Aunt Gens Sweet Rolls Recipes

BASIC SWEET-ROLL DOUGH

Steps:

• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

GRANDMA RITA'S SOFT BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Pour milk into a glass 2-cup measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it starts to boil and climb the sides, about 1 minute. Add butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt to the scalded milk; set aside to cool until it gets below 110 degrees F (45 degrees C).
• Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Pour milk mixture into the yeast mixture; add 2 cups bread flour and egg. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the dough is smooth and a little tacky.
• Turn dough out onto a sheet of flour-dusted waxed paper and lightly knead to pull dough together; shape into a ball. Place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into thirds. Break each third into six evenly sized balls and arrange onto prepared baking sheet. Cover balls with a towel to rise further for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.

MY AUNT TERRIE'S FAMOUS HOMEMADE DINNER ROLLS (BEST EVER!)

Steps:

• In a heat-proof bowl, melt 1 stick of the butter in the microwave and allow it to cool.
• Add 1/4 cup warm (not hot) water, the yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to a small bowl and stir slightly with fork. Set aside to proof.
• In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, put 3 cups of the flour with the salt, eggs (preferably at room temperature), 1 cup warm (not hot) water, 1 cup sugar, and the cooled melted butter. Mix well.
• Add the yeast mixture and gradually add the remaining 2 cups of flour and keep beating. Cook's Note: You may not need the whole 5 cups of flour; the stickier (not runny) the dough, the lighter the rolls.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl and pour about 1/4 cup of oil over the dough. Cover with a plate and let rise, at least double or more its original size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• After the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface and knead it a little. Roll out the dough about 1/4-inch thick (or thinner). Let the dough rest a few minutes while you melt the other stick of butter. Use a cookie cutter and cut out rolls. Dip each roll in melted butter, fold in half and put them on a sheet pan. Arrange them close together, filling up the pan.
• Bake until nice and brown. Ovens vary, so maybe about 20 minutes.
• Take the pan out of oven and immediately brush the rolls with butter. Transfer them to a serving dish and serve.

GRANDMA PEGGY'S CORNMEAL ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook milk, cornmeal, butter or margarine, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan until slightly thickened. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well. Set aside to cool. Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees F). Combine cornmeal mixture, yeast, and 2 well-beaten eggs. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface and cover. When dough has doubled in size, cut and shape dough into dinner rolls. Let rise in warm place, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls for 12 to 15 minutes.

AUNT BETTY'S HUNGARIAN NUT ROLL

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a bowl according to package instructions. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• While yeast softens, combine sugar, 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons shortening, butter, egg yolks, egg, vanilla-butternut flavoring, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric mixer until creamy and thoroughly combined.
• Combine flour, milk, and yeast mixture in a separate bowl; mix into egg mixture until well combined and a dough forms. Set aside to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Knead risen dough down gently; cut into 4 equal pieces. Set the pieces aside and let rise for an additional 20 minutes.
• While rolls rise, beat egg whites using an electric mixer in a mixing bowl until stiff. Add pecans, sugar, honey, and vanilla extract; beat to combine.
• Roll out each piece of dough using a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface, to approximately 13x18-inch rectangles, 1/4-inch thick.
• Spread pecan mixture approximately 1/4-inch thick onto the dough. Roll up dough, beginning from the side. Place rolls 2 1/2-inches apart on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 45 minutes.

SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• Let milk come to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Cool. Soften yeast in warm water. Stir into milk mixture. Pour into large mixing bowl. Add flour, a little at a time, to liquid mixture. Beat well. Turn out onto floured board. Allow to sit 15 minutes. Knead until smooth and satiny.
• Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn over once. Cover with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Roll out dough on floured board to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into three 8-inch squares (they don't have to be perfect squares). Work with 1 square at a time. Brush each square with melted butter.
• Mix 1 cup sugar with cinnamon (if necessary,you may have to make more sugar/cinnamon mixture.) Sprinkle most of this mixture generously over entire surface of each square. Starting at one side of each square, roll into a tube. Continue rolling back and forth, until 12 to 18 inches long. Repeat with other 2 squares. Cut each tube into wheels about 1/2-inch wide. Place wheels onto a baking sheet that has been brushed with melted butter and sprinkled well with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place them so that they touch. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour to rise again.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 18 to 20 minutes. (You can refrigerate rolls, covered, and then bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.).

AUNT GEN'S SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Put in mixer bowl, melted butter, cold water, eggs and salt. Mix well. Add 3 c. flour. Add dissolved yeast. Keep mixing. Add 2 more cups flour. Pour out on floured board and knead in 1 more cup of flour. Let rise until doubled.
• To make cinnamon rolls: Divide dough in half. Roll out with rolling pin to 1/2 inch thick round. Spread with melted butter. Sprinkle generously with white sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll up dough in a long stick. Cut in 1 inch slices. Place on greased cookie sheet (jelly roll pan). Let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, frost with powdered sugar frosting: Mix together the powdered sugar, dash of salt, oleo and vanilla. Add hot water till right consistency to drizzle on warm rolls.
• For pecan rolls: Mix together butter/oleo, corn syrup, brown sugar and water. Bring to slow boil, so sugar is dissolved. Pour into 8 x 8 greased pan or round layer cake pan. Cover bottom with pecan halves. Lay a layer of sweet rolls in pan. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Tip out on plate when done.