Crescent Rolls
3 1/2 cups to 4 cups Bread Flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened and cut in small cubes
1 tsp salt
1 pkg Active dry yeast
-----(2 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cups warm milk
-----both about "blood warm", body temperature
1 large sized egg
In a mixing bowl (or any large bowl if making by hand) mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, butter, salt and yeast. Add the warm water, warm milk and egg and mix on low speed (or stir by hand with a heavy spoon). When all ingredients are incorporated, stir in enough flour to make a soft, smooth dough.
Knead your dough on a lightly floured surface, or use the dough hook of a stand mixer. You want to knead quickly so the dough won't stick, and not to add to much additional flour. You will knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. What does this mean?? Well, the dough will stretch when you take a small amount and slowly stretch it over your fingers. If it breaks, keep kneading, if it stretches quite thin, then you are ready to proof. This process can take up to 15 minutes by hand, depending on how you work with the dough.
Place in a greased bowl, invert the dough so the top is greased. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place in your kitchen until doubled in size. This will take about 1 hour, depending on how warm and/or humid your kitchen is. You will know it is ready when you touch it lightly with your finger and the indention remains.
Gently press down on the dough, "punch" to deflate, divide the dough in half and let each ball rest under a damp (not wet) towel. Rest them for about 5-10 minutes. Then roll each ball into a 12-inch circle. If you like, you can spread the circle with soft, almost melted butter. Cut the circle into 12 to 16 wedges and then roll each, starting at the wide end into the crescent. Place on a lightly greased sheet pan or a parchment covered sheet pan. I don't mention a silpat, because I don't like to bake bread on a silpat liner. Repeat with the second ball of dough and place the rolls on a second sheet pan.
Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. The spray side should touch the dough to keep a skin from forming while raising. Also, the spray keeps it from sticking. Raise about 20-60 minutes until they have grown, it is not necessary to double in size.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the rolls until the tops are uniformly golden and the bottoms are brown. Cool on a rack and enjoy while fresh, or freeze. They stay nice in the freeze for several months.
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A Note from Chefmom…
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When I was growing up, a lady in my mother's church made the most wonderful Crescent rolls for every church function I could ever remember! Years later, people always asked her for her recipe and she would simply say, "I just use the roll dough in the Betty Crocker cookbook." Well, after I was married, and the proud new owner of a Betty Crocker cookbook, I naturally looked up the roll recipe, tried it, and yes, they tasted just like the rolls I remember gorging myself on at the Church "potluck" type dinners. Is life worth living without bread????
One thing that made her rolls special was the fact that they were dense, not light and airy, like most dinner rolls. I discovered the way to make them dense is to not raise them for very long after shaping. I just give mine a 20-30 minute rest, long enough to preheat the oven, before tossing them in!! If you like a lighter roll, raise them for the 60 minutes I mentioned above.
Also, this recipe is great in the bread machine!! It fits, as is, in my 1 pound bread machine. I have never baked it as bread in the machine, I just make the dough, using the dough cycle, and then shape the rolls when the dough is ready. As I mentioned above, they freeze wonderfully!! They are a staple at the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner table!
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