Molasses Oatmeal Rolls

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 T dark brown sugar
1/4 cup lukewarm water
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
2 T molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
2 1/2 to 3 cups unbleached all purpose or bread flour
2 to 3 T of melted butter for brushing tops of rolls

Preparing the dough:
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Let stand until bubbly. If it doesn’t get bubbly, throw it out and get some new yeast.

Scald milk then add it to the butter in your mixing bowl. When butter has melted, add brown sugar, rolled oats, molasses, and salt. Blend thoroughly and cool to lukewarm.

Add egg and mix well. Add the yeast and mix to incorporate it. Then mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Add what you need to of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour until the dough loses its sheen. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl and put it in a greased bowl. Turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. It can sit overnight as well; it doesn't rise a lot.

Turn out the chilled dough on a floured work surface and knead or fold and turn the dough slightly. Cut dough into 12 balls. Press each ball into a flat rectangle with your fingers, then roll up and tuck ends under. Place seam-side down in a well-buttered 9-inch round pan. Brush all over with 1/2 of the melted butter and sprinkle with a little of the rolled oats. Let rise until doubled in size in a warm place, about two hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned and sound hollow when you tap their tops. The internal temperature should be 190 degrees. Remove from the pans and brush generously with remaining melted butter. Let cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes.

Makes 12 rolls