Best Aunt Claras Rolls Recipes

AUNT SARAH'S ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix sugar, shortening, and salt (use cake beater attachment).
• Add one egg at a time, beat thoroughly until a smooth consistency.
• Separately mix 2 cups warm water and yeast, once dissolved in water add to above ingredients.
• Add 3 cups of flour.
• Switch to dough hook attachment add 4th cup of flour, should be sticky consistency.
• Add 5th cup of flour.
• Between the 6th and 7th cup of flour, stop adding flour when the dough comes cleanly away from walls of the bowl.
• Remove dough from bowl and form it into a ball - should be "smooth as a babies behind".
• Place in buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and place in refrigerator until double in bulk, which takes 1 ½ to 2 hours minimum.
• Soften salted butter (start with half a stick).
• Roll out dough to about ½ inch height.
• On floured surface, use 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter or small glass and dip the cut out dough in butter, smooth out dough, fold in half and pinch the ends closed.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place in pan ½ inch apart. Leave in warm room and bake after rolls double in bulk.
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until brown on top and slightly brown on bottom. Butter tops of rolls as soon as you remove from oven. Yields approximately 40 rolls.

MY AUNT TERRIE'S FAMOUS HOMEMADE DINNER ROLLS (BEST EVER!)

Steps:

• In a heat-proof bowl, melt 1 stick of the butter in the microwave and allow it to cool.
• Add 1/4 cup warm (not hot) water, the yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to a small bowl and stir slightly with fork. Set aside to proof.
• In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, put 3 cups of the flour with the salt, eggs (preferably at room temperature), 1 cup warm (not hot) water, 1 cup sugar, and the cooled melted butter. Mix well.
• Add the yeast mixture and gradually add the remaining 2 cups of flour and keep beating. Cook's Note: You may not need the whole 5 cups of flour; the stickier (not runny) the dough, the lighter the rolls.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl and pour about 1/4 cup of oil over the dough. Cover with a plate and let rise, at least double or more its original size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• After the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface and knead it a little. Roll out the dough about 1/4-inch thick (or thinner). Let the dough rest a few minutes while you melt the other stick of butter. Use a cookie cutter and cut out rolls. Dip each roll in melted butter, fold in half and put them on a sheet pan. Arrange them close together, filling up the pan.
• Bake until nice and brown. Ovens vary, so maybe about 20 minutes.
• Take the pan out of oven and immediately brush the rolls with butter. Transfer them to a serving dish and serve.