Wheat Dinner Rolls

Light Honey Wheat Rolls

Bread-baking is the bane of my culinary (ha, ha) existence. I'm either just not meant to do it; or I'm not smart enough to figure out its intricacies; or God is trying to steer me away from a career in the culinary arts. No fear, God, my back and feet can't taking standing in the kitchen hour after hour after hour. But please, can you let me play around a bit? Just one perfectly risen loaf of bread would suffice. I swear. Oh. I guess I shouldn't be swearing. Well, I never said I was perfect.

And neither were these rolls, but that was my fault. They were a bit heavy for my taste, and not quite crusty enough, but then again perhaps they were a complete and utter success - they're a lovely brown and quite cute, aren't they? Maybe they just weren't what I was looking or hoping for. And honestly? I'd make them again, because they were kind of fun and look fairly impressive. Plus they were easy, and making them in muffin tins really helped with a uniform shape - something that my perfectionist personality really appreciates. So ... it's up to you. As for me? I'm still looking for the perfect dinner-roll recipe and I'm still waiting for that perfectly risen loaf....

Wheat Dinner Rolls
Adapted from AllRecipes
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Ingredients
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes.
2. Add sugar, salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole-wheat flour to yeast mixture. Mix in flour, a half-cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a clean, damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down dough, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes.
4. Grease two 12-cup muffin tins. Punch down dough, and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a 6x14 inch rectangle, and cut rectangle into twelve strips. Roll strips into spirals, and place into tins. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm place 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven, and brush again with melted butter before serving.