Honey Wheat Pull Apart Rolls

Over the weekend, we watched a nephew and a cousin receive diplomas. We got back from Houston LATE on Monday night. The next morning, I flew to the hospital to capture the first few hours of a new baby’s life. Today, we’re visiting an old friend in Denver. On Saturday, Ryan and I are photographing a wedding. In other words: we’re busy.

And yet it’s early morning here, so the sky is still soft and everyone is sleeping except me. These moments of stillness are a much needed reprieve, and I find myself craving them more in recent weeks. Balancing motherhood with my creative work is a challenge, and on many days, I feel like there isn’t enough time to just sit and be. But when I do carve out the space for silence and contemplation, I find myself in a much more grounded place. I feel more connected to my inner life and to the pains and joys of those around me.

I also crave bread. Sourdough with a thick slather of butter. These honey wheat pull-apart rolls straight from the oven. There are some meals that just don’t seem complete without a yeasty accompaniment. These honey pull apart rolls are easy to make, and they rise beautifully. The smell of sweet bread will fill your kitchen and home as they go from pale to golden brown in the oven. And then, you’ll have the pleasure of pulling one away from the rest of batch, breaking it open, and spreading butter or jam across its steaming surface. You won’t regret the time it took to make homemade bread. I promise.

Honey Wheat Pull Apart Rolls

1 1/2 cups  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
3 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons melted butter (for after baking)

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball. Lightly grease two 8″ round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the buns, and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. Remove the buns from the oven, and brush with the melted butter. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.