Fabulous Overnight Rolls
Why I Love This Recipe
I found this recipe back in the '70's in a magazine and have made it for special dinners ever since. My family loves them and it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving dinner without them. I like to undercook them just a bit so I can use them as brown-and-serve rolls. Always good!!!!
Ingredients You'll Need
1 cup milk
3/4cup butter or shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
4 cups unbleached flour, lightly measured into cup
2 eggs at room temperature
Oil
Melted butter
Directions
Heat milk, butter, sugar and salt in saucepan just until butter melts; remove from heat and cool slightly.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl of electric mixer. When milk mixture is lukewarm (85 degrees), beat into yeast.
Add 2 cups flour and beat at slow, then medium speed 2 minutes. (There should be NO lumps).
Beat in eggs; when well blended, stop mixer and scrape down beaters and bowl.
Slowly add 1-cup flour, beating at low speed 2 minutes (mixer may labor at this point).
Remove beaters, stir in 3/4 cup flour and beat with wooden spoon until dough is smooth and elastic. (Dough will not be as stiff as for bread or any you knead on a board.)
Oil a large bowl and turn dough into it; brush top with oil and cover with plastic wrap, then a towel wrung out in warm water. Set in warm place (about 85 degrees) protected from drafts. Let dough rise until double in bulk (it will take about 2 hours).
Punch dough down and beat out air bubbles by kneading.
Divide dough in 4 equal pieces.
Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup flour on board and roll each piece in a circle 1/8 inch thick.
Brush with melted butter then cut each circle in about 8 wedges.
Roll each up from wide to narrow end to form a crescent.
Arrange crescents on lightly oiled baking sheets, allowing room for rolls to triple in size.
Brush with more melted butter, cover with plastic and set in warm place to rise (about 1 hour).
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven about 10-12 minutes. Or until pale gold.
Remove to racks.
When cool, bag airtight and refrigerate or freeze.
Just before dinner, remove as many rolls as you need; arrange on baking sheets and heat in 350 degree oven about 15 minutes or until hot.