Baking Batter Rolls for Thanksgiving

My bread making bible

Looking for a Yeast Roll Recipe

I have been looking for a yeast roll recipe I can use for Thanksgiving dinner. I have tried several recipes, but the end result of each recipe was just a little bit off. Too heavy or not tender enough topped the list of each test result.In July, I'd found a recipe for yeast batter rolls that I wanted to try out.

An Opportunity to Test a New Recipe

My brother Rick's, August Birthday Bash was just the opportunity that I had been waiting for. Out came my 1973 Better Homes and Gardens, Homemade Bread Cookbook, and I started reading through the recipe.(If you read my July post, Celebrating My Momma's Birthday, you know this is my bread making bible.)

 

A Lesson Learned 

The directions say to use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together. I had some doubt about using my small stand mixer, but I went ahead and used it. I won't do that again! It will be easier to beat the batter by hand than to try and use a small electric mixer. However, if you have a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, you can use it to make this recipe. Sadly, I don't have my dream mixer, yet. Except for the electric mixer beater experience, the recipe directions worked as written.

 

Equipment

• sauce pan, one quart
• electric mixer
• cupcake pans or muffin tins
• wooden spoon
• liquid measuring cup
• dry measuring cup set
• measuring spoon set

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg

Directions

In large mixer bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, shortening, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt til warm, 115-120 degrees F, stirring constantly to melt shortening. Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add egg. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 30 seconds, scrapping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. At low speed, beat in remaining flour til batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.

Cover; let rise in warm place til double, about one hour. (Turn on your oven before you stir down the batter. It needs to preheat.)Stir down and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. (I used my Teflon serving spoon) Let dough rest 5 minutes. Drop batter by tablespoons into greased muffin pans or cupcake pans, filling half full. (about two tablespoons) Cover, let rise til double, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pans from oven and cover with clean kitchen towels until cool. (covering the hot rolls with the towels will help the crust to stay softer. My great grandmother, Ella Tucker, taught me to do this)
Makes 18-20 rolls.