rolls!

So this is my third entry into what was suppose to be a 4 part series throughout the month of February (and yes, I am sadly aware that it is March already, but only just!!!). This is all part of our Gourmet bread challenge and BYOB (Bake Your Own Bread) hosted by Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench. You could say that I was one batch behind. I keep threatening to catch up but that just may not be in the cards...


For my third and final entry I had to try the Parmesan Pull-Aparts. They looked and sounded like ones that we get at a small local restaurant here and I couldn't wait to try them. Gourmet Magazine describes them as brioche like in texture without all of the extra work! Sign me up.

When you are done here please be sure to head over to my baking buddies sites... Andrea of Andrea's Recipes; Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen (who also designed our cool badge!); Kelly of Sass & Veracity; Courtney of Coco Cooks; and Sandy of At the Baker's Bench ~ I'm sure they'll have something wonderful going on in their ovens too.

My 9 inch pan turned out to be only 8 inches hence the overflowing appearance...

Parmesan Pull-Aparts

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast granules
• 
  
• 1 tsp mild honey or sugar
  

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling


• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 2/3 cup milk, warmed to 105-115 degrees F (I used 1% )


• 3 large eggs, divided


• 5 tablespoons butter, softened, cut into tablespoon-size pieces


• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar, flour, salt, and cheese; whisk together. Add milk and beat at low speed with the paddle attachment until dry ingredients are moistened.


2. Increase speed to medium and beat in the first egg. Add second egg and beat well. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl and paddle occasionally. Continue to beat until a soft, sticky dough forms, about 2 to 3 minutes.



3. Start beating in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is elastic ~ about 2 more minutes. The dough will still be very sticky at this point.


4. Scrape dough into center of bowl, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.



5. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let sit at warm room temperature for about 2 hours, or until dough has doubled in size.



6. Gently punch dough down but don't knead it. Turn it out onto a floured surface. Don't worry ~ the dough will be very gassy and light, but it won't be all that sticky. The flour you dusted it with before will keep it from sticking to the bowl; it should come out fairly neatly.




7. Gently form the dough into a rectangular shape. Go easy here ~ you don't want to press the gas out of the dough, you just want it to form a rough rectangle so it's easier to cut into equal pieces.



8. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, and then into 12 equal parts.




9. Roll each part into a ball and place in a greased 9" x 2" cake pan, leaving space between the balls.



10. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till rolls have puffed and fill the pan.



11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush over tops of raised rolls in pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.



12. Remove pan from oven and run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the pan to loosen rolls. Invert onto a large spatula or a small rack and then invert again onto a cooling rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before pulling apart and eating.

Makes 12 rolls

Made even better reheated with some garlic butter and more Parmesan! How could that not be good???

Will I make these again? I loved these rolls. Out of all the rolls (yep all 3 of them) these were my favorite. They were simple, elegant looking and fast. All things that are incredibly important to me.

Despite me being late and being short one recipe I loved doing this challenge with my fellow bakers! I think the main thing that it did was remind me how incredibly much I like getting my hands into some yeast breads and kneading with my hands. Don't get me wrong I love the recipes where I could use my KitchenAid but I really LOVED the ones I created with my hands. I have promised myself that I am going to start making some of my weekly bread using the old fashioned hand kneading method!!!


I am submitting this to Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench for her BYOB event as well!


As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com