Buttery sweet dinner rolls with a tangzhong

Put about 60 g of flour in a small pot and, with the heat on, whisk in enough of the measured milk to make a smooth paste; bring to a simmer until it gelatinizes, then kill the heat.

Whisk out the lumps and gradually whisk in the rest of the milk.

In a big bowl, check the milk is not hot enough to kill the yeast, then add a tablespoon of dry yeast, 100 g sugar, about 15 g coarse salt and two eggs.

Stir in all-purpose flour with a wooden spoon, as much as stirs in easily, about four cups.

Cover with a wet cloth and rest about 15 minutes so the flour hydrates and autolyses; meanwhile melt half a stick of butter.

Add half the melted butter, scatter with flour and knead, adding more flour as required, until smooth and satiny, sticky but dry enough to tear off a chunk and mould it into a roll.

Cover and rise about two hours on the counter or overnight in the fridge; it may not quite double.

Roll the dough into a long snake and cut into about a dozen portions with scissors.

Press each portion flat, roll it up and tuck it into a ball.

Line a square, tall-sided baking dish with crumpled parchment, put the rolls in just touching, cover and proof about half an hour until puffy.

Brush with egg wash (an egg beaten with a little water) or leftover melted butter, then score the tops with scissors.

Bake at 375F / 190C for about half an hour, until they stop growing and are well browned.

Lift out by the paper to cool, then pull the rolls apart.