You don’t have to find elaborate recipes to make impressive holiday dishes. Sometimes, just a few extra special touches can turn a straight-forward recipe into a festive meal or side.
For this recipe, I used a potato dinner roll recipe and formed them into smaller, mini rolls arranged into a circle shape. Add some pomegranates and rosemary after baking, and you have the prettiest wreath at your dinner table.
If you’ve not used mashed potatoes in doughs before, this addition might sound odd, but creates a fluffy and tender roll. You can use left overs or store bought (I pick up some from the deli counter at my local grocer). Just keep in mind the amount of moisture in the mashed potatoes will affect how much flour is needed, so go by feel and look of the dough as you slowly add the flour.
- ¾ cup milk, warm but not hot
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup prepared mashed potatoes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 to 4 cups all purpose flour
- For baking and decorating:
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Pomegranate arils and rosemary, for decorating
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add milk, granulated sugar, and yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes, until bubbly. Add eggs, olive oil, mashed potatoes, and salt, mixing to combine. Add about 2½ cups flour, and mix until a rough dough forms. With mixer on low speed, continue adding ½ to 1½ cups flour, a few spoonfuls at a time, until dough comes together but is still soft and a bit sticky to the touch (you may not need all flour or may need a tad more if too sticky--this will depend on consistency of the mashed potatoes you use). Increase speed of mixer to medium speed, and allow dough to knead for about 10-15 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic.
- Dump dough into a large oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rise in a draft-free spot for about 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Once dough is nearly doubled, punch down and dump onto a floured surface. Divide into 28 even pieces, and form into small rolls. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place a small circle baking dish in the center (to outline the middle of your wreath). Arrange rolls around the baking dish in two layers to create your wreath shape, allowing for a little space in between rolls for rising. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm, draft-free spot. Allow to rise again until nearly doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
- When dough is nearly ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together melted butter and honey, and brush over rolls. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until cooked and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool.
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