Light & Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Lightly grease a 10-inch round baking tin or a 13 x 9 inch baking tin with butter.

Place very warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle yeast on top, stirring until yeast dissolves. Leave to foam for 10 minutes.

Heat milk in microwave until hot, then add butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter melts. Let cool a little and then add the lightly beaten eggs and stir in. Pour into a large mixing bowl with the yeast mixture.

Add flour a little at a time to the milk and yeast mixture and beat with a metal spoon until a soft dough forms. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl and is still be a little sticky, but you should be able to form it into a rough ball with your hands. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour until you are happy with the consistency, being careful not to make it too dry.

Place in a greased mixing bowl with a damp towel over the top and leave to rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes. This can differ depending on your room temperature—if it is cold where you are, place the dough in the microwave with a cup of boiling water next to the bowl to help it along.

On a lightly floured surface, cut dough ball in half, then cut each half in half and then into 4 little pieces. Roll pieces into balls with your hands and place in the baking tin. Cover again and let rise till they double in size, about 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400ºF). Bake for about 20 minutes, until rolls are golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve.

Notes:
1. For cranberry and cheese rolls, add 1 tablespoon dried cranberries to the dough after you have added the flour and mix through. Grate cheese over the top of the rolls before you bake them.
2. You can also make herbed rolls by adding 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs to the melted butter before you brush over the rolls.