Soft Dinner Rolls

Steps

1. Let the unsalted butter sit at room temperature (20–22°C) so it softens slightly. In a small bowl, stir 10 g of the sugar into the 60 ml water heated to 38–43°C (100–110°F), sprinkle the yeast over, stir, and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy and creamy on top.
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, measure 520 g bread flour and set aside about 20 g for dusting later. Add the remaining 500 g flour to the bowl along with the remaining 30 g sugar and the 9 g salt, and whisk to combine evenly.
3. In a separate bowl or large measuring jug, whisk the egg with 260 ml of the milk (reserve 15 ml of milk for brushing later), then stir in the foamy yeast mixture until well blended.
4. Pour the milk–egg–yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix with a dough hook or a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains on the bottom of the bowl.
5. Add the softened butter in small pieces and knead (with a stand mixer on medium-low or by hand) for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not overly sticky. If kneading by hand, use only a light dusting from the reserved flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
6. Lightly oil a clean bowl with about 5 ml of the canola oil. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl seam-side down, cover tightly, and let rise at 24–27°C (75–80°F) until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes. The dough should feel airy and spring back slowly when gently pressed.
7. Lightly oil a 23×33 cm baking pan with about 10 ml of the remaining canola oil. Gently turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface using some of the reserved flour, pat it into a rectangle, and divide into 12 equal pieces (by weight for best results). Shape each piece into a tight ball and arrange them evenly in the prepared pan, spacing them so they can just touch after rising.
8. Cover the pan loosely and let the rolls rise again at 24–27°C (75–80°F) until very puffy and the sides of the rolls are touching, 30–45 minutes. About 20 minutes before you plan to bake, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
9. Just before baking, gently brush the tops of the rolls with the reserved 15 ml milk for a soft, golden crust. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown, the rolls feel light for their size, sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and the internal temperature reaches about 93°C (200°F).
10. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the rolls cool for at least 10–15 minutes before serving. The finished rolls should be pillowy-soft, fluffy, and tender inside with a delicate, buttery crumb that pulls apart easily.