Mix together 65 grams of ripe/bubbly/active sourdough starter with 65 grams all-purpose flour and 65 grams water. Cover and keep levain at 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours until bubbly, active and ripe.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the ripe levain, water, oil, honey, salt and bread flour. I like to reserve about a cup of bread flour and add it in as the dough kneads together, making sure that I'm not adding too much flour to the dough.
Knead together for 8-10 minutes, adding the rest of the flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should be tacky to the touch, not overly sticky. If it is very sticky, add a little bit more flour, about 20-30 grams at a time. Add the 60 grams of parmesan cheese and knead for another minute or two until combined.
Bulk Fermentation: Put the dough in a container and cover. Set the dough in a warm, 78-80 degree F place for 4 hours. Take the temperature of the dough as needed to maintain the dough temperature right around 78 degrees F (I use this bread proofer to keep my dough temperature consistent). 78 degrees F is optimal for fermentation.
At the end of about 4 hours, the dough should be puffed up and feel very elastic. If it doesn't feel this way, let it bulk ferment for another half hour, and check again.
Overnight Option: At this point, after the bulk fermentation has finished, you can cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Proceed with the recipe the next day, shaping and proofing the rolls before baking.
Shaping: Dump the dough onto a countertop. Separate the dough into 24 pieces. Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape (see video here) to seal the ball and create tension for the roll to rise.
Topping the Rolls: Mix together the topping ingredients. Dunk each shaped roll into the topping, covering the roll completely. Repeat with remaining 23 rolls. Place the rolls in a 9 by 13 pan, nestling the rolls next to each other 4 across and 6 down. If you want a softer bottom on these rolls, line the pan with parchment paper before adding the rolls to the pan.
Proofing: Cover the pan with a dish towel and let rise in a 80-85ºF place until puffed up, almost doubled in size and risen, about 2-3 hours. I like to do this in my oven with the light on - do not turn the oven on! Do not bake these rolls if they have not risen.
Baking: Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF. Once the rolls have puffed up, doubled in size and are soft and airy, bake for about 25-30 minutes until baked all the way through. Enjoy!
