Refrigerator Rolls

Ingredients

• 1½ cups warm water (105° to 115°F)
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon plus ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 2 teaspoons salt about 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg vegetable oil for brushing

Instructions

1. 1Combine half a cup of the warm water, the yeast, and one teaspoon of sugar in a large bowl. Stir the mixture to dissolve the yeast and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.
2. 2Mix in the remaining one cup of warm water, half a cup of the softened butter, the remaining half cup of sugar, the salt, and two cups of the flour.
3. 3Use a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on low speed to gradually beat in the egg and one cup of the flour. Continue beating for 2 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
4. 4Stir in another two and a half cups of flour to form a soft dough.
5. 5Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead it for about 10 minutes until it feels smooth and elastic, adding just enough of the remaining half cup of flour to prevent it from sticking.
6. 6Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large, greased bowl. Turn the dough over once so the top is greased. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot (80 to 85 degrees F) for about an hour and a half, or until it doubles in size.
7. 7Punch the dough down to deflate it, turn it over, and brush the surface lightly with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with greased plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight, or for up to 24 hours.
8. 8If you prefer to bake them on the same day, skip the refrigerator step. Shape the punched-down dough into rolls, cover them loosely, let them rise for about 45 minutes until doubled, and bake as directed.
9. 9When ready to bake the refrigerated dough, take it out of the fridge about two and a half hours before you plan to serve. Grease a deep 15.5 by 10.5-inch roasting pan. Divide the dough into 30 equal portions and roll each piece into a smooth ball.
10. 10Arrange the dough balls in the prepared pan. Cover the pan loosely and let the rolls rise in a warm place for about an hour and a half until they double in size.
11. 11Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, until they turn golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottoms lightly. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter.
12. 12Brush the hot rolls lightly with the melted butter using a pastry brush. Serve them warm.

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