Butter Dipped Rolls

Butter dipped cloverleaf rolls are a traditional holiday food for the Reece family. These are a start-the-night-before-for-best-flavor recipe.
(Thanks to Brandi with helping with the cloverleaf process!)

Ingredients:

Note: use a scale to measure the weights in ounces or grams!
(This is a double recipe - makes 36 cupcake-size rolls.)

Starter (evening step):

• 12 oz (340 g. option include 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour in weight) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 14 ounces room temperature (70° to 90°F)
• 2 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

Flour topper (evening step):

• 11 oz (312 g, option - include 3 tablespoons whole wheat in weight) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast

Add ins (morning):

• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions:

For the starter:

1. In a mixer bowl or other large bowl, combine the flour, water, honey, and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast. 
2. Whisk until very smooth, to mix in some air, about 2 minutes. 
3. The starter will be the consistency of a thick batter. 
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

For the flour topper:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dry milk, and additional 1 teaspoon instant yeast. 
2. Spread this on top of the starter and cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap. 
3. Allow to ferment for one hour at room temperature, then place in refrigerator overnight.
   (The starter will bubble through the flour blanket in places overnight, this is expected.)

In the morning:

1. Take the bowl out of the oven and let warm for an hour or so.
2. Take 1 stick of butter out to soften as well. (One goes in dough, one is used later in pans)
3. Scrape into bread machine pan, add 1 stick of softened butter chunks to the pan, and start dough cycle.
4. Add the 2 teaspoons of salt at the “add ingredient” beep.
5. Melt second stick of butter before the end of rise cycle, stir into it 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt.
6. When dough cycle is complete, start oven preheating to 400 degrees.
   (Option: place old metal cooking dish on floor of oven - you can toss 6 or 8 ice cubes in it for steam when you later place rolls in oven.)
7. Scrape the dough onto a well floured counter.
8. Punch down, knead lightly.
   (The dough is very light and sticky.)
9. Spray 36 cupcake wells with cooking spray.
10. Using a small cookie scoop (about 1.75 teaspoons), measure out 3 flattened scoops of dough per cupcake well. (This will be 108 scoops.)
    (Option: Roll each ball lightly in flour to make a tighter ball.)
11. (If you have extra balls, split up and share among less-full wells.) 
12. Spread butter on each roll, let rise until almost doubled, 30 minutes or so.
13. Place rolls in oven.
    (Option: Toss in 6 or 8 ice cubes in heated pan on flour of oven.)
14. Bake 14 to 15 minutes until light golden brown.
15. Remove from oven, and remove from pan to cool on cooking trays.

Carole's Notes:

These are very lightly adapted from the Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
You can bake them for a couple of minutes less, and reheat for a couple of minutes if you are bringing them to share.