Recipe for Crescent Rolls

Many years ago I discovered the recipe for these crescent rolls and they have become sort of my trademark when it comes to baking. I don't dare fail to make them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other family meal for fear of facing the ire of some family members.

I make my rolls in my large stand mixer, so I mix them directly in the mixer bowl.

Ingredients:

2 packages active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening (part soft butter)
4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

Soft butter or margarine (set aside)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until smooth. Scrape dough from the side of bowl. (If you have problems getting the dough to the consistency you like, you can dump it out on a floured surface and knead it a bit until it's smooth. But that isn't usually necessary, and you don't want to work in too much flour. If you do that, you need to grease the bowl you return it to.)

Cover bowl and let rise in warm place until double. (If I'm in a hurry or the temperature is cool, I turn the oven on to 200 degrees and leave it on just long enough for the oven to get barely warm, then turn the oven off and put the rolls in.)

Allow the dough to rise till doubled in size, usually about 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle. (For this I lightly butter the top of my bar and roll them out on it. It's a bit harder than rolling them out without the butter, but at least they don't stick to the surface.)

Using the soft butter you have set aside, generously butter this circle of dough you have rolled out.