Over the weekend, we watched a nephew and a cousin receive diplomas. We got back from Houston LATE on Monday night. The next morning, I flew to the hospital to capture the first few hours of a new baby’s life. Today, we’re visiting an old friend in Denver. On Saturday, Ryan and I are photographing a wedding. In other words: we’re busy.
And yet it’s early morning here, so the sky is still soft and everyone is sleeping except me. These moments of stillness are a much needed reprieve, and I find myself craving them more in recent weeks. Balancing motherhood with my creative work is a challenge, and on many days, I feel like there isn’t enough time to just sit and be. But when I do carve out the space for silence and contemplation, I find myself in a much more grounded place. I feel more connected to my inner life and to the pains and joys of those around me.
I also crave bread. Sourdough with a thick slather of butter. These honey wheat pull-apart rolls straight from the oven. There are some meals that just don’t seem complete without a yeasty accompaniment. These honey pull apart rolls are easy to make, and they rise beautifully. The smell of sweet bread will fill your kitchen and home as they go from pale to golden brown in the oven. And then, you’ll have the pleasure of pulling one away from the rest of batch, breaking it open, and spreading butter or jam across its steaming surface. You won’t regret the time it took to make homemade bread. I promise.
Honey Wheat Pull Apart Rolls
1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
3 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons melted butter (for after baking)
Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball. Lightly grease two 8″ round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Uncover the buns, and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. Remove the buns from the oven, and brush with the melted butter. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.
These rolls look like little fluffy clouds of sweet goodness. It is the perfect comfort food right now. June is crazy, crazy busy and easy comfort foods are much appreciated.
Looks delicious! I love a good homemade roll recipe, this variation sounds very tasty. 🙂
Lovely rolls. We make something similar, although with a quite different recipe. But we both get to the same place: complete and total goodness! I can never resist these warm from the oven. 🙂
Your bread looks delicious, it’s hard to top homemade bread!
I’m always craving bread, so this is perfect for me! Yum!!
Monet,
Your rolls look heavenly, especially with the melty butter. So nice that you can carve out time for you with your hectic schedule. Enjoy!
I am such a bread monster…I love all kinds! These look so yummy, and I bet amazing right out of the oven. Thanks for sharing <3
I am a fan of any types of bread….love these healthy version! Looks so soft even though you used whole wheat flour.
These really remind me that I haven’t made any bread rolls before. Love the idea of the honey addition! You made my mouth water with that description of pulling apart the fresh-out-of-the-oven and slathering on the butter!
Hope your life gets a little less busy soon – I know how it feels! (I think probably most of us do!) 🙂
These buns sound so fantastic! And you have to love that slab of butter. 🙂 Yay!
This makes me smile because I’ve been making pull-apart rolls for the past two weeks – finding such comfort in the eating and making of them. 🙂
I completely agree – I never regret taking the time to make homemade bread. It is 100% worth it. And it relaxes me so win win : ) And then I get to eat it – soft pillowy yeasty goodness! This look delicious friend!
These rolls look so fluffy! Yum!
These rolls look so good I can almost smell them! Absolute perfection — I can never resist homemade bread! Have a lovely weekend, Monet!
I am a huge fan of homemade bread. These honey rolls look fantastic, Monet.
But in the end you know how to connect motherhood with your creative work and I hope I’ll be able to do it as well. You’re such an inspiration 🙂
There is never enough time to just sit and relax. Never ever. But when you can find just a little of that time, it is bliss. I imagine these rolls are as well!
I wish there were more time in a day to simply sit and be quiet too, Monet. I definitely need to carve out the time to make these lovely honey wheat pull apart rolls. They look delicious and so soft and fluffy. I applaud your butter to bread ratio in that photo too – a big thick slab of butter is the way to go!
There’s nothing better than a roll warm from the oven, especially if it has just a touch of sweetness from honey. These look perfect!
Oh I would love to try making these! Look how lovely and soft they look. Yum!
These look so comforting. There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread to put you at ease. I can’t wait to try these out soon, thank you.
These are gorgeous Monet! They look like they’re fresh from the local bakery! I’ve never had much talent when baking with yeast so these sorts of posts inspire me hugely. I’ll give this recipe a go for sure! Oh, and I totally get the yeasty fresh carbohydrate craving. Yesiree xxx
So many joyous occasions for you recently!
Bread is so therapeutic, right? LOVE these rolls-so lovely and comforting and soft and flavorful!