French Bread Rolls

Everything went perfect making these rolls. I think one of the biggest factors was a constant temperature of 70 degrees in the house all day - - - ideal for the starter and the rising dough.
This form of yeasted pre-ferment is called Poolish.
The French expanded on the method used by the Polish, yet kept credit where it was due with the naming of it.
Poolish is a mixture of equal weights flour and water, with a very small portion of yeast added. Being of equal parts, it has 100% hydration. Salt is not included. The characteristics of Poolish not only making shaping the final dough easier, but using it also results in increased volume of the loaf.
From "Bread - A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes" by Jefferey Hamelman, baker, Director of the Bakery and Baking Education Center at King Arthur Flour : "The aroma of a bowl of ripe poolish is intoxicating - sweet and nutty with a delicate hint of acidity - and the texture of the dough is beautifully silken, a true delight for the hands."

I started my Poolish at 8:45 am Friday. The pictures show different stages over the 12 hours I let it rise - taken at 3, 6, 9, & 12 hours. The final picture of the Poolish shows it exactly as it is described in the book - characterized by many small bubbles on the surface. The is when it is at it's peak of ripeness. Any longer and a collapse would be noticeable in the bowl.........still usable, but already past it's peak.
The dough was shaped into 4oz. rolls (good size for hamburger rolls), and baked at 460 degrees for about 16 min., using steam during the first 10 minutes. I also brushed the rolls with melted butter just before I put them in the oven. The rise, color, crust, and taste were excellent!