Ring-A-Lings: Sweet Yeast Rolls
as adapted by Dorothy Hanna from the original recipe by Bertha Jorgensen, Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner, 1955.
Makes 22 rolls
Dough
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
2 unbeaten eggs
Filling
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts, ground
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
Alternate Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
Fruit Preserves
Glaze
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a bowl and two large baking sheets with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine two cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well. Set aside.
3. In small saucepan, heat milk and 1/3 cup butter until warm.
(120 to 130 degrees F.)
4. Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in remaining 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour to form a stiff dough.
5. Place dough in greased bowl and rotate to cover with oil; cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 35-50 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine nuts, cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside. See step 8 if topping rolls with fruit preserves instead of cinnamon and brown sugar.
7. In second small bowl, blend glaze ingredients. Set aside.
8. Roll out dough to make a 22x12 rectangle. Spread the soften butter lengthwise over half of the dough. Sprinkle filling over butter.
If you plan to top the rolls with preserves, spread powdered sugar only over half of the buttered dough.
9. Fold dough over filling to make a 22x6 rectangle. Cut crosswise into strips 1x6. Twist each strip 4-5 times. To shape rolls, hold folded end of strip down on greased cookie sheet to form center; coil strip around center. Tuck loose end under. Cover with towel and let rise in warm place 35-45 minutes.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes then brush tops with glaze. Bake an additional 3-5 minutes.
If topping with preserves, top each roll with approximately 1-2 Tsp. preserves of your choice. Cool on wire rack.
11. Serve warm.
