Easy Icebox Rolls (Ann Monson Dibb’s Recipe)

1 package (1 T.) yeast
¼ c. warm water
1 c. milk
1 stick butter or margarine
1 t. salt
3 eggs, beaten
½ c. sugar
4 ½ c. flour

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. (I add about a T. of extra sugar to the dissolved mix.)
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add milk, salt, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to lukewarm (if milk is too hot when added to yeast, it will kill the yeast).
3. In a mixing bowl, add beaten eggs and then the dissolved yeast. Mix.
4. Add 2 ½ c. flour; blend well. Add remaining flour, 1 c. at a time; mix well after each addition.
5. Place dough in a greased mixing bowl and cover. Let dough rise until it doubles in size. Punch down, cover. Put dough in refrigerator until it doubles in size. Punch down again and replace cover until you are ready to use the dough. It will keep well for several days.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes (until rolls are very light brown).
7. Remove rolls from the oven and brush each roll with melted butter.

The dough is pretty wet and sticky when you let it rise the first time. (When I take it out of the bowl, I have a lot of flour on my hands and on my pastry cloth and rolling pin. I knead it just a bit.) Divide dough in two parts. Knead the one section, roll it out about a half inch thick, and cut it with a two- to three-inch circular cutter. Lift a circle in your hand, brush it with butter, crease it with a knife, fold it over (this is Parkerhouse roll style), and place it on a cookie sheet to rise. Bake.
I’ve seldom done the icebox thing. I mix it, let it rise about two hrs., knead it a little, prepare the rolls, and let them rise again (about two hrs.)
I think that one of the secrets is to handle the dough as little as possible and use just enough flour to handle—not too much.