Shaping Rolls

Cut the dough into equal pieces for the rolls (here the dough is cut into 4 pieces, each of which will be divided into 3 rolls for a total of 12 rolls).

Round the pieces of dough to make them easier to section.

Cut each piece of dough into 2½-ounce pieces.

Sprinkle each roll with a tiny bit of flour and roll the dough against your forefinger and the inside of your thumb.

Continue rolling. Curl your fingers down to create a small cage for the ball as you’re rolling. Move your hand over the dough and let it roll around in the “cage.” Place the finished balls on a nonstick sheet pan.

Leave the balls as they are or make decorative cuts into the dough before baking. Here are two methods: The first, shown here, is to make a single cut on the top of each of the rolls to create a little flap.

You can use scissors to make 4 cuts to create a star on each roll.

Sift flour over the rolls before baking.