Makes 16 rolls per batch (Average size of rolls 3″ wide, 2″ tall)
Bakes at 400F for 25 minutes
In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix:
2 cups warm water (110F)
1/2 cup honey (can sub up to 2 Tbsp of this for molasses)
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (that’s 2 packets of yeast)
Let that sit for 5 minutes while you mix these following ingredients in a bowl:
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Wheat Gluten
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp. Caraway Seeds
1 tsp. Dill Seeds
1/2 cup Flaxmeal
You can dump it all in at once with the paddle attachment. Once it’s mixed well, slowly add:
2 cups Dark Rye Flour
When it gets thick, switch to a dough hook.
When dough is completely mixed in mixer, knead on the counter with additional Dark Rye Flour, then cut into two equal parts. Place the dough into 2 lightly oiled bowls and let rise 1 hour or until doubled. Cut into 16 equal pieces, roll into individual rolls, let them rise again until doubled which takes at least 1/2 hour. To keep the rolls from drying out while they raise, brush them with oil. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes.
About these rolls:
You can use up to one cup of All-Purpose Flour to make them lighter, but I don’t recommend it. I’d probably think that was OK if I didn’t know how great these are with the dense, high fiber Whole Wheat and Dark Rye flour.
I use King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour and Hodgson Mill’s Dark Rye Flour. For the cocoa, I use a mix of Penzey’s Natural Cocoa and Dutch Processed Cocoa.
You could leave out the wheat gluten, but I don’t recommend it. You need a little extra gluten because the Rye flour doesn’t have gluten.
I tried to bake them for less time because they looked a little burned, but I found that the flaxmeal can burn a little where it is exposed to heat. I think if it as a handy timer because this bread is so dark, it’s hard to tell when it’s done. When they get a little browner on top, they’re done. They won’t taste like they’re burned.
