For some time I’ve enjoyed following Liz over at My Favourite Pastime. I have made many delicious recipes from her site. Recently she had these scrumptious looking rolls I simply had to make. Was it the French name or how good they looked? I’m not sure, but I’m so glad I made them!
The boys were thrilled I made them as well. They do so love homemade breads and this was a definite winner. What isn’t to like, a light and fluffy roll with a sprinkle of sugar in top?!
This recipe is just the basic roll. You can certainly play around with it. I’ve made it several times, each a little different. Once I rolled them out into log shapes and filled the inside with dark chocolate. Another time I added dried Valencia orange zest and mini chocolate chips for Ewan’s birthday brunch.
I plan to make them with a flavored cream cheese filling sometime too. I also have special plans for these rolls for St. Nick’s Day so keep an eye on our Instagram, hopefully they turn out as planned!
Of all the times I’ve made them this is the first time I had a chance to photograph them. And the weather didn’t cooperate of course, completely dark and rainy that day. And the tops didn’t slash as I wanted. Hopefully that will change if I get my lame I want for Christmas. There are so many fun ways to slash the tops! Oh well, life isn’t perfect but these rolls make life better!
Liz’s recipe was great, but I still made changes. My changes were mainly due to laziness. I changed it to knead in the mixer. I also added a little flour since the dough was a little too soft, maybe because of our humidity or due to using the mixer. Feel free to click the link and check out her original recipe. Any which way you make them these gems are scrumptious!
Recipe slightly adapted from My Favourite Pastime
Petits Pain Au Lait
1 c. warm milk (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
4 c. bread flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg yolk mixed with 2 Tbs. cream
Pearl sugar
Bloom the yeast in the warm milk for five minutes. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in the large bowl for a stand mixer. In a small bowl whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients. Using the dough hook run the mixer on low and slowly add in the milk with yeast. Once it is combined knead on a high speed for about five minutes. Cover the bowl and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into balls or flatten each piece into 4-5 inch circles and roll up jelly roll style into a log shape, pinching the seam closed. Place on a parchment lined sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Cover with a towel, place in a warm place and allow to double in size, about 45 minutes.
While rising preheat oven to 375. Once doubled brush the tops with the egg yolk and cream mixture. Slice the tops with desired pattern and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Best eaten warm, even better with butter and jam!
Yields: 1 dozen
Feeding My 3 Sons 
These rolls are gorgeous! I bet a flavored cream cheese would be tasty. I’ll have to check out her site. You photos are beautiful…I would have never known it was cloudy.
Thank you! The weather loves to torment me now and then. Flavored cream cheese is definitely on our list to try in the rolls. I like to mix in homemade jam with a plain cream cheese for a fruity flavor.
They look perfect! Beautiful photos! x
Thank you! They certainly tasted delicious!
I’m just not good with rolls but I’m going to try your recipe and instructions. They’re beautiful and would be lovely on the Christmas dinner table.
These really were pretty easy rolls. I’m not the best at making them all the same size, always something I guess!
They look amazing and the photos are awesome. I love the setting and colour scheme. You now do it like a pro! I’m glad to hear I inspired you and I think I shall also try and play around with them. I love the idea of a log filled with chocolate. Sounds like something I would definitely love to try. Enjoy the rest of the week and have a great weekend ahead.
Thank you so much Liz! The weather was so frustrating, I finally bake them AND have the time to photograph and it’s so ugly out! Oh well, I guess it worked out in the end. Besides, such a gloomy day made for nice tea and a roll weather. Flavored cream cheese may be my next experiment with these, after my St. Nick experiment. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You’re welcome! I see you haven’t been posting much like me….Happy New Year!
Yeah that infection wiped all the energy out of me plus I couldn’t eat much so did t cook much. Then the hustle and bustle of the holidays and kids being home. I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. I post plenty on Instagram and am hoping to get back to two blog posts a week. Happy New Year to you and your family!
These look so good! I have never seen pearl sugar here, so something I will add to my overseas shopping list 🙂
I hadn’t seen pearl,sugar in my small city either, that’s why I had to order it! It’s great for sprinkling on top and also goes in Liege style waffles. Thanks for popping by!
These are simply beautiful rolls!
Thank you! They are quite tasty too.
Your bread rolls are gorgeous. I’ll have to look out for that pearl sugar. I do love the aroma of home baked rolls coming from the kitchen xx
Thank you! The smell is amazing, must be the yeast or something. I have some in the oven right now and am hoping they look good, I shaped half of them for St. Nick’s Day.
Your bread rolls look amazing. I did a bread making course ages ago with my husband and we had such fun. Have a great week. Emma .
Bread is such a wonderful thing! My house smells great right now as I have a batch of these rolls in the oven shaped just for St. Mick’s Day.
You can’t beat the smell of fresh bread. I made my christmas cake yesterday and the whole house smelt of spices. It was wonderful. Love to you and the family. xx
These look sensational!
Thank you! We just had them again St. Nick’s Day kinda sorta in St. Nick shapes. More like a snowman or gingerbread man but still quite festive.
Well done, Gretchen! These look great and I’d love to try one with the orange zest, although that cream cheese filling does sound good, too. I don’t have a lame but use — don’t hate me — a box cutter dedicated to bread baking. A couple of years ago, I was forming a loaf and there, on the counter next to me, was a new pack of 3 box cutters. I grabbed one and a new bread baking tool was created. 🙂
Thank you John! They were fantastic again yesterday in festive shapes for St. Nick’s Day. I am looking forward to making them with a cream cheese and homemade jam mixture. Chocolate was also good. I would have used a box cutter too but didn’t have one. The first time I made them I made a lot of little X marks or diagonal lines and they looked spiky which was fun. A lame would make that easier!
Looks tasty, and fantastic photography too! I’ve never used pearl sugar before, I’ll have to keep an eye out for it to try!
Thank you Peter! It was my first time using pearl sugar and it was enjoyed by all. Next I’ll sprinkle it on top of some cinnamon rolls.
yum! good idea!
Love Liz’s blog- and yours. All for shortcuts (you are anything but “lazy”)!
I have my lazy moments, though usually for good reason. We’ve been eating leftovers for days now and am finally cooking again today! Hope you are enjoying your holiday break.
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