The smell of yeast rising hits people in different ways. A lot of people find it to be disgusting, but I find it mouth-watering. I love how fluffy it makes the breads, how intense it makes the flavor, and how wonderful it all tastes with a sweet melting butter on top. My absolute favorite thing to eat on a difficult day is a fresh yeast roll, coated in a sweet honey butter. It’s a rarity, though. Many inns only make tough, dense rolls to soak up soup, and companions either want very sweet desserts, or hearty meat dishes. One day I’ll teach the recipe to someone who’s interested, and maybe they can make it for me when I’m feeling sad.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 cup of milk
- ¼ cup of warm water
- 2 ¼ tsp of active yeast
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
Directions:
Warm the milk on a stove, then add in the butter and allow it cool slightly. Dissolve the yeast with a teaspoon of sugar in the warm water until it’s foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the yeast, milk, sugar, salt, and one cup of the flour with a whisk. Add the egg and continue whisking until completely combined. Add the rest of the flour, and knead with your hands until the dough forms a smooth ball. Use a little butter to grease another bowl, then place the dough in that bowl and cover with a towel, keeping in a warm place for an hour until doubled in size.
Sprinkle flour on the counter and turn the dough out on top, and roll out to ½ inch thick. Cut out the rolls, either using a glass for round shapes, or with a knife for rectangular ones. Dough should be 2 ½ inches in length. Fold any pointed edges underneath the roll if making them square or rectangular. Place on a greased baking pan, cover with the towel again, and allow to rise for another 20 minutes.
In a 375 degree oven, bake for 12 minutes. Brush the tops with some butter (honey butter is better). Serve with even more butter.
