Butterflake Frozen Rolls

My original plan for Thanksgiving was to make butterflake frozen rolls from Jamie Cooks it Up.  Actually, I was supposed to bring rolls and sweet potatoes.  The sweet potatoes were a no brainer.  I've made them so many times I can almost do it in my sleep now!

We were planning on all going to my husband's brother's house who lives about an hour/hour and a half a way, depending on traffic and how heavy Mrblocko's feet are.  I thought the Butterflake rolls would be a good way for us to have fresh rolls.  The rolls rise in a muffin tin for 3-5 hours.  This way the rolls would be a little more confined during transport than just on a cookie sheet.

Having learned from past mistakes, I thought it would be best to test out the recipe before the big day.  So, I made the rolls and put them in the freezer.  I took them out three hours later and set them out to rise.  Let me tell you, when it says the rolls need to be in the freezer overnight, this is not an exaggeration.  Three hours will most definitely not cut it. 

The tops of the rolls were all flat and bubbly.  They should have been smooth with a fanned out, domed top.  Sure they tasted great, but, man, were they ever ugly.  This was certainly a lesson in following the directions.

Oh silly me.  See, I didn't think the ugly rolls were a result of my lack of patience.  I thought it was because I had screwed the recipe up.  I had only baked six of the 30 or so uncooked rolls I had frozen.  Not wanting to waste food, I planned on making the rest of the rolls just for us at a later date.  Like I said, they tasted fine, they just weren't something I'd serve to people outside of the immediate family.  Mrblocko and Blockette don't care if a roll is ugly, just as long as it is yummy tasting!

So I whined lamented to my husband that my rolls were a disaster, and he said, "Oh, did I forget to tell you?  My brother already has bread."  Yes!  You most certainly did!  But what a relief!  Especially since at that point I was 95% certain I wasn't going to go.  (Recovering from pleurisy and being in a house full of people who smoke, even if they do it outside, is not conducive to breathing.)

Flash forward to a few days later when we had our own little belated version of Thanksgiving at home.  I thought we should have some rolls.  So I pulled the frozen dough pucks out of the freezer and set them in the muffin tin to rise.  Lo and behold three hours later, they were looking much better than their improperly prepared cousins.  Fifteen minutes in the oven and out came this:

I did the giggly giddy happy dance of joy around our kitchen.  They looked so cute!  I was so proud of my little rolls.

Mrblocko and Blockette liked that they had little pull apart sections.  They thought it was awesome that they had more surface area to slather butter on, but not me.  I ate those little butterflakes nekkid so I could enjoy every bit of their wonderful roll-y goodness.

These rolls just might prevent me from having to buy rolls in a can ever again.  Or maybe not.  Even though you do all the prep work well in advance, you still have to remember to take the rolls out of the freezer at least 3 hours in advance.  I definitely cannot rule out forgetting to do that, especially on a busy night when we are all rushing around.  If I'm consistent at anything, it's being forgetful. 

Butterflake Frozen Roll Dough from Jamie Bakes it Up
2/3 C warm water
1 T yeast (I use active dry)
1/2 t sugar
4 1/2-5 C flour
2 t salt
1/4 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C softened butter, divided
1 C milk

Pour warm water into bottom of stand mixer and pour yeast over top. Add the 1/2 t sugar and stir mix around a bit, allowing yeast and sugar to dissolve. Let sit for 5 min, or til it starts to bubble. Add 2c  flour, salt, sugar, eggs, and 4 T e softened butter. Let dough mix 1 min. Heat milk in the microwave for 1 minand pour it into mixer. Turn mixer on and add the rest of flour one cup at a time. You will know that you have enough flour when dough pulls itself away from sides of mixer. Once you have enough flour, let dough mix on medium for 5 min.

Spray a large portion of your counter with cooking spray and set dough onto it. Shape dough into an oval. Let it rest for 5 minu. This part is important...you won't be able to roll the dough out well if it hasn't had a chance to sit. Roll dough into a large rectangle. Spread the remaining butter over top. (I used my hands)

With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into quarters. Cut each quarter into thirds. Stack strips 4 deep. Cut stacks into chunks about 2" wide.

Place a piece of parchment paper onto a large jelly roll pan, and spray it with cooking spray. Set each little roll onto parchment. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Spray the top of the wrap with cooking spray, thn carefully turn it over so that the side you sprayed is touching dough and wrap the pan securely. Put the pan in your freezer overnight. (OVERNIGHT!  I mean it!) Once the roll dough is frozen  remove from pan and place in a freezer safe Zip bag, and store it back in freezer.

When are ready to use dough, place as many rolls as you need in muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Spray top of wrap with cooking spray and  carefully turn it over so the side with the spray is touching the dough.

Let dough rise for 3-5 hrs, til dough risen about 1" above rim of pan. The dough will rise faster if kept in a warm place. Take plastic wrap off and bake at 350F for 15 minutes til golden brown.