BECKS’s Sourdough Honey Oat Rolls

In the morning:

• Put enough starter in a bowl to get a little over 1 cup bubbly starter for the rolls.

In the early evening:

• COMBINE in a medium bowl:
• 1 ¼ cup of starater
• Add 2 ½ cups warmish water
• Add 1 cup Old fashion rolled oats and ½ wheat germ (Optioal)
• Add ½ cup honey
• Add 2 cups of flour (I prefer bread flour).
• STIR to mix and form a thick “pancake-like” batter. Cover bowl with towel and the let it sit for 30-60 minutes.

After 30-60 minutes

1. After 30-60 minutes, add 2 ½ cups more flour and 1 tbsp salt.  Mix it together.  I tried using a hand mixer instead of using a spoon.  It got kind of messy .  So, mix with spoon or maybe use a kitchen aid mixer for just a few minutes.  You want the dough to be springy (touch with your finger and it will pop back up) and a just a little sticky. You want to be able to touch it but not have your hand covered with sticky dough.  When the dough has pulled together to form a ball, dump out onto lightly floured counter.
2. GENTLY Knead the dough for a few minutes.  Then use your hands to cup the dough and tuck it into a tighter ball rotating around the ball of dough.
3. I usually clean out the bowl I’ve been working with and very lightly grease the bottom and sides.  I put the kneaded dough back in the greased bowl.  Cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 1-2 hours (depending upon how late at night it is). 
4. This is an optional step.  (You can skip it and just let the dough rise overnight:  After 1-2 hours, I take the dough out and gently knead it again.  Stretching it a little and folding it over.  I just go around the dough – so it’s maybe 4-5 folds.  Then I put it back in the bowl and cover with a damp cloth and let it sit overnight on the counter.  It should double in size overnight.

NEXT MORNING

1. Dump the dough on a lightly floured counter and cut it into the number of rolls you want.  I can usually get 12+ medium sized rolls.  Then you make little “Mini” sourdough loafs/rolls.   I do a quick 3-4 step knead and fold the edges and tuck it on the bottom. 
2. Place each roll on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Cover with a towel and let sit for 30-60 minutes.  Before cooking, slit each roll with an X in the top.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven to create steam.
4. Bake in a steamy oven for 15-18 minutes.  I check them after 12 minutes. The oven upstairs is hotter in the back than the front so I often have to turn the pan – I don’t like the rolls when they get burned on the bottom.  Tops should be nicely browned when removed.   You can make decision on how hard you like the rolls and can cook them more or a little less.

 

I put the rolls on a baking rack on the counter to cool.

 

Enjoy!