Grandma Jean’s Rolls
These rolls are amazing! I learned how to make these from my mother-in-law, Henry’s Grandma Jean. {That is a day in the kitchen that I will never regret!}Plain, buttered, strawberry-jammed, hot-out-of-the-oven, next-day snack, however you please… these are the rolls you want. I made them this past Sunday to go with my husband’s shepherd’s pie {recipe coming in the next Dish!}and they were all gone before the little one had even retired to bed. Try this recipe and tell me you’re not impressed. I dare you!
Here we go.
- 1 cake yeast {2 1/4 tsp}
- 2 tsp + 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C lukewarm water {if you need to, use a thermometer and get it to 110 degrees – it makes a difference!}
- 1 1/2 C milk
- 1/4 C shortening
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 6 C flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp wheat gluten***
- 1 Tbsp dough enhancer***
- butter
***The wheat gluten and dough enhancer are optional. I made these rolls for two years without these ingredients, and the bread was still delicious. Adding this stuff, though, takes these rolls from amazing to amazingly magical. Magic, people.
- Dissolve 2 tsp of sugar in the water. Dissolve the yeast in the sugar-water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, scald the milk. Add the shortening, 1/2 C sugar, and salt. Set aside to let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the milk mixture, and 2 C of flour mixed with the wheat gluten. Beat smooth.
- Add yeast mixture, eggs, dough enhancer, and remaining flour. Knead until smooth. Dough will be pretty wet/sticky. Let rise.
- Shape rolls as desired. Our family favorite is the crescent roll: Cut dough into fourths. Roll each section into a 1/4″ circle. Butter well. Cut each section into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Begin rolling at largest end and form crescents. Let rise.
- Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. For extra magic, butter the tops as they come out of the oven.
