Buttery Brioche Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4-ounce package rapid rise yeast
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:

1. Add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour to the work bowl of a stand mixer. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and the salt. Stir flour mixture with whisk until well blended. Insert dough hook attachment into the stand mixer.
2. In medium sized bowl, add yeast and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Pour in lukewarm water and stir yeast mixture with fork until blended. Set aside 5 minutes to allow yeast to activate. In separate bowl, stir eggs with fork until well mixed. Add eggs to yeast mixture and stir to blend. Set aside.
3. Turn mixer to medium speed. Gradually add egg mixture to flour mixture. Turn off mixer. Scrape flour from sides of bowl with spatula. Turn mixer on to medium and mix dough until shiny and supple, about 8 minutes. With mixer running on medium, add 2 tablespoons butter and beat until incorporated into dough, stopping mixer and scraping dough down the sides of mixer, as necessary. Continue adding butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until a total of 12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks) have been added. Turn off mixer.
4. Use 2 tablespoons butter to generously grease medium sized bowl. Set bowl aside. Using spatula, empty dough onto a counter top sprinkled with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Dough will be sticky. Knead dough 5 or 6 turns, incorporating flour as necessary. Place dough into prepared bowl.
5. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled in bulk. At this point, you may punch dough down, re-cover dough and refrigerate overnight. After chilling, bring dough to room temperature and proceed with remaining steps.
6. If not chilling dough, punch dough down. Butter muffin pan, baking sheet or brioche tins with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Divide dough into 12 or 14 equal sized pieces. Shape into balls or classic brioche top knot.
7. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk. While dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
8. In small bowl, mix cream and egg yolk with fork to make egg wash. When dough has doubled in bulk, use pastry brush to paint tops of each roll with and egg wash. Place rolls into oven. Turn oven down to 350°F. Bake 25 minutes, or until rolls are fragrant and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool in pan before serving.