Honey Rolls

Author: Sharradin Desri

Mistress Al'Vere's legendary sweets.

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup lard
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 cups hot water
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• Dash of granulated or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water (105?F to 115?F)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• Brown Sugar/Honey Glaze

Place brown sugar, lard and salt in large bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups hot water until brown sugar is dissolved. Dissolve yeast and granulated or dark brown sugar in 1/4 cup warm water; stir into brown sugar mixture. Beat in whole wheat flour and enough all-purpose flour to make dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 2 hours. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil; grease. Punch down dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth. Shape into 10-inch long roll; cut into 10 slices. Shape each slice into smooth ball. Place on foil-covered cookie sheets; flatten into 3 1/2 to 4-inch diameter circles. Cover; let rise until double, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Brush rolls with egg. Spread Brown Sugar Glaze on centers of rolls. Make diagonal or crisscross cuts in tops of rolls with tip of sharp knife. Bake until rolls are brown and sound hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately remove rolls; cool on wire racks. Makes 10 rolls.

Brown Sugar/Honey Glaze

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• Honey

Mix brown sugar and honey until the consistency of thin syrup. Pour over until thickly covered.