Whole Wheat Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Whole wheat buttermilk dinner rolls are a bread you will add to your list of homemade breads. It is a no fuss recipe. It does require a waiting period while the dough rises into rolls you will want to sink your teeth into but other than that it is a breeze.

Whole wheat is a food we have been told we should consume often. I actually like the homemade whole wheat breads much better than the commercially produced ones The flavor is more robust and the texture makes your mouth happy. There is a little crunch as you first bite into the rolls and then your feel the tender goodness of the inside waiting to be enjoyed.

Whole wheat is the wheat in its natural state. There is nothing added to it. If the package does not say it is only whole wheat then it is not.

In this recipe I used half all purpose white flour and half whole wheat flour. I have used all whole wheat in recipes before and I did not like the results. The dough did not rise. The bread was not a pretty thing. It was kind of like a large hockey puck and could have been used for a doorstop.

Those of you who are bread makers from way back may have mastered using whole wheat flour only in your recipe. I am impressed!!

Since I made this recipe I read that by adding additional water to the mixture and a substance known as vital wheat gluten to the mixture, the dough will rise.

Gluten is formed from several proteins found mainly in wheat and other grains like rye and barley. Gluten adds the strength, texture, and chewiness to our breads. Gluten will develop in dough when water is added and is absorbed. As the dough is pulled and stretch, strands that are long and flexible form. These strands trap gas bubbles which cause the dough to rise. It is expanding.

Vital wheat gluten is not actually a flour but it is flour-like. It is all gluten and very little starch. It is made from a processing of wheat flour. It goes through several steps including hydration and then drying. After it is dried it is made back into a powder again. It can be added to any flour recipe but is especially useful in wheat and rye recipes because they have trouble making their own gluten.

You may have known this already but I did not. So, the next time I make wheat bread I will add vital wheat gluten. It is supposed to really make a huge difference in the results.

For this recipe, you will be pleased with the results. You will have a nice hardy roll to serve to your family and to enjoy with your evening meal, breakfast, lunch, and for a snack.

If you do not keep buttermilk on hand, a substitution that works reasonably well follows:

Mix 2-3 teaspoons of white vinegar to regular milk. Let stand for about 10 minutes. I have used this often as I do not drink buttermilk. It has always worked nicely. Certainly the real buttermilk would be preferred but honestly I have not noticed a difference and I have used both. In buttermilk biscuits, I always use the real thing. I seem to be able to taste a difference in the flavor and texture.

copyright pstraubie48 ^TM All Rights Reserved