The bubbles in any carbonated beverage give a little extra lift to your baked goods, but beers that still contain live yeast, like bottled-conditioned brews, pack an extra punch when it comes to tender, light yeast breads. Hefeweizens are one of the best for baking with; after all, the name literally means “yeast wheat” in German. Switching out the standard warm water for a liquid that contains live yeast, wheat and carbonation gives you a more active bakers yeast to play with and gives your dough a slightly higher rise. Hefes are a bakers’ dream come true, and the leftovers aren’t so bad to deal with either.
Makes: makes 16 rolls
Ingredients:- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
- (21⁄4 teaspoons)
- 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
- 2⁄3 cup hefeweizen
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour and yeast; stir to
combine.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream and beer.
Heat 20 seconds, test the mixture’s temperature, and repeat until cream is between 120-125 degrees F.
3. Add the cream mixture to the stand mixer; mix until combined. The dough will look dry and shaggy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between additions. Add the honey and butter; mix on high until the dough forms a smooth and shiny ball that isn’t sticky, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Coat the inside of a large bowl with oil. Form the dough into a ball and set inside the prepared bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm room until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours depending on the room’s temperature.
5. Punch the dough down and knead lightly for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface.
6. Cut the dough into 16 equal sized pieces, and roll each piece into tight balls. Place the balls into
a baking dish with a bit of space between each.
7. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
8. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
9. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
10. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
