Whole Wheat Cheddar Green Onion Dinner Rolls

Steps

1. Prep first: shred the cheddar and divide it, setting aside four-fifths for the dough and one-fifth for the tops; slice the green onion; melt the butter and let it cool slightly; warm the milk.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the whole wheat flour, bread flour, instant yeast and salt to make the dry mix.
3. In another bowl, whisk the warm milk, lukewarm water, honey, egg and melted butter until smooth to make the wet mix.
4. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir into a shaggy dough. This is about 70% hydration (counting the water in the milk) and 1.8% salt.
5. Knead on a clean, lightly greased counter for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky; whole wheat dough stays a little sticky, so resist adding more whole wheat flour or bread flour.
6. Flatten the dough, scatter the dough portion of the cheddar and all of the green onion over it, then fold and knead 1 to 2 minutes until evenly spread.
7. Cover and let rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 60 to 75 minutes, until doubled in size.
8. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 95 g each), shape each into a tight ball and set them in the pan in rows of 3 by 4.
9. Cover and proof at about 75°F (24°C) for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy and the dough springs back slowly when poked. Near the end, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
10. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the rolls.
11. Bake 20 to 24 minutes, until deep golden and the center roll reads 190°F (88°C).
12. Cool the rolls in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack and cool at least 15 minutes before pulling apart and serving.