SPIRAL ROLLS

Spiral Rolls image

Yield Makes 12 rolls

Number Of Ingredients 8

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3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm milk (105-110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
Special equipment: a muffin pan with 12 muffin cups

Steps:

Stir together milk, yeast, and 1/2 tablespoon sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Pulse flour and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs, then stir together with salt and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and stir just until a dough forms.
Turn out dough onto a work surface (not floured) and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to an oiled large bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough and turn out onto work surface (not floured). Divide into 12 equal portions.
Roll out 1 piece of dough into a 9- by 1-inch strip with a rolling pin, rolling and folding lengthwise and crosswise to make sides as straight as possible. Starting with 1 end, roll up strip and put, a spiral side up, in a muffin cup. Make 11 more rolls in same manner.
Cover rolls loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Lightly beat egg with 1 teaspoon water and gently brush tops of rolls with some egg wash.
Bake in middle of oven until tops are golden and bottoms are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.