Super Soft Sourdough Rolls

Mix together 10 grams of ripe/bubbly/active sourdough starter with 100 grams all purpose flour and 100 grams water. Cover and keep levain at 78 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 hours until bubbly, active and ripe.

Warm the milk in the microwave (about 1 1/2 minutes full power) or on the stove. It should be around 90-100 degrees F, no warmer than that. To the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook mix together the ripe levain, warm milk, butter-flavored Crisco, granulated sugar, salt, potato flakes, eggs and bread flour. I like to reserve about a cup of bread flour and add it in as the dough kneads together, making sure that I'm not adding too much flour to the dough.

Knead together for 8-10 minutes, adding the rest of the flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should be tacky to the touch, not overly sticky. If it is very sticky, add a little bit more flour about 20-30 grams at a time.

Bulk Fermentation: Put the dough in a container and cover. Set the dough in a warm, 76-78 degree F place for 4 hours. Take the temperature of the dough as needed to maintain the dough temperature right around 78 degrees F (I use this bread proofer to keep my dough temperature consistent). 78 degrees F is optimal for fermentation.

At the end of about 4 hours, the dough should be puffed up and feel very elastic. If it doesn't feel this way, let it bulk ferment for another half hour, and check again.

Overnight Option: At this point, after the bulk fermentation has finished, you can cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Proceed with the recipe the next day, shaping and proofing the rolls before baking.

Shaping: Dump the dough onto a countertop. Lightly flour a pastry mat or countertop and roll the dough out into a 20 inch by 16 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough and fold the dough in half, leaving you with a 20 by 8 inch rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 24 strips. Take each strip and tie it into a knot or double knot as seen in the photos above. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining rolls. I fit about 12 rolls per pan.

Proofing: Cover the pan with a dish towel and let rise in a 78-80 degree F place until puffed up and risen, about 2-3 hours. Do not bake these rolls if they have not risen.

Baking: Place a baking stone or baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to prevent the bottom of the rolls from burning. Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF. Bake for about 15 minutes until baked all the way through. Top with melted butter if desired, and enjoy!