Butterx Butter x Butter!!
perfection!
Butterhorns are a family tradition for me. I’m from a family of bakers so making rolls from scratch was no big deal growing up but I know that recipes that involve yeast can be really intimidating. Don’t worry, I swear you can do this! This recipe just takes patience and observation, which means I’m sure you’re qualified to make these delicious soft rolls.
You know those soft, white Hawaiian rolls people buy at the grocery store? There like that but better. Also you can use this recipe for anything like cinnamon rolls, raisin bread etc. You got this!
Butterhorns
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 pack yeast
3 ½ -4 cups of flour
*Have on stick of soft butter set aside for baking.*
In a sauce pan combine the milk and butter until milk is hot enough to melt the butter. Careful of it boiling over. Pour melted butter and milk mixture into a large bowl. Mix in sugar and let cool until it’s the exact temperature of your finger. You will know this because when it’s the same temp as your finger you literally will not feel that your finger is touching anything. If it’s hot enough to be uncomfortable on your finger it is too hot and will kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top of finger temperature milk. Wait for the yeast to foam, if it does not foam and smell yeasty, it is dead and you need to start over.
Mix in the egg and salt. Start adding flour, a cup at a time until dough is formed but sticky, this will be about 3 cups. Put about ½ cup on the counter/table and place dough in it. Knead the dough, adding flour in small parts when it’s too stick until it comes together and grows tough, just about 2 or 3 minutes. I don’t over do it with kneading with these. Also, try not to add to much flour or they will be dry. You should not need more than four cups.
Foamy yeast
dough after 3 cups of flour
dough before kneading
Dough after kneading
Wash the bowl you used for dough with warm water to get all the flour out. Rub butter all around the inside of the bowl so the rising dough won’t stick to it. Place dough in bowl and coat the top with soft butter so it doesn’t get a gross skin when it’s rising. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm kitchen to rise. Note: I used to put my dough in to hot of a place like right next to the oven and the yeast wouldn’t die but it would make the dough taste like rubbing alcohol so the perfect place is away from direct heat but in a cozy space.
Let rise a couple hours until it has more than doubled in size. Punch down, knead in a little flour and cut into two equal balls. Let rise a half hour or so.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll out a ball to create a disk about ½ inch think and 10 inches in diameter. Slather soft butter onto the disk. With a very sharp knife, cut the disk in half and then half to create four triangles and then cut each triangle in half so you will have 8 triangles of the same size. (see diagram)
Let these rise a few minutes
Starting at the wide part of dough triangle, roll up the roll, pinching the point into the bottom of the roll so it doesn’t come undone when baking. Repeat with other ball of dough. Let the rolls sit for another half hour to rise. Bake for about 10 or 12 minutes until golden brown but still light in color.
By the way, when buttering these, fresh out of the oven, I always unroll them so I can butter every square inch inside. It’s a sin to just cut it in half like a regular roll!
Enjoy!!!
