Yeast rolls
18 to 24 rolls
1 package active dry yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast
¼ cup warm water (about 110° F.)
¾ cup hot milk
¼ cup shortening or oil
¼ cup sugar
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 egg
About 4 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in water. Mix milk, fat, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm.
Stir in egg and yeast. Add 2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Gradually stir in more flour until dough leaves sides of bowl.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place in a lightly greased bowl and turn over once to grease upper side of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80° to 85° F.) until almost double in bulk, 1 to 1¼ hours. Dough should rise until a light touch leaves a slight depression. Press the dough down into the bowl to remove air bubbles.
To make plain rolls, divide dough into small pieces and roll into balls about 1½ inches in diameter. Place in a shallow greased pan with sides touching—or 1 inch apart if you prefer crusty sides.
Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) 15 to 20 minutes.
Brush rolls with melted butter or margarine after removing them from the oven.
Variations
Crescent rolls.—Divide dough into three portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a circle about 10 inches in diameter. Brush with melted butter or margarine. Cut each circle into 6 wedges; roll wedges up tightly, beginning at wide end. Place on greased baking sheet with points down; curve ends to form crescents. Let rise and bake.
Cinnamon-nut rolls.—Roll dough out on lightly floured surface into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Brush with melted butter or margarine. Sprinkle with a mixture of ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Press ½ cup chopped nuts into dough. Roll as for jelly roll; seal edge. Cut into ¾-inch slices. Place close together, cut side down, in a greased shallow baking pan. Let rise and bake.
Cloverleaf rolls.—Divide dough into very small pieces and roll into balls about ¾ inch in diameter. Dip each ball in melted butter or margarine and place three balls together in a greased muffin tin. Let rise and bake.