Crusty French Bread Rolls (Print Page)

Golden, crispy outside and tender inside French bread rolls perfect for any meal or occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
03 - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Topping

06 - 1 tablespoon flour for dusting

# Directions:

01 - Combine lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball or oval.
05 - Place rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30-40 minutes.
06 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a tray of water on the bottom rack to create steam for a crustier roll.
07 - Dust tops lightly with flour and slash each roll with a sharp knife. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
08 - Transfer rolls to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The steam trick creates that professional bakery crust without any special equipment
  • These freeze beautifully so you can always have fresh rolls on hand
02 -
  • The water temperature is critical, too hot and you will kill the yeast, too cold and it will never wake up
  • Underbaked bread is disappointing, so wait for that deep golden color before pulling them out
03 -
  • Weighing your ingredients is more accurate than using cups, especially for flour
  • Let the rolls cool completely before storing or the crust will soften from trapped moisture

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