Cumin Bread Rolls (A B M)

From the November 1997 issue of Bon Appetit. I take a shortcut and use the dough cycle on an automatic bread machine which saves time. Whole wheat flour can be substituted for part of the white flour. Try this with chili, stew-any hearty soup!

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 24 rolls

Ingredients

• 1  cup  warm milk
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  large eggs
• 3 3⁄4 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1⁄3 cup butter, melted
• 1  large egg, beaten
• 2  tablespoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

Directions

1. Place first 8 ingredients in bread pan in order given as indicated by your bread machine manual.
2. Set bread machine for DOUGH cycle.
3. Toast the cumin seeds for about 5 minutes in a clean, dry skillet then set aside to cool.
4. Once dough is ready, place in an lightly oiled heat-proof bowl and set in warm location. Let rise for about 45 minutes or until double in size.
5. Transfer dough to lightly floured board and knead it about 10 times. Butter muffin tins.
6. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Punch down dough and divide in half. Cut each half into 12 equal pieces. Dip each dough piece in the melted butter.
7. Now pull and stretch the dough ball into a 6"-8" long rope. (It won't be perfectly shaped, and that's okay.) Tie the "rope" into a simple knot and tuck the ends under. Repeat until all rolls are shaped.
8. Place the rolls in buttered muffin tin. Brush rolls with egg glaze. Sprinkle each roll with the toasted cumin seeds. Let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
9. Bake until light brown, about 14-15 minutes.
10. Remove from muffin tin and serve with a smile.