_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.