Petit Pains au Lait

I haven't baked bread for a very, very long time, and though I had an unopened packet of yeast, the mojo was completely gone. Till I saw this recipe for Petit Pains au Lait by Rhea Mitra-Dalal. The bread looked so wonderful, I couldn't wait to measure out the flour, and before you knew it, the yeast was bubbling away.
The rest, as they say, is history. The bread got baked, and it turned out to the the softest, most yummy bread I have had for a long, long time. So lovely, in fact, even the younger one returned for seconds. Definitely a Winner!

2 1/2 cups flour with 2 tablespoons flour reduced.
2/3 cup warmed milk
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup regular sugar
1/4 tsp salt
60 grams butter

2 tbsp milk for washing
Pearl sugar or large grained sugar (I didn't have, so skipped)

Method
In a large mixing bowl pour in the warmed milk and add the yeast and the sugar. Let it froth for 10 minutes, and after it starts sizzling, stir it well, and add the flour and then the salt.
Mix it all well with your fingers till it resembles large crumbs. This should take two to three minutes. Now add the butter and knead it into the flour mix to till it all comes together. Remove the dough to your cleaned work surface and start working the dough. Keep a little milk handy and add it by the mere teaspoonful if the dough is too stiff. Knead for a good 10 to 15 minutes till the dough is soft and smooth. Place it a bowl and cover with a damp napkin and leave it to rise. This will take around an hour and a half to double in size.

 Turn out onto the work surface and deflate it gently. Divide into 10 portions and leave to rise for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Take each individual ball of dough and roll out into a circle roughly 6 inches across. Roll up the disc to form a cylinder and then place it on your baking tray. Make ten such rolls and leave them to prove for another hour till they are nice and plump again.

A distinct feature of Pains au Lait are the cuts made along one side of the roll that result in a pretty pattern on the golden rolls when they are finally baked. You can see how these cuts are made in this video here. Remember to brush the rolls with a little milk before you make the cuts so the final product has a beautiful glaze. Dot the rolls with pearl sugar if you have it or sprinkle regular sugar. You can also use demerara sugar if you like or avoid the sugar entirely.

Bake the rolls in a 200C preheated oven for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily.

These rolls are best had hot out of the oven - with a dash of butter.