French Bread Rolls......

Ok, Ive been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time but everytime I cook them (which is frequently) I forget to get the camera out. I remembered tonight though! This recipe has seriously become so near and dear to me. Thanks to Melanie from "My Kitchen Cafe" for sharing this gem. I seriously make them at least once a week. Ive used the dough for cinnamon rolls too and I must say they are quite tasty. You can make rolls of any shape or size or if you prefer, you can form all of it into a nice french bread loaf. The best part about this recipe is the fact that they are dairy free. Thats right....no butter, no milk, no eggs. My mom cant believe they could taste good without all of that but Im telling you they are Amazing......If you want to make them crusty instead of soft like a true French bread, spray some water into the oven three times in the first five to six minutes of baking and brush them with an egg white/water mixture prior to baking. I prefer soft, melt in your mouth, rolls and so I skip the water and egg and when they come out of the oven, I rub a stick of butter over the tops of them (guess that cancels out the dairy free part......)

French Bread Rolls
adapted from "my kitchen cafe"

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 8-10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour and mix that together. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume. This can take anywhere from 30 - 60 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is and what kind of yeast you are using (I use rapid rise and it only takes 30 minutes to double) I also heat my oven when I begin the dough to warm my kitchen up (Im not very patient :) ) .

Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 30-40 minutes or until you get sick of waiting..... Ive never had a batch not turn out. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.