Wendy’s rolls

(Our favorite roll recipe.)

Last year I was scared to death of making anything that involves yeast. I don’t know why…I guess it just seemed so complicated and temperamental.

But then my cousin gave me this bread recipe, which is completely fool-proof. So now we make bread on a regular basis around here. (Lucy is a great helper.)

And guess what? Baking with yeast isn’t scary after all.

So, if the following roll recipe scares the pants off you just to look at it (like it did my non-making bread self from a year ago), please still give it a try. I bet you’ll turn out some melt-in-your-mouth rolls. If I can do it with five kids squishing and pulling that dough to smithereens and have it STILL work out, then I think it’s safe to say that anyone can do it.

Here you go:

1/2 c. tap-hot water
pinch sugar
2 pkg. yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.)
1 c. butter
2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. boiling water
4 eggs (beaten)
1 c. warm milk
8 1/2 c. flour (I use the real “bread” flour)

Mix water, yeast and a pinch of sugar in a bowl. Set aside until foamy.

Cream butter, salt and sugar. Add boiling water (I just boil mine in the measuring cup in the microwave). Mix until dissolved.

Cool to 105 to 115 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer I think you could just wait a few minutes while it cools off and go on…the butter cools the boiling water pretty fast).

Beat in yeast mixture and eggs. Beat in flour gradually along with the warm milk.

Knead for five minutes or until silky (dough will still be pretty sticky).

Let rise until doubled in size (approx. 1 1/2 to 2 hours).

Punch down and divide into four balls. Roll out into approx 14 inch circle.

Paint surface with melted butter, and cut up (in a slicing pie fashion) with a pizza cutter into 12 pieces.

Roll each piece from big end to small end (like a croissant) and place on greased cookie sheet with point tucked under.

Let rise, covered with a cloth until doubled in size (again, approx. 1 1/2-2 hours).

Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.

There you go. Enjoy!