Okay, so I’ve been craving those Golden Corral dinner rolls, you know, the ones that are super soft and just melt in your mouth? I decided to try and make them myself, a “copycat” version, I guess. It was a bit of an adventure, let me tell you!
Getting Started
First, I gathered all the ingredients. This was pretty standard stuff: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, butter, and an egg. I’m no expert baker, so I made sure I measured everything exactly like the recipe said. No eyeballing it this time!
The Mixing Game
I warmed up the milk and butter together in a saucepan, just until the butter melted. Then, I mixed in the sugar and let it cool down a bit. You don’t want it too hot, or it’ll kill the yeast. Once it was lukewarm, I sprinkled in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until it got all foamy. That’s how you know the yeast is alive and kicking.
Next, I whisked the egg in a separate bowl and then added it to the yeast mixture. Then came the flour and salt. I mixed it all with a wooden spoon at first, and then, as it got tougher, I used my hands. It was a sticky mess for a while!
Kneading Chaos
This was the workout part. I dumped the dough onto a floured surface and started kneading. The recipe said to knead for about 8-10 minutes, and honestly, my arms felt it! It’s supposed to become smooth and elastic. I think I got there… eventually.
The Waiting Game (Part 1)
After kneading, I put the dough in a greased bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place. This took about an hour. It’s amazing how much it puffs up!
Shaping and More Waiting
Once the dough had doubled in size, I punched it down (that was kind of fun) and divided it into 12 equal pieces. I rolled each piece into a ball and placed them on a greased baking sheet. Then, more waiting! I covered them again and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
Baking Time!
Finally, it was time to bake! I preheated the oven and baked the rolls for about 15-20 minutes, until they were golden brown. The smell was amazing, just like being at Golden Corral.
The Finishing Touch
While the rolls were baking I melted some butter in a small saucepan, ready to be brushed on top of the rolls.
As soon as they had finished baking, I brushed the melted butter on top with a pastry brush, this took no time at all, and just like that they were ready!
The Verdict
They weren’t exactly like Golden Corral’s, but they were pretty darn close! Super soft, a little sweet, and totally delicious. I might have eaten three in a row… Don’t judge me!
