Hello!
With Easter approaching, I usually start thinking about what I will have on my table in advance.
One staple that I go to with every family meal is rolls. It fills the house with the fresh baked bread smell that is homey and comfortable. There’s nothing like that smell filling your home with your family at the table. Usually, it’s the first thing everyone grabs!
This week’s recipe is very old. I was first introduced to this by my first mother-in-law. She made these one night and I was hooked. When she made them she would put them on a baking sheet and they looked more like buns, instead of rolls, because they didn’t touch on the baking sheet and they spread out more like buns, But nonetheless they were delicious. She told me how to make them, and I did, and followed her instructions to the letter.
I found one recipe similar to these and it was called “White House Rolls.” This one my mother-in-law found on the back of Gold Medal flour, and therefore they are called “Gold Medal Ice Box Rolls.”
As any delicious bread, they do take a bit of fussing over to make. It’s so worth it.
As years went by, I have tried many, many recipes of rolls and breads, but I have always came back to this one. It’s really not complicated like some of them, it just takes time.
I used to make such large meals, I finally figured out that instead of working myself to death on the day of the holiday meal, I prepped most of the meal the day before and put it in the refrigerator and just would bake it or cook it the day of the meal. This made things so much easier and I got to spend more time visiting than being in the kitchen hurrying around and trying to get everything cooked. Same thing with these rolls. I would make them the day before, and let them rise, punch them down and make them into rolls. I would put them in the baking dish, cover them and refrigerate them until the next morning, I would take them out and let them rise the next morning, then put them in the oven so they are warm for dinner. It’s easier and while they are rising you can do something else to hurry along your meal.
I have even used this basic roll recipe for pizza dough, cinnamon rolls and bread twists. It’s very versatile, but just the rolls as they are can’t be beat. They are simple and delicious. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have made them. Always with rave reviews. I seriously haven’t looked at the actual recipe for years. It’s definitely burned into my memory for life.
Gold medal ice box rolls
1 envelope of yeast (I use the quick rise, in the jar, and I usually use 3 teaspoons)
½ cup sugar
7 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water (very warm)
1 egg (well beaten)
4 Tablespoon shortening (melted)
Directions
Combine yeast, sugar, salt. Add water. Mix in ½ of the flour, then the well beaten egg, and mix well. Add in melted shortening.
Start mixing in the remaining flour, kneading the bread until it’s no longer sticky. It could be more or less flour. I typically knead for about five minutes.
Place dough in a well-greased bowl and cover and let rise until double it’s bulk. Usually this takes about an hour with the rapid rise yeast, longer if you use the regular yeast.
Punch down the dough and shape into rolls. I put them close together in a greased baking dish 13×9 I have them to slightly touch. My Mom told me that they need to be able to rise upwards to make them pretty rolls, or if you wish to let them rise bun style, put them on a baking sheet, not touching. If you do the bun style you can’t refrigerate them and bake them the next day.
Let them rise until double, the second process usually don’t take as long, maybe about 30 to 45 minutes ? Keep in mind they will rise a bit more in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately rub the tops with butter. You can brush them with melted butter or I usually just rub the tops of them with some butter I have cut off of a stick of butter. It immediately melts all over the rolls and adds a beautiful touch to them.
Enjoy!
