Directions

• Step 1 Prepare a 9 by 13-inch metal pan by greasing generously with 2 T. butter. Be sure to grease the sides of the pan as well as the bottom. Set aside.
• Step 2 Put 1/2 C. milk, 1/3 C. flour and 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mashed potatoes. This will take about 2 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and spoon it into the bowl of a stand mixer. This is called a tangzhong. Set aside. (The stand mixer should be fitted with a dough hook.)
• Step 3 Proof the yeast by stirring the yeast into the remaining milk that has been heated to around 105 degrees F. Once the yeast has pretty much dissolved in the warm milk, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit on your counter for about 5 minutes. The mixture should be foamy after the 5 minute rest.
• Step 4 Add the sour cream, sugar, kosher salt, 2 of the eggs, 4 T. of butter and the remaining 5 cups of bread flour to the bowl with the tangzhong. Add the dissolved yeast mixture to the bowl and, using the dough hook, mix on low speed until you have a shaggy dough. Increase the speed of your mixer to medium and continue to knead the dough with the dough hook for another 8 to 10 minutes. You want the dough to become smooth and supple. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally as you mix/knead the dough. If your dough is very sticky, you can add additional flour (1 T. at a time) until the consistency of the dough is more smooth and workable.
• Step 5 Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a clean surface where you can shape the dough into a smooth ball. Dust the ball of dough lightly with flour and put it into a large bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The dough is ready for the next step when it has roughly doubled.
• Step 6 Chop the chives. You want a fine dice. Remove the dough from the bowl, place it on a clean and lightly-floured surface, and, using your hand, press the dough down lightly to punch out some of the gas from the first rise. Stretch the dough into a square and then roll it out into a 12-inch square. You may need to put more flour on your surface to keep the dough from sticking. Sprinkle the chopped chives evenly across the surface of the rolled-out dough. Now, beginning from one of the short sides of the dough, fold the dough several times to enclose the chives. You should have a long, narrow rectangle of dough. Use the heel of your hand to flatten the dough and seal the seams.
• Step 7 Dust your surface with flour again. Roll the long, thin rectangle of dough out again . You want a 16 inch by 6 inch rectangle this time.
• Step 8 Use a pizza wheel cutter to cut the dough into 24 pieces. Each piece should measure approximately 2 inches square.
• Step 9 Form the dough squares into balls. Do this by pinching the edges of each dough square together. You will have what looks like a teardrop shaped piece of dough. Place this piece of dough on your flat surface and, using a circular motion, roll each piece of dough into a ball. Place each piece of dough into the prepared pan. You will have a 4 roll by 6 roll arrangement of the rolls when you have finished rolling them. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again to double in size. This will take 45 to 60 minutes depending upon the temperature in your kitchen.
• Step 10 As the rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the center position.
• Step 11 Prepare your egg wash. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl until there are no streaks in the egg. Gently brush the rolls with the egg wash. Sprinkle the rolls with flaky salt (I used Maldon) and black pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Your rolls will be a deep golden brown when they are done.
• Step 12 Remove the rolls from the oven and brush with the remaining 2 T. butter. Let the rolls cool on your counter for at least 15 minutes. To remove the rolls from the pan, slide a knife around the edge of the pan and then slide a metal spatula under the rolls to loosen the bottom. Slide the rolls out of the pan and onto a wire rack to cool. Serve the rolls warm or at room temperature.