In my effort to mark off more from my 30 Before 30, I have been perfecting my yeast handling abilities. Last week I decided to make French bread rolls from my Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, because, well, I have a love of French bread that might board on obsession. Not to mention, it looked like a crazy-easy recipe.

French Bread Rolls

1 to 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water {when it is neither hot nor cold on your wrist}

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1 tbsp butter

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cup sifted flour

Mix water, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl until yeast is well dissolved. Add in butter. Slowly add flour, until well blended. Knead bread, folding dough over toward you. Then press down away from you with the heel of your hand. Give dough quarter turns, repeating kneading, until it is smooth, elastic and non-sticky.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning once to bring greased side up. Cover. Let rise until double {about 1.5-2 hours}. Once risen, punch down, pulling edges into center and turn completely over in bowl. Let rise again until almost double {about 30-45 minutes}.

After second rising, divide dough into 16 equal parts. Form into little buns {or balls}. Place on grease baking sheet. With scissors, snip rolls in half, then in half again, cutting almost through to the bottom. Brush with water. Let rise one hour.

Brush with water again. Then brush with egg white and sprinkle with poppyseeds.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

It might sound like a lot {especially if you don’t bake with yeast often}, but it’s really quite easy – I promise!

Once the rolls are done, they are hard on the outside {like french bread} but super soft and yummy on the inside. They make a plainer meal – like Monday night meatloaf – something a little more spectacular.

And for that, I’m marking mastering yeast off my 30 Before 30 list!

Bon Appetit!

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