I can't imagine a holiday meal in my family without these rolls. My mom bakes them off at the very last minute, usually finishing the second pan while everyone is eating their first bites of dinner. While there are many delicious things on the holiday table, everyone goes for a roll first.
The basket, mounded high with crescents, is passed. Hot off the baking sheet, they melt in your mouth with buttery goodness. Layer upon soft layer, dripping with melted butter, the strong smell of yeast wafting upward with the steam. People "ooh" and "ahh" over the ham and the applesauce and the stuffing, but the refrain is heard over and over, "Please pass the rolls."
The second tray comes out of the oven, to replenish the dent the feasters have made and once more the basket is asked to be passed. People begin to push back their plates, protesting against third helpings, and yet still the amount in the basket continues to decrease. Adults reason, "What's one more?" as children sneak yet another one and surreptitiously stuff it into their mouths. Pie is served and coffee poured. The table is cleaned up and folks groaning with turkey-packed bellies retire to sit by the fire and jaw.
And yet, still as the food begins to digest and evening rolls around, you can find some slipping away to the kitchen to top things off with another roll. Maybe with a bit of jam or stuffed with slices of leftover meat. Oh, the draw of an irresistible bit of bread.
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This recipe needs planning! There are two significant rise times. One is 8 hours long, the second is 6 hours. My family often makes this recipe overnight, starting the dough in the late evening, forming the rolls in the morning and then baking them off for the afternoon meal.
You can also make these rolls in one day, to be ready for the evening meal, but you will have to get up pearly early to start the dough and maybe shorten the rise times a little to have them ready for dinner.
That being said, this recipe is surprisingly easy and fun to make. And oh, so good!
Crescent Rolls
Makes 24 rolls
Total Time: Approximately 15 hours
1 cup milk, heated to 110 degrees
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
2 beaten eggs
The night before:
Heat the milk to 110 - 120 degrees. Remove from the heat.
Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved.
Add the yeast and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk together the flour and salt.
Once yeast has sat for 30 minutes, add yeast mixture, butter and eggs to the flour mixture and stir until incorporated.
Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and cover with a cloth. Let sit overnight (8 hours) in a warm place. No need to refrigerate!
In the morning (or 8 hours later):
Dough will smell very yeasty and should have risen significantly by morning.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three equal parts.
Working with one-third of the dough at a time, roll out into an 8 - 10 inch circle.
Using a bench scraper or pizza cutter, cut circle into eight equal triangles.
Starting from the large end, roll each triangle up toward the small end of the triangle.
Tuck into a crescent shape.
Lay crescent roll onto parchment-covered baking sheet.
Roll up remaining triangles and repeat process with the remaining two-thirds of the dough.
Cover baking sheet with a cloth and let sit in a warm spot for six hours.
6 hours later:
Rolls will rise and look beautiful!
If you are short on time, you can shorten the rise times a little. But keep in mind that the more you shorten the rise time, the less developed the flavor will be!
Bake one pan at a time at 400 degrees for 7 - 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Watch rolls carefully, they go from perfect to overdone very quickly.
You may bake both pans of rolls at the same time if you rotate baking sheets halfway through baking.
Rolls are best fresh, served warm, but will keep up to two days.
You will love these rolls baked fresh, so moist and buttery. But they do dry out once cooled.
I prefer them with jam on day two.
Look at all those beautiful layers!
Recipe from my Grammy.
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