Honey Oat Rolls - oats

Method

• In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine oats, water, and milk. Let sit for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until combined on low speed.
• With the mixer on medium speed, knead the dough until it forms a smooth, uniform ball, about 4 minutes. Coat dough in a little bit of vegetable oil and place back into the mixing bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Allow to ferment for 1 hour.
• Remove dough from bowl and gently fold over in half, and then half again. Place dough back into bowl and allow to ferment for an additional hour.
• Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a very lightly floured surface. Cut and weigh rolls into 3-ounce portions. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth, tight ball by making a "C" shape (or backward "C" if you are right-handed) by pressing gently on the sides of the ball while making a circular motion. You will feel the dough tighten as you roll it. After each roll is shaped, cover with a clean, damp cloth. Allow to ferment for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Rolls will spring back to the touch halfway once they are fully proofed and ready to be baked.
• While rolls are fermenting for a final time, place racks on the top and bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat to 450°F. Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack.
• For the glaze, mix together honey and warm water. Place rolls about 2 inches apart on a large pizza stone. Brush each roll with glaze. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut about 1/4" deep into each roll in one swift motion. Sprinkle rolls with additional oats, if desired.
• Place pizza stone in oven, and toss in about 4 ice cubes into the preheated cast iron skillet. Bake rolls for 15 minutes at 450°F, and then lower heat to 400°F for an additional 15-20 minutes. Open oven door halfway through baking for about 10 seconds in order to allow excess steam to escape. Rolls should be medium brown, and should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Move rolls to a cooling rack to allow to cool to room temperature.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Recipe slightly adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Oatmeal Bread Recipe in Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes.