Clover Rolls

As you might remember, I promised everyone that I was going to go a little nuts this Thanksgiving. And I did. I made a ton of food which, for the most part, was gobbled down. There are certainly one or two things that I'm definitely going to turn into a yearly tradition, and this particular recipe was one of them. While I'm not usually the type of person who'll invest a couple hours into making dinner rolls for an everyday meal, these particular rolls are perfect for a special occasion. They're pretty and delicious and surprisingly un-temperamental to make.

As my family quickly discovered, the greatest thing about these rolls is that the clovers allow them to be neatly pulled apart; all the better for sopping up gravy and juices. So with Christmas heading merrily towards us like a sparkly green-and-red steam locomotive, I give these little beauties my highest stamp of approval. 

Clover Rolls (from The Grand Central Baking Book)
Makes 12-16

Sponge:
1 3/4 cups tepid water
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp honey
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Final dough:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted, plus more for brushing and dipping
2 tsp salt
1 tsp active dry yeast

Make the sponge. About 3 to 4 hours before the meal you plan to serve the rolls with, combine the water, yeast and honey in a bowl with high sides or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on low speed for about 1 minute. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the sponge sit in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes, until bubbly.

Make the final dough. ADd the flour, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the salt and yeast to the sponge. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then on medium speed for 3 minutes, until the dough is stretchy and glossy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Use a plastic bowl scraper to release the dough fro the bowl onto a floured work surface. Gather and round the dough, then pale it in a clean, lightly greased bowl large enough that the dough can double in size. Because this dough is kept warm and contains quite a bit of yeast, it should rise quickly. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour at room temperature.

Brush a standard-size muffin tin with melted butter. About 1 hour before baking, or when the dough has doubled in size, turn it out of the bowl onto the work surface. Divide it into 12 even pieces with a bench knife or a chef's knife, then divide each into 3 smaller pieces. Round each small piece, dip one side into the melted butter, then arrange 3 balls in each muffin cup with the buttered sides touching.

Lightly brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter, then cover with plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and let the rolls rise nearby, in a warm spot, for about 30 minutes. When they've risen properly, the rolls should dent easily when poked, and the dough should spring back slightly. Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through the baking time, or until the rolls are golden brown. Serve them hot from the oven with plenty of fresh butter. Enjoy!