Recipe: Quick Buttermilk Sweet Dough and Cinnamon Rolls

QUICK BUTTERMILK SWEET DOUGH

2 pkgs of active dry yeast
1/2 cup VERY warm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature (yes, you can do the vinegar milk trick if you don't have real buttermilk on hand)
2 large eggs
5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup of mashed potatoes (instant may be substituted, but real taters are much better) See note*
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt

In large mixing bowl dissolve yeast with the warm water. Add the buttermilk, eggs, 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the butter, sugar, mashed potatoes, baking powder, and salt. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scrape bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. (I sometimes find that I need to add a li'l more flour than the recipe calls for. It depends on the consistency of the mashed potatoes.) The dough should remain soft and slightly sticky.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured board or countertop; knead 5 minutes or about 200 turns. Shape dough _immediately_ into desired rolls. Cover and let rise in a _warm_ place (usually stovetop) about 1 hour. It's ready if impression remains when touched and the mashed potatoes makes the rolls or bread extremely high and fluffy!

CINNAMON ROLLS:
Divide dough in half. Use 1/2 for a 12 roll recipe. Roll dough out about 1/4-inch thick. Spread generously with butter or margarine, sprinkle liberally with sugar and cinnamon. I also find that a light sprinkling of nutmeg or cloves lends a wonderful flavor to them. Roll up dough beginning from wide side then pinch edge of dough to seal well and fold over ends. Cut into 1 1/2-inch slices and place side down in well-greased pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F only til top are an even deep golden brown. When rolls are just out of oven, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla and just enough milk to make a pourable glaze. Pour over rolls while still hot.

VARIATION:
The chocolate version is to simply add 2/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough as you make it. Blend well.

This recipe makes wonderful dinner rolls. After you make the dough just drop into muffin pan or fashion into loaf and drop into loaf pan and let rise.

Source: Unknown

*Note: Variations of this recipe use all the same ingredients and amounts but no potatoes.