I tried a formula for "Hard Dinner Rolls" which goes like the following:

3.0 lb Water 55.00%
3.0 oz Fresh yeast 3.50%
5.5 lb Bread flour 100.00%
2.0 oz Salt 2.25%
2.0 oz Sugar 2.25%
2.0 oz Shortening 2.25%
2.0 oz Egg whites 2.25%

Method: Straight Dough

Mix/knead 10 minutes on second speed using dough hook.
Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit

I brushed egg whites over before baking and had a small pot of water in the
oven for the first five minutes.

I think I'll need to either tweek the formula or the method or both.

PROBLEM: the dough was too tough to roll into balls smoothly, so they made
really roughly shaped balls. The dough seemed really rubbery or even
leathery.

Any ideas? Does anybody see any obvous problems with this formula?

Thanks.

Rich Hollenbeck