OLD MOMMIE BREAD (A.K.A. CINNAMON ROLLS)
CAROL ANN RUPP CRAWLEY (Alton, Virginia) is known as Old Mommie to her nine grandchildren, seven of whom were born in the South. (The other two, Maika and Jun Ito, were born and are being raised in Tokyo, Japan.) The newest addition, grandchild number nine, is DANIEL ALEXANDER KIRKPATRICK (Fairfax, Virginia). If he’s anything like his cousins, his mom (Kara Crawley Kirkpatrick) predicts that he, too, will look forward to this favorite food item when he visits—Old Mommie’s famous cinnamon rolls. Older cousins Wade and Jun like to help make these, rolling the dough, spreading the butter, and adding the brown sugar and cinnamon. Based on how generous these “helpers” are with the ingredients, oftentimes the rolls are extra-sweet or cinnamony, but eaten regardless. Once, two of the grandchildren consumed eighteen rolls in no time flat!
DOUGH STARTER:
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons instant potatoes
¾ cup sugar
ROLLS:
1 cup dough starter
2 cups hot water, divided
3 tablespoons instant potatoes
1 ½ cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
2 large eggs
1 bag (5 pounds) bread flour
Vegetable oil to grease mixing bowl
Vegetable shortening to prepare cookie sheet
CINNAMON ROLL FILLING:
5 cups firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 ½ cups raisins (optional)
2 ½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
2 ½ cups butter, softened
ICING:
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 TO MAKE THE DOUGH STARTER, prepare it a week before you plan on making the rolls. In a glass jar mix the hot water, instant potatoes, and sugar well. Seal the jar and allow to ferment on the counter overnight. Then place in the refrigerator to be used when you are ready to make the rolls.
2 Preheat the oven to 340 degrees.
3 TO MAKE THE ROLLS, take out 1 cup of the dough starter for the recipe and “feed” the remainder in the jar with 1 cup of the hot water, instant potatoes, and ¾ cup of the sugar. Do this each time you remove a cup to make these rolls.
4 Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and add 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Mix thoroughly. Set aside and let it get foamy.
5 In a large bowl mix the dough starter, the remaining 1 cup hot water, oil, salt, the remaining ¾ cup sugar, and eggs. Blend thoroughly and add the foamy yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour until the mixture begins to pull away from the bowl.
6 Place the remainder of the flour in a large bowl and transfer the batter to the bowl, kneading by hand until it no longer sticks to your hands. Remove from the bowl, empty out any remaining flour, grease a large bowl with oil, and place the dough in the bowl, turning it over so all sides are coated with oil.
7 Cover and keep in a draft-free location until double in size. (Carol usually turns on the oven light and places the dough in the oven for rising time. The heat from the light is enough to make dough rise quickly.)
8 TO PREPARE AND ADD THE FILLING, in a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in raisins or nuts, if desired.
9 When the dough is double in size, pinch off two large handfuls of dough and roll it out in a rectangular shape. Using a pastry brush, spread the dough evenly with the softened butter, sprinkle generously with the brown sugar mixture, and roll up jelly roll–style.
10 Slice into 1 ½-inch-thick slices, pinching the seam to seal after slicing. Place the rolls three wide on a 9 × 13-inch greased jelly-roll pan; rolls should not be touching at this point. Using the tines of a fork, poke each roll twice on top to allow air to escape. Allow to rise until double in size, 35 to 40 minutes.
11 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned on top.
12 TO MAKE THE ICING, in a medium bowl use a hand mixer to cream together the sugar and margarine. Mix in the vanilla and milk and blend until smooth. Spread the icing over warm rolls and serve.
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 5 DOZEN ROLLS.