Recipe: Old Fashioned Bread Rolls

 

 

 These have been a favorite for years.  This recipe forms a tender delicious roll which is a perfect addition to any dinner.

Old Fashioned Bread Rolls
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
 2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsps. salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
about 6 cups all purpose flour
1 egg
2 tbsps. butter 
salad oil or Pam


Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine SUGAR, SALT, YEAST and 2 1/4 cups FLOUR.  In a quart saucepan over low heat, heat WATER and 1/2 cup BUTTER until very warm (120'-130').  Butter does not need to melt.
2. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat liquid into dry ingredients until just blended.  Increase speed to medium; beat 2 mins. occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Beat in EGG and 3/4 cup FLOUR to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 mins. scraping bowl often. Stir in enough additional FLOUR to make soft dough, about  2 1/2 cups.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 mins. [I use dough hook on KitchenAid mixer instead]
4. Shape dough into a large ball and place in a greased large bowl, turning dough over so that top of dough is greased.  [I spray the bowl with Pam or the like].  Cover loosely with saran wrap and a clean towel and let rise in a warm place (80'-85') away from drafts, until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.  Dough is doubled when two fingers pressed lightly into dough leaves a dent.
5. Punch down down.  Turn dough over and brush with salad oil.  Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate, punch dough down occasionally, until ready to use.
Or form rolls now and let rise again.
6. About 2 1/2 hours before serving, remove dough from refrigerator and grease a 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" open roasting pan.  Cut dough into 30 equal pieces and shape into balls.  Place in pan with small space between each ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
If you prefer, you can form rolls as pictured by rolling out dough into about a 5" long log and tying a knot in the dough before allowing the rolls to rise. 
7. Preheat oven to 425'.  Bake rolls 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Optional:  In a small sauce pan over low hear, melt 2 tbsps. of butter.  With a pastry brush, lightly brush melted butter over hot rolls.  Remove rolls from pan and serve immediately. 
Makes 2 1/2 dozen rolls