Egg Shell Rolls

Cooking Instructions

BAKING SHEETS

Two 11"-x-17" baking sheets. (If only 1 sheet is available or if the oven will only take a single sheet, reserve half the dough for baking later.)

BY HAND OR MIXER

13 mins.

In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups flour, the yeast, salt, and water. Stir to blend. Cream the sugar and shortening together and drop into the batterlike dough. Add the malt extract, if available.

Whip egg whites to a light peak and fold into mixture.

Add the balance of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it becomes a shaggy mass, moist and stringy.

KNEADING

6 - 8 mins.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion for 8 minutes, or for 6 minutes with a dough hook. The dough will be elastic and smooth.

BY PROCESSOR

5 mins.

Attach the plastic dough blade.

Place 2 cups flour and the yeast, salt, water, sugar, shortening, and malt extract, if available, in the work bowl. Pulse 3 or 4 times to blend the ingredients. Set aside for a moment. Whip the egg whites and add to the work bowl. Pulse to blend.

Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, pulsing each time to blend the ingredients. Add the last cup of flour with care so that the dough doesn't suddenly turn into a hard ball.

KNEADING

50 secs.

When the dough cleans the sides of the work bowl and rides in a ball on top of the blade, knead for 50 seconds. The dough will be soft and elastic.

FIRST RISING

1 - 1-1/2 hours

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot (80-90) for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

(If prepared with a new fast-rising yeast and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce the rising times by approximately half.)

SHAPING

10 mins.

For small rolls, cut the dough into 1-ounce pieces, about the size of a golf ball. For larger rolls, cut the dough into 2- or 3-ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball under your palm. Press down hard as the dough ball is rolled. Place the rolls on the baking sheets, taking care to allow sufficient room between each so they will not touch during rising. If they do, they will not brown overall as they should.

SECOND RISING

45 mins.

Cover the rolls and put in a warm place until double in volume, about 45 minutes.

PREHEAT

Preheat the oven to 400 20 minutes before baking.

BAKING 400

25 - 30 mins.

Place the baking sheets on the middle shelf of the oven. The baking time will be between 25 and 30 minutes depending on the size of the rolls, until they are a golden brown.

(If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50.)

FINAL STEP

Place the crispy rolls on a rack to cool. Serve immediately or store in a paper sack to preserve the crust.

If the rolls should lose their crispness, reheat in 300 oven for 15 minutes. The rolls may be frozen. Thaw and reheat.

Wine Pairing(s)

Hermann Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Oberhauser Brucke

Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Riesling Spatlese 'Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen'

August Kesseler Riesling Kabinett Trocken

Selbach Oster 'Wehlener Sonnenuhr' Riesling Kabinett

Hermann Donnhoff Riesling Auslese 'Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg'

Grans Fassian 'Victoria G' Riesling

Huxelrebe 'Weinbaudonmane Oppenheim' Riesling Beerenauslese Alzeyer Kapellenberg

Weingut Schonleber Riesling

Johannes Egberts 'Liebfraumilch' Reisling

Dr. Heyden Riesling Spätlese 'Oppenheimer Sackträger'