Jim Swift's Dinner Rolls
I was part of the science team during several Arctic Ocean research expeditions on the Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2002 and 2004. To relieve the cooks and make life interesting on a long cruise, different groups among the ship's crew were expected to prepare the main meal on Saturday evening. This included the science team, and when our Saturday dinner duty came up, we all chipped in recipes. I volunteered to make a Three (or Four) Bean Salad from canned beans and fresh onions available in the mess pantry. Jim Swift, a marine chemist at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, showed us how to make his family's favorite dinner rolls. These were such a hit that we all clamored for the recipe, and Jim obliged. He told us where the recipe came from: 'Ruth Ginther was an older friend of my parents, and a master baker. Her dinner roll recipe has long been a Swift family favorite.' These rolls are great for holiday meals. Kids enjoy rolling up the dough triangles for baking.
Mrs. Ginther's 3-Hour Dinner Rolls (no kneading; makes about 18) The Sponge
Ingredients:
1 cup milk, scalded (you can heat milk in a glass or ceramic cup in a microwave for about 1.5 to 2 min to scald – heated to near boiling) and then cooled to "yeast temperature" (you can hold a finger in it, but it is still fairly warm. 1 Tbsp sugar 1 scant Tbsp yeast (or 1 package of dry yeast) I cup flour 1) Dissolve sugar in warm milk in a ceramic bowl large enough to handle the risen dough (about 2 quarts). Sprinkle yeast over surface of the milk. Wait a minute or two for yeast to dissolve.
2) Stir in 1 cup flour. Scrape down bowl, cover bowl top with damp towel, and let rise in a warm (not hot) place until at least doubled (about 30 minutes). (This can be done by heating about 2 cups of water in a glass container to boiling in a microwave, then putting the bowl with the sponge in the microwave with the container of hot water and letting sit for the 30 minute, or you can put the hot water and bowl with sponge together in an insulated ice chest to keep the sponge warm).
The Dough
Ingredients:
1 or 2 eggs 1/4 to1/3 cup soft butter (or good quality stick margarine such as Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt (yeast needs this for proper rising) Note: If you use 2 eggs, 1/3 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sugar the rolls will be very rich and sweet. And then you may need a bit more flour in the step below. 1) To the warm, risen sponge add the above four ingredients (egg, softened butter or margarine, sugar, salt), and stir until well mixed. 2) Now begin stirring in approximately 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups flour, a cup at first, and then in half-cup additions, until you have a soft dough (i.e. not very stiff but just barely not sticky – if you think it’s still too sticky, add a bit more flour). 3) Scrape down bowl, cover dough with waxed paper, cover bowl top with damp dish towel, and let rise in a warm place (microwave or insulated ice chest with container of heated water) until doubled in size (about 45 minutes or a little more). The Rolls
1) To make rolls, after the dough has risen, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough a portion (about half of this recipe) at a time on a lightly floured surface into a big rectangle (more or less) no more than about 1/8 inch thick.
2) Cut the rolled-out dough into triangles, with two long sides about 6-8 inches long and the short side about 3-4 inches.
3) Tuck the corners of the short side over onto the triangle and then roll up toward the tip. Place each roll on parchment paper on a baking sheet with the tip "flap" side down with a bit of room to expand. Bend the rolls a bit to make a crescent shape, if desired. 4) Let rolls rise in a warmish place for about 30 minutes, then bake at 350-375 oF until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, depending on the oven and the number of rolls.
Enjoy!