Feather-Light Overnight Rolls

1 C water
1 C butter (2 sticks
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp salt
2 (.25 oz) packages yeast
1/2 C warm water
4 eggs, beaten
7 1/2 C flour
Butter for spreading on dough

In a 6-qt pan bring the 1 C water to a boil. Add the 1 C butter, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat. Add the 1 cup cold water. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 C warm watter (I also add 1/2 tsp sugar on top of year...yeast is ready when it double in size). When first mixture is lukewarm, add yeast mixture and beaten eggs (the trick to good rolls is to REALLY beat the eggs good beforehand). Stir briefly. Add flour and stir together. Cover pan with lid and refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen rolls.
***I often do these ahead of time. I freeze after the dough has been shaped into crescent rolls and placed on the cookie sheet--just put the whole sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, put into plastic freezer bags until ready to use. To use, return to cookie sheets and let rise about 6 hours or until light.

sweet snack rolls

1 1/2 C milk

1 C butter

1 C sugar

8 C flour

1/2 T salt

6 eggs

1 1/2 T yeast

1/4 C melted butter 

1. Put milk and 1 C butter in a bowl and microwave until butter is melted.  This will need to cool for about 1/2 hour.

2. While milk mixture is cooling, you can dissolve yeast in 1/2 C warm water. (She uses a 2 C measuring cup and add about 1 tsp sugar to get the yeast started.  Mix the yeast and sugar in the water with a fork or a small whisk.  Let the yeast rise in the measuring cup, and it will probably rise to the 2 cup level in about ten minutes).

3. Mix the eggs until really frothy.  Add the sugar and salt.  Add the milk and butter when it is cool. (If it is still too hot, it will kill the yeast).  Mix in the yeast.

4. Add the flour one cup at a time.  A dough hook works best, but if you don't have one, you can stir it with a sturdy wooden spoon.)

5. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let rise for four hours.  (She puts her on top of the dry while she's doing laundry.  If you can't find a warm place, you could take the bowl on a cookie sheet, preheat the oven to 170 degrees, turn it off, and place it in the oven.  You may want to check on if after three hours or so.  The dough is usually double in size.)

6. Melt the 1/4 C butter in the microwave.  Divide the dough into 3 or 4 groups.  (3 makes really big rolls and 4 makes medium size rolls).  Roll out each group on a floured surface to make a circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Spread a thin layer of melted butter over the dough.

7. Now cut the dough (the circle you've rolled out) into quarters and then divide each quarter into three--just like you'd cut a pizza.  Roll from the outside to the center to form the crescent rolls.  When you put them on a cookie sheet, place the last part of the triangle down, so it won't "unroll" during baking.  Cover with a dish towel and let rise until double in size.  (She thinks they feel like tissue paper to the touch when they're ready).  If you are crunched for time, you can preheat the oven to 170 degrees, turn it off, and place the cookie sheets in the oven.  They should rise in an hour.

8.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Then brush each roll with leftover melted butter.  Enjoy!

Makes 3-4 dozen rolls