How do I make soft bread rolls?

[joelallie]

I have been making bread rolls a lot recently. They are very tasty but always have quite hard crusts. To use them for my kids' lunchboxes I really need them to be softer. It's not that they are overcooked and I only use 1 tsp sugar (heard that might make a difference). Has anyone any ideas please?

Wrap them in a clean napkin when they come out of the oven, so that they absorb a bit of steam while cooling?

I am not sure, but that is the best Ive ever managed to make soft rolls.

Thanks. I'll give that a go.

BTW I like your name. Home-made bread is part of my strategy for improving food in our house which has slipped over the last few years (didn't realise how much until I starting coming to MN ). Refusing to buy cocopops is another - DD has not forgiven me yet....

nigellas FEAST has a great recipe for soft white dinner rolls

they are fabby

Should get a sponsorship deal from panasonic but the dough from the breadmachine makes soft rolls. Never been able to make them with hand made dough.
Seems to be softer with the recipe that includes milk powder so maybe you couls use milk instead of water? Also the teatowel trick helps.

you could try a roasting tin of water in the oven

Thanks for all the advice. Sadly my breadmachine doesn't work atm - needs a new drive belt or something and as it's an obscure model I can't find one. Was feeling very chuffed with myself for doing it by hand. Come to think of it my breadmachine recipe did add dried milk.... might have a go at that too.

Will try all the suggestions in the hope of success. The children love the rolls as they are hot out of the oven with just butter but don't like them that much when they go cold.

I think you can never get them as soft as shop bought for the simple reason that you are not adding all the nasty chemicals that the huge factory bakeries add.

Include some (decent, non-hydrogenated) margarine in the dough. I also add some soyamilk in place of some of the water. I believe you can also brush with melted marg just before baking.

tooticky - would that replace some/all of the olive oil? or as well as?

I just wrap mine in a clean tea-towel as soon as they come out of the oven, works every time.

If you want them soft and floury, dust a little flour over them before proving them and again just before baking them. Then again, wrap up as soon as they are cooked.

Yes, replace some or all. You can also put them in a plastic bag until they cool which I occasionally do in desperation as our oven cooks things very strangely.

i with zipitiesdodahwhais

a rosting tin in the oven whilst it is heating up creates a kind of steamy atmosphere for them to cook in. Never as soft as shop bought but that is due to chemicals adn freaky rising methods.

Good luck

well done for turningt he food around in your house - wish could do the same!

btw that should be a roasting tin of water