We Provice Recipes

Great Grandma Hiatts Rolls

2 1/2 T. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
2 c. milk
1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, melted
5-7 cups flour
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. salt
1/2 cube butter, melted - for rolling out

Combine yeast, warm water, and T. sugar in your mixer. Let sit until yeast begins to puff (about 5-10 minutes). Melt cube of butter and combine with the milk. Add to the yeast mixture and combine. Add 2-3 cups flour until about the consistency of pancake batter (or slightly thicker than cake batter). Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Add the 1/2 c. sugar, salt and flour about a cup at a time. Knead and continue adding flour until a soft dough forms and it clears the side of the bowl. Dont add too much. Dough should be sticky and soft. Knead for about 8-10 minutes.

Put in a bowl and cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Roll out dough or form into balls for rolls:

There are 2 ways I like to make these rolls. Method 1 (Parkerhouse, above): Melt the 1/2 cube of butter. Take dough out and separate into two pieces (I find it easiest to roll the dough out half at a time). Flour a board or your counter and, with a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Use a large circle cookie-cutter or the lid of a wide-mouthed jar (thats what I use) and cut out circles from the dough. Dip each piece into the butter and fold in half (I think they call these "parker house rolls") and put on a dark-bottomed cookie sheet. It will brown much better than aluminum or glass. Place rolls right next to each other on the cookie sheet. Continue until all the dough is used. I am able to fit all the rolls on 1 large cookie sheet (or, technically, a jelly roll pan) when I make these (with no space in between). 

Method 2 (below): Divide dough into 3-4 even pieces. Roll each into a circle. Slice like a pizza/pie (your desired size) and roll up wide end first and place on the baking sheet. These rolls should not touch each other, allow enough space for them to double in size. Continue with the rest of the dough.
Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with butter.

Rising times may vary depending on the weather and the temperature of your house. If youre making these for the first time, allow plenty of time and watch them often. They may take a long time or they may rise really quickly.