Crusty French Bread Rolls

From: My Coffee has Butter

Ingredients  

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast one packet
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions 

• In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
• Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round roll and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
• Before baking, use a sharp knife to make a few shallow slashes on the tops of the rolls for decorative purposes and to help them expand while baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Let cool on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

For extra crustiness, you can place a small pan of water in the oven while the rolls bake to create steam.

Store any leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.

Tags: french bread