The thread on Grandy’s made me want to see if any of you know where to get good yeast rolls at a chain restaurant these days.
My mother’s oldest sister (my Aunt B) made the best ones I ever had and I have yet to find any anywhere that even comes close to hers. Hers had a distinct yeasty taste that was sharp to the smell and taste. I could eat half a dozen before slowing down. Big gob of butter helped but I could eat them bareback if needed.
I’ve had acceptable substitutes at meat-and-three type places and I think I have had some reasonable approximations at at least two chains, but I’m having trouble remembering which chains.
I know this might be a little irritating, but I make awesome yeast rolls, so instead of telling a chain restaurant where you can find them, I’ll tell you my secrets and hope others will join in with theirs.
First: have a crazy-long rising time. I think that a long rise gives the yeast a chance to make all of the complex carbon chains that give yeast rolls their amazing flavors; too quick a rise, and you don’t get that stuff.
Second: treat it like a cake. I make bread sometimes that’s really good for you. Yeast rolls, not so much.
So here’s what I do:
Scald 4 cups milk and let cool.
Dissolve 1 Tbsp active yeast in some tepid water.
Add to the milk and let sit until foamy (about 5-10 minutes).
Add 1/3 cup sugar and enough flour to make a pasty batter. Beat with a spoon in a SLORPing motion (that is, a motion that makes the batter say SLORP as you fold air into it) about 100-200 times.
Let sit somewhere warm until doubled.
Add a beaten egg, a melted stick of butter, and 2 tsp salt, and stir in.
Add a ton of dried dill if you’re so inclined, and I always am.
Add enough white flour make a dough.
Turn out onto a kneading board and knead for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed, until it’s really springy.
Put in an oiled bowl in the fridge.
Punch down.
Punch down.
Punch down.
By now it should be the next morning.
Take it out of the fridge and form it into rolls by rolling little balls of dough in your hand until they’re spheres.
Put them on a baking sheet, touching one another if you want them super-tender, or spaced apart if you like a little more crust. (They’ll still not be very crusty, too much fat in them, but a little more).
Make an egg wash by beating an egg with a tablespoon or so of flour, and brush on top of the rolls for a glorious golden shine.
Bake at 350 F for about half an hour, or until they’re beautiful.
These rolls are always my contribution to holiday feasts, and they’re very popular. They also make excellent turkey sandwiches the next day.
Zeldar, locally, you can get pretty good yeast rolls at the Black Eyed Pea. They bring out a whole basket of them and cornbread for you to nosh on while waiting for your meal. My mother always made awesome rolls and I make them from her recipe now and then and BEP is just one notch beneath hers.
