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High Altitude Baking with The Muffin Lady

Homemade Oat Rolls for St. Patrick’s Day

By Randi The Muffin Lady, 3-16-06

Hold on everybody, according to the calendar Spring is almost here, just a few more days to go. The buds are growing on the trees; the grass is slowly turning green and there is a longing to plant fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers among many of us. Sure we can go to a supermarket and purchase these items, but the use of such in foods is just not quite the same as when growing and using your own. However, the taste is often quite similar, when you really think about it. A peach tastes like a peach, a zucchini bought from the produce department, tastes just like a zucchini grown out back and a potato is still a potato, whether homegrown or not. But the grains that produce the finest breads and the fiber our bodies' needs is not easily grown in a back yard, that is unless you are a farmer. (Bless you, if you are.) Therefore, I have chosen to supply you with my recipe for Oatmeal Cinnamon Rolls, developed in time for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and for warming my home during these last chilly days of winter. You see, store bought fruits and vegetables really do taste just like the ones we plant, but homemade bread, that fills your home with the aroma of love and goodness, always taste better than when it is bought at the supermarket.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Rolls: 12 rolls

(IF you do not want to serve sweet rolls, this recipe also works for dinner rolls, simply do not roll the dough out, nor add the filling, instead just pull 2-3 inch clumps of the dough from the mass after the first rising and place onto a pre-greased cookie sheet, allow to double in bulk and bake accordingly. Make sure to brush the tops with some melted butter immediately after removing from the oven, to prevent a dry crust and for a shiny appeal. If you want to make the rolls with raisins, add them when adding the flour.

2 packages of dry active yeast or 2 yeast cakes
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup oats
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, boiled
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg or equivalent amount of liquid egg substitute
5 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
Egg wash, made from 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons water, mixed together
2 tablespoons extra brown sugar, (optional)

Filling:
2/3 - 3/4 cup cinnamon sugar mixture: approximately 2/3 cup sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup raisins or chopped nuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into 1/2 cup warm water, cover and rest for 7-10 minutes or until bubbly.
2. In a mixing bowl pour the boiling water over the oats and 3 tablespoons of butter/margarine; stir until the butter is melted. Set to cool to warm for a few minutes.
3. Add the yeast mixture, brown sugar and salt to the oats, stir and gradually add the egg and remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Cover the bowl with a warm damp cloth and allow to rise to double in bulk about an hour plus.
4. Once the dough has double, roll each out on a floured board until 1/4 inch thick. Dot 1/2 cup butter/margarine all over the dough, (I usually put a dot every half inch all over the dough), then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture covering all the dough, then sprinkle the raisins and/or nuts over the cinnamon sugar. Top this by sprinkling 2 tablespoons brown sugar over all.
5. Beginning at the longest side, roll the dough up tightly and seal by pinching the edge against the mass. Pinch the side edges to seal.
6 Grease 1, 10x2 inch round cake pan and 1, 9x5 inch bread pan (You could use 2, 8 inch round cake pans) thoroughly with butter.
7. With a serrated knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch sections, and place 9 rolls into the large prepared pan, and 3 into the prepared bread pan, (or 6 in one and 6 in another if using an 8 inch cake pans). Make sure that the rolls do not touch one another.
9. Cover each pan with a warm damp cloth and allow the dough to rise another hour to almost double in bulk a warm spot.
10. Preheat the oven to 350* F.
11. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash all over the top of the rolls, sprinkle 2 tablespoon excess brown sugar over the top of rolls and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Serving suggestion: This recipe has a tendency to be dense in texture. I suggest smearing with butter, apple butter or peach butter to enhance the pleasure of the experience.

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