Onion Rolls

Onion rolls are the perfect accompaniment to barbecue. Pork, chicken, turkey- pick your protein, it'll taste good slathered in barbecue sauce and sandwiched between these buns. Onion rolls have been on my to-bake list for quite some time. And I finally found a recipe that suits my tastes. This one, developed by Coconut & Lime, incorporates real onion specks throughout the dough. The onion's presence was sweet and mild. I really liked the recipe, but decided that next time I'll use a bit more onion for a stronger flavor (and have already adjusted the recipe). With a good amount of whole wheat flour, these rolls are surprisingly healthy! For an extra touch, try sprinkling dried onion flakes on top before baking.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
2 tsp. organic cane sugar
4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour + extra for kneading (I might use bread flour next time and see how it affects the texture)

Onions:
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 tsp. butter

Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water

Toppings:
dried onion flakes, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine water or milk in a glass bowl. Heat on stove or in microwave to 100-110 F. Stir in sugar. Pour yeast on top and let sit 10 minutes, until frothy.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion in butter over medium heat until soft but not browned. Cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together  3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and salt. Pour in yeast mixture, melted butter, and cooked onions. Stir until dough forms and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, adding the remaining 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and any extra flour needed, for 5-10 minutes, until smooth. Cover, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust your fingers with flour before forming the dough into 12 evenly sized balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet equal distance apart. Cover, and let rise another hour, or until doubled in size.

6. Preheat oven to 375 F.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water. Gently brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Sprinkle with dried onion, caraway, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds (optional).

8. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown (the rolls will sounds hollow when tapped).
 Cool on a wire rack. The rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or frozen for several weeks.

Makes 12 rolls.

(Adapted from Coconut & Lime)