Quick Dinner Bread Rolls with Green Onions

Prepare the Dough:

1. In a large bowl, add milk, butter, one egg, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix well with a spatula to combine, about one minute. The butter might still be a little crumby in the mixture at this point.
2. Add flour and stir well to combine until there are no dry flour particles visible in the bowl. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
3. Add chopped green onions and slowly fold into the dough. Make sure the green onions are dry before folding them in. You don’t need to mix and incorporate the green onions evenly in the dough at the point. Kneading will help disburse them evenly.

Knead the Dough:

1. Transfer the dough onto a clean and lightly greased surface. The oil will help keep the dough from sticking to your hands initially. You can even lightly oil your hands too.
2. Push the dough down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion by pushing the dough down and outward, and then folding over towards you. This helps build up gluten strength in dough that is responsible for making the bread fluffy.
3. Continue kneading and folding the dough until the dough is smooth and not sticky at all. Because of the high fat content (butter and milk) in this recipe, it should take less than 5 minutes of kneading by hand to achieve a non-sticky and smooth dough ball. A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. You can test the dough by giving it a firm poke with your finger. The indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn’t bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.

Shape the Rolls:

1. Roll the ball of dough into a log and divide it into 15 equal pieces with a knife or bench scraper. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or cling wrap to prevent it from drying. When the dough loses moisture, it tends to form hard skin around its surface, which creates a crust when baking.
2. Take one piece at a time and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Flatten each dough, fold and press all edges into the centre. Turn it over and cup the dough in your palm, making circular motions. It should take less than 30 seconds to roll each piece into a smooth ball.
3. Arrange the dough balls in a parchment-lined baking tray.

Proof the Rolls:

1. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or another baking pan upside down, on top. Let the rolls rest and rise for one hour. The rolls should almost double in size. Letting the dough rise in a warmer area will help the rolls rise faster. I leave my baking sheet in the oven (turned off) and leave another pan filled with boiling water at the bottom of the oven to help the rolls rise (proof) faster.

Bake the Rolls:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Apply egg wash on each roll and sprinkle salt flakes and white sesame seeds on top. You can apply egg wash twice (two layers) to create extra shine on the crust. This will help create a nice golden brown crust when baking.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown in colour. Let the rolls cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.