Freda Raglin’s Yeast Rolls
photography courtesy of Pony Boat Media
Ingredients
About 10 C all–purpose unbleached flour, in all
½ C plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
5 sticks unsalted butter, in all
4 large local eggs
3 packages rapid-rise yeast
Equipment
Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Dough scraper
Rubber spatula
Large mixing bowl
5 disposable aluminum foil round cake pans
Small bowl or pot to hold melted butter
Pastry brush
Watch Freda’s expert hands at work in the video above!
Directions
Place milk, sugar, salt and three sticks butter in a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved and small bubbles have started to appear around the edges. Take off the stove and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
Melt the additional two sticks of butter in a separate pan and set aside for later.
Pour milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and add five cups of flour at low speed. As the flour becomes incorporated, add two more cups and increase speed to medium. Always add the flour a cup at a time.
Mix for two minutes at medium speed. By now, the batter should look smooth and elastic with no traces of unblended flour.
Reduce the mixer speed and add four eggs, the three packages of yeast and three more cups of flour (one cup at a time.) Mix for two minutes at medium speed.
Reduce speed and add a final two cups of flour in increments of half a cup, stopping as soon as the dough has reached a soft, velvety consistency and just holds its shape when a small bit is pinched off.
Turn the dough out into a well-greased bowl and brush the top with melted butter. Set aside in a warm draft-free spot to rise for one hour.
After one hour the dough should be fully risen; an indentation will remain if you give it a good poke.
Stir the dough down with a rubber spatula and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Butter your hands and gently pat the dough into a rough rectangle about ¾” thick.
Using a dough scraper, cut a strip of dough about 1½” wide down the long side of the rectangle. Cut the strip into 1 ½” squares.
Dipping your fingers in the melted butter, coat each square with butter, shape it into a roll, then place in a foil pan, 13 rolls to each pan.
When all the pans are filled, set them in a warm draft-free spot to rise for one hour.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375℉ if using convection, or 400℉ for a standard oven.
Bake for 12 minutes in a convection oven or 15 minutes in a standard oven, until golden brown.
Remove pans from the oven and brush the tops of the rolls with remaining melted butter.
Enjoy!
© 2022, Holly Hill Inn/Ilex Summit, LLC and its affiliates, All Rights Reserved
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The Measure of Her Worth
Freda Raglin is 100% genuine. We can’t resist the pull of her stories or the lingering aroma of her famous yeast rolls or the realization that Freda is a self-taught culinary genius. Her innate skill and ability to create delicious dishes by taste and touch are a treasure worth preserving.
