I got the following recipe from the Thanksgiving dinner recipe section of
the Houston (Texas) Chronicle about 10 years ago. I sent this directly to
Fredericka last week in response to her request for eggy dinner rolls to
serve on Thanksgiving. No, my recipe doesn't have eggs, but it DOES make a
beautifully rich, decadently buttery roll that is nothing like any bread
I've had. I make this every year and get rave reviews. The other plus is
that it is very quick to prepare (note the name). It is definitely not a
re-worked bread recipe.
Fredericka was kind enough to write me after Thanksgiving to share that her
family and friends really enjoyed the recipe. She encouraged me to share
it with the list. She says she made 7 batches of this recipe last week,
and I myself made 4 batches. So be warned, once you make them that first
time, you might find yourself making them a lot. Yes, that is a lot of
yeast for the amount of flour, but you'll be surprised that they don't
taste overly yeasty. Maybe it's because of the buttermilk and all the butter.
-Docia in Matagorda County Texas
One-Hour Rolls
2 Tbsp instant yeast
1/4 cup warm water, 110 F
1 1/2 cup buttermilk, heated to lukewarm
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cup enriched all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
butter
Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine
buttermilk, sugar, melted butter and salt. Sift flour and soda into a
large bowl. Pour yeast mixture into buttermilk mixture, then add to
flour. Mix well. Let stand 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 F.
Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes or just pinch off the dough and
roll by hand into ping pong-ball sized pieces. Melt some butter in bottom
of a baking pan (I use a 9" glass pie pan). Place rolls in pan, turning
each over to butter the top. Make sure the rolls are touching each other
as you put them in the pan. You want them to
rise up, not out. Let stand 30 minutes, or until risen nicely. Bake 10 to
12 minutes. Serve warm from the oven. If any are left, they are fine at
room temperature.
Makes about 2 dozen.
Original recipe specified 2 cakes compressed yeast or 2 env active dry
yeast with 85 F water for compressed yeast and used melted shortening or
oil instead of the butter that Fredericka and I use.