French Bread Rolls to Die For

Yummm..These just came out of the oven piping hot. I split one, and spread it with melted butter: I'm on cloud nine! They have a light, yet substantial texture. The flavor is delicate, with a hint of sweetness in the backround. The crust is crisp, but those who like theirs thick will have to follow some of the modifications for chewy, crusty crust in the other reviews. I used all-purpose flour, since I don't have bread flour on hand, and after reading reviews saying these rolls were bland,**I added 1 1/2 tsp of honey** to the sugar and yeast when proofing it. I found that I didn't need to add as much flour as was called for in the recipe, but that could be because I used all-purpose. I used 3 cups, and then as much as was needed to keep from sticking when I kneaded it. **I let it rise on the top of the preheating stove, away from the heat of the vents**, and it worked well. After I deflated it, I kneaded it in the bowl for a few minutes, then divided it into 8 rolls and covered them with the same oiled plastic wrap I used to cover the dough for the first rise. **I had preheated the stove to 375 degrees, instead of the suggested 400, because it gave me more control on the darkness of the bread**. I brushed them with melted butter, and they baked for 18 minutes until they were a lovely golden brown. I will definitely make this again, and will pass on the recipe. Thank you, Jo!

These were really good! I shaped them into oval buns (like the bakery) and they were perfect for sandwiches. The only thing I changed about this recipe was the size of the rolls. Instead of making 16 which would have been too small for sandwich buns I made 8.

I tried this recipe, and now my family is hooked. These rolls work well in every situation. My family and I recently went on a beachside picnic and the children begged for these rolls to make sandwiches with. They are easy, delicious, and turn out perfect every time. My 14 y/o son now makes them as well!! Thanks for the fab recipe. I just wanted to add a helpful tip to those who prefer a crustier chewier roll, spray with cold water with a fine mist spray bottle a couple of times during baking time. Great recipe!!

These are the best rolls. The crust is kind of chewy, and the inside is very soft and light, just the way I like it. Last time I made them, I made rolls with half of the dough, and froze the rest, then later used it for pizza crust. It was the best pizza crust that I have ever made.

Excellent recipe, perfect with easy Slow Cooker French Dip. I made them slightly oval shaped -just prior to putting them in the oven I made a small slit in the tops, French-bread style, and gave them an egg-white/water wash. Gives the bun a nice shiny finish. 6 people ate all 16 buns in one sitting!

I followed the recipe exactly, except I used my bread machine to do all the work. They turned out excellent & will be made often at our house!

To freshen up these rolls the next day, put the rolls in a paper bag, sprinkle the bag with cold water, and put in a preheated oven at 350F for 5 minutes. They'll taste as good as the first day. These rolls freeze well too. Defrost in the plastic bag and let the ice crystals get absorbed back into the rolls, then freshen as stated above.

This was my second attempt at making homemade bread, and it turned out very well. I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to do all the mixing and kneading, so all I had to do was roll it out. I made half the recipe into a regular-sized french bread roll and the other half into the rounds. Next time I'll separate it into four pieces and try to make smaller baguettes, because after it had risen, it was bigger than I wanted. Warning: this is a very sticky dough to work with, but apparently french bread usually is, so don't be alarmed like I was! Thanks for sharing, Jo.

These rolls were good, but taste more like an English muffin than true French bread!!The cooking time listed is WAY too long, 10-12 minutes is more accurate, or the temp needs lowered. I cooked mine for 15 minutes while in the other room feeding my babies, and they were already starting to burn on the bottoms. They were pretty tasty, and look nice, but the recipe definitely needs some adjustments. Maybe making a loaf instead of rolls would help?

Great recipe! These rolls are delicious and would go with so many foods - I think I'll make sandwiches with the leftovers tomorrow. I did wind up only cooking them for about 12 minutes, so definitely check them before the full cooking time.