I was raised with four brothers and one sister in the small village of Maskell Nebraska. My mother preserved vegetables from her big garden that fed us all winter long. She also baked bread at least three times a week - each batch held 3 or 4 loaves of bread and one pan of cinnamon rolls. We didn't appreciate those things back then and we thought 'store bought' bread was a real treat! Mom has been gone a long time now and NOW home baked bread is the real treat.
On days when its snowing and the wind howling outside I get the urge to bake some fresh bread and today was one of those days. I experimented a bit and the following recipe is a combination of several recipes that I've used. Because it turned out pretty good I'm sharing my newly developed recipe on this blog.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water (105 - 110 degrees) 1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 TBSP soft butter
INSTRUCTION
(Especially in winter months -like today) use hot water to heat your measuring cup/spoons and run hot water over the bottom of your large mixing bowl
Make certain water is correct temperature
- Pour 1 cup warmed water in a 2-cup measuring cup
- Add 1/3 cup milk and sugar (check temperature - if to cool place in microwave to warm to 105-110 degrees)
- Dissolve the 1 & 1/2 tsp yeast in the water mixture - stir thoroughly - allow yeast to 'rest' several minutes to form a foamy 'head' (showing the yeast has activated)
- While waiting for the yeast, mix flour & salt in a bowl and blend well.
- When yeast mixture is ready pour carefully into large warmed mixing bowl and slowly add the flour/salt mix stirring with wooden spoon.
- After all mixed, add softened 3 TPSB butter and mix well.
- Knead dough for about 12 minutes - until smooth (adding a little flour as needed)
- Top dough with more butter, cover and let rise in a warm place.
- Punch dough down after it rises to double its size - put more butter over top and cover again and let rise in warm place.
- When double in size again remove from bowl and stretch out on floured surface.
- Smear with softened butter, cinnamon & brown sugar
- Roll dough up into long rope and cut into pieces (white thread placed under then criss-crossed on the top works well to cut evenly)
- Grease 9 X 13 pan then place patties of butter, 1/2 pkg instant butterscotch pudding on bottom of pan before placing rolls in the pan
-Let rise until rolls are double in size
-Pour one/fourth cup milk around sides of rolls (it will dissolve the pudding)
BAKE IN 350 DEGREE OVEN 30 MINUTES or until browned.
Note: You can add nut meats to this recipe and you can frost these rolls once they are baked.
Right: Just out of the oven!
Left: Out of the pan and turned upside down...(see the goo?)
Below: Just right with a cup of tea!
