Granny Ada's Rolls

 Granny Ada's Rolls

Granny Ada worked a tobacco farm with her husband in East Texas in the 1900s. She fed her husband and the farm hands three times a day, and filled tables with food when family visited. She made these rolls at least once a day. When asked by her granddaughter to provide a recipe, she wrote what's on these index cards. 

I tried to recreate them for a family Easter brunch, with mixed success. The dough wasn't as tender as I'd have liked. Perhaps I should have used more butter! I did notice after baking that I only used half of what was called for. Next time I'm also going to make a single batch, not the gigantic 1.4kg of flour I made for the big brunch (it was more than needed - I froze 1/4 of the dough and we brough home extra rolls). 

Ada's Rolls 

2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 c sugar

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

2 packages yeast

5-6 c flour (rise 1.5 hours each time)

Add enough flour to make medium batter. Beat well with mixer, after adding yeast to a little flour before adding to liquids. After beating, continue adding flour until can be handled. Let rise until double in size, then make into rolls. Let rise and bake. 

Hot Rolls

Mix l tsp sugar with 1/2 c water. Add 2 packages yeast and let stand for 10 mins. Warm 1 cup milk. Add l/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 4 Tbsp butter. Mix well, then add yeast, then 3-4 cups flour (enough to make a thin batter). Beat well with a mixer. Then add enough flour to make a really stiff dough. Knead well. Cover and let stand until double in size. Then knead down and roll out into rolls. Place in greased pan. Rise again. Bake at 350

MY ATTEMPT ON 3/29 (for Easter Sunday lunch)

I've updated these: using quick, bread-machine yeast which doesn't have to be dissolved in water ahead of time, using a microwave, using bread flour which I believe wasn't widely available in the mid-1900s and all-purpose.  I also baked mine at 400. I wasn't getting enough action at 350 - it looked 1ike they were just drying out. I used sour milk cause I had a bunch lying around. So there are lots of ways I could try to make these more traditional. 

Put 1.5 c sour milk and 4 tbsp salted butter (original recipe calls for 8 Tbsp) in Pyrex container.

Microwave for 2 mins til 120-130F (both were cold from fridge).

Pour liquids into bowl for stand mixer. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 cup sugar.

Use whisk attachment and mix for a bit.

Add 4 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast and keep mixing. 

Add 3 cup bread flour and mix on high for a bit.

Switch to dough hook

Add 2.5 cup all purpose flour, gradually

Stir on 2 until firm

Knead on counter a bit.

Oil, cover, and let rise for about an hour, til double in size. Punch down, form into balls, and place close together on a oiled, high-sided pan. Let rise again, until puffy. Bake at 400 for 20-25 mins. 

2nd attempt

(125g flour = 1 cup - this is a 4x recipe for a crowd)

Mix 1000ml milk and water and 1 stick salted butter (original called for twice this)

Microwave for 3-4 minsunti 120-130F

Pour into stand-up mixer bowl. Add 9 Tbsp yeast and 1 cup sugar.

Mix with whisk attachment.

Add 1400g flour and 1 tsp salt gradually, switching to dough hook when it gets stiff

Rise in fridge overnight.

In morning, warm up dough on counter.

Notes:

-They were nice but not every batch rose spectacularly and they weren't super tender. 

-Need more salt (even with salted butter). 

-Don't rise overnight to see if they're fluffier.

-Try AP flour, or mix of bread and AP. 

-More butter (famous last words)