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Roberta's Grandmother's Yeast Rolls

Source of Recipe

From "Sweetie Pie's Cookbook" by Robbie Montgomery


Recipe Introduction

"I got my heart set on making these rolls after having them at my neighbor Roberta's across the hall. Every Sunday before church she and her family had a big breakfast and there'd be smothered chicken, smothered potatoes, grits, and these yeast rolls that her grandmother made. Somehow I managed to get over there every Sunday at just the right time to get me some of them rolls. Eventually I got my hands on a recipe and tried them out until I got them just right — just like Roberta's grandmother's."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 (.25-ounce) package active dry yeast
◦  ¼ cup warm water (110° F)
◦  3⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour
◦  1½ teaspoons salt
◦  1 cup milk, scalded
◦  ¼ cup sugar
◦  ¼ cup shortening
◦  1 large egg


Recipe

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and put it aside until it gets bubbly.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer mix the milk, sugar, and shortening and stir to melt the shortening. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm.

Add 1½ cups of the flour, then add the yeast mixture, the egg, and the rest of the flour. Using the dough hook or paddle attachment, beat this mixture on medium speed real well until it comes together and forms a smooth ball of dough. Put the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl and turn it over once so the whole dough ball is lightly greased. Cover with a clean dish towel and put it in a warm place to double up in size. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, that will be 1 to 2 hours.

When the dough is risen, pinch off pieces about the size of a tangerine and roll them like meatballs to make 12 rolls. Put them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and let rise for another hour or so, until they double up in size.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400° F.
Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are golden brown and puffy. Serve hot from the oven or cooled to room temperature.


Makes 12 rolls