These Gluten Free Crusty French Rolls are the perfect rolls to serve with any dinner. They're crusty on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and so easy to make!
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add all dry ingredients and whisk using a handheld wire whisk. Add the honey, olive oil, and water. Place on mixer and mix briefly to incorporate. Turn the mixer up to medium high and knead for 5 minutes. Remove the dough hook and scrape the dough into a cohesive mass using a plastic dough scraper or a rubber spatula (or scrape into another bowl). Cover and place the bowl in a warm, draft-free area and allow it to rise (proof) for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, but up to 10 days.
Remove half of the dough from the fridge (or more) and knead it until smooth on a well-floured surface. Divide the dough into 2-4 ounce pieces (2 ounce for small rolls and 4 ounce for larger rolls to be used as buns).
Flatten each piece slightly and pull in the dough from the sides to create a taut dough. Pinch the dough together and turn over to where the pinched dough (the seam) is on the bottom. Put ball of dough on a smooth surface that isn't floured (the flour will cause the dough to slide around and you want friction). Put your hand over the dough with the outer edge of your palm where your pinky finger is creating a "cage" over the roll (the side of your hand should always touch the surface of the counter). Move your hand in a counter clockwise direction, pushing the dough around inside the "cage" until the roll is nice and round. If it sticks a little, that's okay. Just use your bench scraper to release it from the surface.
Place rolls 3-4 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffed, but not necessarily doubled in size. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or possibly two, depending on the temperature of your proofing area (don't be surprised in winter months if it takes longer--this is perfectly normal, especially considering the rolls come straight out of the fridge before shaping).
Preheat oven to 450° F. When rolls have risen, slash the tops of each with a bread lame or sharp knife.
After placing the rolls in the oven, immediately create steam. This can be done by pouring very hot water into a shallow pan on a lower rack, throwing a couple of ice cubes directly onto the floor of your oven, or spraying the rolls directly with water using a spray bottle. Immediately shut the oven door and bake the rolls for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crusty.
Notes
You can make these rolls without psyllium husks. You will need to reduce the amount of water to 1 ½ cups (360ml).Store rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Rolls may also be frozen, well wrapped, for 3-6 months. To reheat rolls, run each roll under running water (sounds weird, but it works) and place in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.