Continental Rolls

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Combine the warm water, agave nectar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not bread hook). Use a wooden spoon or whisk to mix well. Make sure the yeast is completely dissolved.

   Step 2

   Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, and salt. Add to the yeast mixture in two batches and beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the dough is combined, about 1 minute.

   Step 3

   Dust a baking sheet liberally with cornmeal.

   Step 4

   Use a rubber spatula to turn out the dough onto a well-floured board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour mix, pat into a disk, and cut in half. Roll the dough into two 12-inch logs. Cut one log into 4 pieces. Shape into 3 by 3-inch rectangles. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the other log. Spray the tops of the rolls with baking spray. Cover the rolls with a clean dish towel or tea towel. Place a pan of very hot water in the bottom of the oven. Put the baking sheet with the rolls in the oven, with the oven turned off. Let rise for 1 hour. In the last 20 minutes of the rise, remove the rolls from the oven, replace the pan of hot water with new hot water (this will create steam, which gives you that coveted crunchy crust), and preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the rolls continue to rise on the counter while the oven is heating. Brush the tops of the rolls gently with cold water. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, brush the rolls again with cold water, return to the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes longer, or until the rolls are lightly golden on top. Transfer the rolls to a cooling rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm. To reheat, place in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, directly on the rack.

2. tip

   Step 5

   Instead of using baking spray, you can also melt 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening and brush the rolls with it using a pastry brush.