Betty's Snickerdoodles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I tend to keep my cookie jar full during the summer. Friends and family drop in more often and I like to have something for them - particularly the younger ones - to nibble on. The jar is usually stuffed with our cookie jar favorites which include peanut butter, oatmeal and that strange creation called the snickerdoodle. It's hard not to love snickerdoodles. They are easy to make and the required ingredients are pantry staples in most homes. Best of all, their name makes the preschool set giggle, and the giggle of a three year old is pretty hard to resist. They are a light drop cookie that can be soft or crisp depending on how long they are baked, and anyone who likes cinnamon sugar will love them. Snickerdoodles have been around for a long time. Recipes for the cookies appeared during the 19th century and the cookies quickly became a favorite in New England and Pennsylvania. Folks generally believe the cookie is of Dutch or German origin and that their name comes from the German word Schneckennudeln, which is the name of cinnamon-dusted sweet rolls. There is even a children's book about a tiny hero, called Snickerdoodle, who travels around in a peanut mobile doing good deeds. While I'm lukewarm about the book, I am a fan of the cookies. The recipe I use for summer baking comes from Betty Crocker and it consistently delivers cookies that are delicious and easy to make. I think you would like them, too. Here is how they are made.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cracks

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a while since I featured a recipe for cookies. The chocolate and cinnamon gems I'm featuring tonight are the result of trying to replicate cookies one we had on Whidbey Island last weekend. While I have to do more testing before I get it exactly right - or, alternatively, request the recipe from the innkeeper - my first effort produced a very nice, very chocolate cookie that's good enough to share with you. These crinkly topped cookies are delicious and I know all chocolate lovers will appreciate the chocolate and cinnamon combination. The cookies are simple to make, though the dough must be refrigerated before they can be formed and baked, so chill time must be factored into your baking plans. Couples and small families will especially like this recipe because the dough can be shaped and frozen in sensible quantities that can be baked at a later date. Here is how they are made.

Spiced Coffee Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw these cookies on the blog In Katrina's Kitchen and I just had to give them a try. These buttery gems will delight those who like to nibble on simple European-style cookies as they sip their coffee or tea. They are soft spice cookies that are flavored with cinnamon, cloves and, believe it or not, fresh, unused coffee grounds. The coffee is what makes these cookies unique and interesting.It is important that you use real, unbrewed, coffee grounds when you prepare the cookies. Powdered coffee or crystals will not impart the flavor that you want these cookies to have. Katrina suggests that you use bread flour to make the cookies. She reasons that the extra protein in bread flour helps to bind to all of the butter in these cookies. If you use all-purpose flour you will need to add 3 to 4 more tablespoons of flour to your ingredient list. I must admit my cookies, which mounded,  do not look like hers which are flatter and resemble crackle cookies. Normally, I'd be upset, because mine are not pretty, but I so liked the cookies that I wanted to share them with you. It takes minutes to make the cookies and unless you have a raging sweet tooth, I think you'll love them. Here is how they are made.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Cinnamon Cream

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday, precedes the first day of Lent. It's called Shrove Tuesday because centuries ago it was custom for confessions to be heard on that day and those who were absolved were said to be shrove or shriven of sin. In more secular countries, particularly those that are English speaking, it is also known as Pancake Day. The tradition of serving pancakes on the eve of Lent is centuries old and it came about because there was a need to consume rich and restricted ingredients such as sugar, fat, flour and eggs before the 40 day Lenten fast began. Pancakes were an easy way to do that. While fast requirements are considerably easier these days, it is still fun to observe the pancake ritual. This year I found an old Paula Dean recipe to use as my feature for the day. I know you'll love these, but I must admit I think you'll find them more dessert than breakfast-like. No matter! They are delicious, easy to make and good enough that you might want to use a heart mold and serve them on Valentine's Day, unless, of course, you have given up sugar, fat, flour and eggs. Then you are on your own. Here is how these pancakes, and the delicious cinnamon cream that accompanies them are made.

Simply Scrumptious Cinnamon Scones

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you have houseguests coming for the holiday, or are just looking for something simple to make for Easter brunch, you might want to give these scones a try. They have the soft texture of a cream scone, but the sugar topping gives them enough crunch to make their texture interesting. These scones are not overly sweet, so the glaze, which might be excessively sweet in other recipes, is perfect here. I use the food processor to simplify their assembly and make clean-up easier. This is a very straightforward recipes that you can alter to your personal taste. Like nuts? Add them. Yearn for lemon? Give it a shot. This has become my go-to recipe when I'm harried, hurried or worried about creating a guest-worthy morning pastry. These scones take ten minutes to make and another ten to bake. While this is not my favorite recipe for scones, I use it more than any other because it is so easy. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here is how the scones are made.

Countdown to Christmas - Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect your children are much like mine. While surround by confections from around the world, their clear favorites were gingerbread men and frosted sugar cookies. Some of you may even have a spouse like mine. Now, my intent here is not to waken sleeping dogs, or open doors that should remain forever closed, but the Silver Fox and others like him, have a serious problem. Their mother's loved them more than we do. These women, to hear it told, dropped everything to bake their son's favorite cookie, no matter what else might be going on. In the midst of cooking dinner for 30, favorite cookies would miraculously appear to please,or as the case may be, appease, the Little Prince. The Little Prince was known to his sisters by a name that cannot be mentioned here, and only age has closed the breech caused by the special treatment he received. He, unfortunately, neglected to include the cookie clause in his marriage contract, so I can honestly say I have never dropped anything to make him cookies on a whim. This year, however, I had some extra time and included his favorite chocolate chips in my Christmas cookie mix. There are hundreds of recipes for CCCs floating through cyberspace, and the only thing that sets his apart from any of the others, is a bit of cinnamon and some orange zest. I must admit they add a great deal to the standard cookie. I found the recipe in Taste of Home magazine and I haven't strayed much from the original instructions, save for increasing the amount of cinnamon and changing the way the cookies are shaped. I found the rolling and cutting tedious, so using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, I created balls which I flattened to a half inch in thickness and made quick work of the chore. I think you will enjoy these cookies as much as the No-Longer-Little Price does. Here is how they are made.

Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon orange zest, minced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( 2 cups)
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
2) Beat in eggs, orange zest and vanilla.
3) In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and walnuts, then cover and chill 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease several cookie sheets.
5) When dough has chilled, on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut with lightly floured 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Yield: 3 dozen cookie.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Apple Cinnamon Yeast Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There will be more cookies to come, but I wanted to take short break from them, so I could share some holiday breads with you before Christmas arrives. This recipe was developed by Bernard Clayton who was a bread guru long before the no-knead breads became so popular. It is not the kind of bread that I normally would experiment with, but a thumbs up review by Moomie, of Moomie's Famous Hamburger Buns, tweaked my curiosity, and before I knew it, I was knee-deep in apples and the aromas of cinnamon and yeast were wafting from my kitchen. While I had some trouble determining when the fragile loaf  was done,  I really like this bread and want to recommend it to those of you who are have some experience baking bread. This would be wonderful for a holiday breakfast or brunch and I know you will enjoy it. Here is how it is made.

Apple Cinnamon Yeast Bread with Streusel Topping...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Bernard Clayton

Ingredients:
Dough
3-1/4 to 4 cups all purpose flour
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup dry milk powder
1-1/4 cups hot warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
1-1/2 tablespoons shortening
Apple Mix
1 cup apples, chopped into 3/4 inch cubes
1 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into pea size pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Streusel Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Glaze
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) In a mixing bowl combine 1-1/2 cups flour with yeast, salt, and milk powder. Pour in hot water and stir in shortening. With strong strokes, beat batter 100 times by hand, or for 2 minutes with a mixer.
2) Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, to make a dough that can be lifted from bowl and placed on the work surface. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, for 10 minutes.
3) Place dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to double in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Place on a floured work surface. Roll and press dough into a square, about 1/2 inch thick. Let dough rest for a few moments. Spread chopped apples uniformly over surface of dough. Pour beaten egg over apples. Add nuts. Sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon. Fold dough into a package. This, by the way,  is the last time there will be any semblance of order in preparing bread.
4) Using a dough scraper or large knife, chop dough with random blows into pieces about 1 inch in size. Uniformity is of no great consequence. When apple dough has been well chopped, toss or scoop pieces into a greased loaf loaf pan, two-thirds full. Cover pan with parchment paper, and put aside to rise slightly above the edge, about 40 minutes.
5) To prepare streusel, combine flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle risen loaf with streusel mixture.
6) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake about 45 minutes or until loaf is  a rich golden brown. Test for doneness with a cake tester. If it comes out clean and dry, bread is done. Carefully, turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Bread is fragile while hot and should not be cut for at least two hours, or until completely cool..
7) Whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl. Drizzle over top of finished loaf and let set before serving. Yield: 1 loaf.

      

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Countdown to Christmas - Danish Cinnamon Crisps

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a nice recipe to have on hand for the Christmas holidays. These butter-rich crisps make a wonderful addition to a holiday breakfast or tea table, and while I'm not sure they actually come from Denmark, their preparation is similar to that of a Danish pastry. Hence the name. These saucer-sized sweet rolls crisp because they are flattened when they start to rise. They are not shatteringly brittle if made according to recipe specifications, but they will become crisper the longer they are baked. If you decide to increase baking time, keep an eye on the rolls because that cinnamon sugar topping burns quite easily. It is is also important to remove the rolls from the baking sheets as soon as they come from the oven. Given half a chance, they will become one with the pan and you'll have a mess to deal with. I actually use a nonstick spray on my cooling racks to assure the crisps can be transferred easily. If you enjoy sweet breakfast rolls I think you will love the crisps. They would be a perfect addition to a holiday brunch menu. Here is how they are made.

Danish Cinnamon Crisps...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm 2% milk
2 cups sugar, divided use
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
2 large eggs
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, lemon peel, salt, mace, eggs and 2 cups flour. Beat well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
2) Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar. Fold in half lengthwise. Roll again to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with another 1/3 cup sugar. Fold in half widthwise and roll to an 18 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread with remaining butter. Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar. Sprinkle half over dough to within 1/4 inch of edges. Roll up tightly, starting with a short side and pinch to seal. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.
3) Place on greased baking sheets (four to six slices per sheet). Cover with waxed paper and flatten with palm of hand. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar. Let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake crisps for 12-15 minutes. Immediately remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: about 1-1/2 dozen.

Cook's Note: I crisp these in a toaster oven for about 5 minutes before serving them. This allows the topping sugar to caramelize and makes the rolls really special.

      

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Mary Todd Lincoln's Cinnamon Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of the recipes I tested while searching for cakes and pastries that could be served on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. I came across this recipe in an old issue of Midwest Living magazine, and while I found the flavors of the cake to be a bit much for breakfast, the cake, which is texturally like a Sally Lunn, would be perfect to serve with afternoon coffee or as part of a more formal tea. Mary Lincoln's cinnamon cake is actually a lightly yeasted batter bread that I think you will find very easy to make and even easier to enjoy. It's spiced much like an old-English tea cake, and it gets extra flavor from the macerated currants that are soaked for hours before they are added to the batter. The soused currants add moisture to the cake, and it will keep for several days if it is well-wrapped. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cake is made.


Mary Todd Lincoln's Cinnamon Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Midwest Living magazine

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup dried currants or 1 cup raisins
1/4 cup brandy or 1/4 cup orange juice
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups warm milk
1 tablespoon sugar
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Orange Glaze
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:
1) In a jar, combine currants or raisins and brandy or orange juice. Cover tightly. Let soak overnight.
2) Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.
3) In a medium bowl, combine yeast, milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until mixture is bubbly.
4) By hand, beat in 1 cup flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).
5) In a bowl, stir together the 2-3/4 cups flour, cinnamon, mace, and salt and set aside. Drain currants, reserving brandy or juice.
6) In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until very light. Add egg and beat until light.
7) Beat in lemon peel, lemon juice, and reserved brandy or orange juice. Add yeast mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
8) By hand, stir in currants, then stir in flour mixture until well combined.
9) Turn batter into prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
10) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
11) Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake, remove from pan and complete cooling on a wire rack.
12) To make glaze: In a bowl, stir together powdered sugar and orange juice until mixture is smooth and drizzles easily. Drizzle cake with glaze or powdered sugar. Yield: 12 servings.

      

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Maple-Cinnamon Breakfast Biscuits

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Left to my own devices, this is something I never would have thought to make. On those rare occasions when I start my day with a biscuit, it is the standard variety and I spread maple syrup or honey on it, rather than in it. A neighbor led me to the recipe and despite my initial reservations , it seemed so simple that I decided to give it a try. The biscuits are not at all bad. While they will never replace a good bagel or Danish, I must admit they are a tasty way to start the day. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow and you'll need only minimal equipment to mix and bake them off. There is one small pitfall in this recipe that brought back memories of Julia Child. Julia was famous for tucking finished sauces into her ingredient lists. The call for a cup of veloute halfway through the assembly of a recipe taught many of us just how important it was to read a recipe before actually starting to work on it. Here the thing that might slow you down, is the call for a ready-mixed cinnamon sugar. I rarely keep cinnamon sugar on hand, so I mix it up just before I start to work on my recipes. I use this INSTRUCTABLE to make the sugar I need for these biscuits. If you are looking for something new to start your family's day I hope you will gibe this recipe a try. They are light and  flavorful and I think you'll enjoy them.  Here is how the biscuits are made.

Maple-Cinnamon Breakfast Biscuits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Combine flour, 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and syrup just until moistened. Fold in pecans.
2) Turn onto a floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter.
Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen.

One Year Ago Today: Stir-Fried Asparagus with Pork

Two Years Ago Today: Crusty Farm-Style Fried Chicken

Three years Ago Today: Lemon Coleslaw

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Light and Luscious Lemon-Scented Ice Milk

                                                                    Happy Easter

                                                           Lemon-Scented Ice Milk

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope you all are enjoying this special holiday weekend. We had our Easter dinner last evening and this is one of the desserts I made to accompany the Mediterranean-style meal we served. I think you'll find it to be a light and lovely way to end a special holiday dinner. A well-flavored ice milk is a wonderful creations that will refresh, rather than weigh down the palate. This scented ice is a simple dish to prepare but it takes time for the lemon flavor to infuse the milk and it must be properly chilled before it goes into your ice cream maker. The operative word for desserts such as this is cold. That necessitates starting the ice milk the day before you actually need it.  I like to serve this treat in frosted parfait glasses with a light drizzle of limoncello, or an absolutely stellar sweet wine sauce that you can find, here.  Desserts like this demand a cookie or two to complete them. So, I served the ice milk with  madeleines, ginger snaps and a new almond flavored sugar cookie that I will share with you tomorrow. I really hope you'll give this dessert a try. Those of you who do, will not be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

 Lemon-Scented Ice Milk ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
Zest of 1 large lemon cut into thin strips
1 cinnamon stick
4 large egg whites

Directions:
1) Combine milk, cream, 2/3 cup sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour into a nonreactive container and refrigerate until icy cold, about 8 to 10 hours. Remove lemon strips and cinnamon stick.
2) Beat egg whites in bowl of an electric stand mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until peaks are shiny. Whisk egg whites into chilled milk mixture. Pour mixture into bowl of an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.
3) About 1/2 to 1 hour before serving, move ice milk from freezer to refrigerator. When ready to serve, place a scoop of ice milk in a parfait glass. Drizzle with limoncello or sweet wine sauce. Yield: 6 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Crostini with Pea Pesto

















Two Years Ago Today: Fresh Cod and Potato Cakes with Creamy Tarragon Sauce












Three years Ago Today: Spring Vegetable Ragout















Four Years Ago Today: Crock-Pot Beggar's Chowder

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These sweet rolls are a wonderful addition to a holiday breakfast or brunch. The recipe, which comes from Gourmet magazine, has been around for a while, and a substantial number of people have actually made the rolls and reviewed the recipe. You can read their comments, here. The reviews are mixed, but there are more favorable than negative comments and these rolls are good enough to try, as long as you are aware of pitfalls that might be encountered when you actually go to make them. Some feel the rolls are heavy. In a perfect world, flour would be weighed and this complaint would disappear, but until that happens, I think it's fair to assume that dense breads are the result of too much flour being used to make them. Over the years, I have consistently used the fluff, spoon and level technique for all my baked goods, so I've pretty much overcome dense and heavy breads. I hasten to add I have other problems, but that one has been put to rest. The dough used to make these rolls is tacky but it is workable and it can be formed after it has risen. Many feel the rolls aren't sweet enough. I love barely sweet sweet things, but I make it a point to drizzle half the rolls with a glaze to please those who have a more demanding sweet tooth. Some also feel the rolls need more spice. I honestly think that more cinnamon and orange zest would be too much of a good thing and I would especially caution against the use of too much orange zest. I think a tablespoon is fine, but it is important to grate only the rind. The white pith is bitter and can spoil the rolls. I think these are glorious to look at and I love the navel that is cut into the formed rolls. I personally think these are delicious and I hope that those of you who try them will like them as much as I do. Here's how they are made.

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons warm water + 2 teaspoons water at room temperature, divided use
1 (1/4-ounce) package or 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided use
5 to 5-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup warm milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until tepid, + butter for greasing bowl
4 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes, or submerged in a bowl of warm water (105°F) 5 minutes, divided use

Directions:
1) Stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, whisk 4 cups flour with zest, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3) Add milk, vanilla, butter, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to yeast. Mix at medium speed until combined. Beat in 3 eggs, 1 at a time, then add flour mixture and mix until combined well.
4) Replace paddle attachment with dough hook attachment and mix at medium-low speed, adding more flour (1 to 1 1/2 cups), 1/4 cup at a time, until a smooth but slightly sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand until smooth and elastic (dough will remain slightly sticky), about 3 minutes. Form dough into a ball and transfer to a large buttered bowl, turning dough to coat with butter. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
5) Line a 17- by 14-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
6) Turn dough onto work surface and knead several times to remove air. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Cup your hand over 1 piece and, using your thumb and pinkie to keep ball inside your cupped hand, push dough with heel of your hand against work surface while rolling in a circular motion (clockwise or counterclockwise) to form a smooth ball. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, arranging balls 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
7) Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together remaining egg with remaining 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Cut a 1-inch X (1/4 inch deep) in top of each roll with kitchen shears. Brush rolls lightly with egg wash and bake until golden and rolls sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack and cool, at least 15 minutes. Yield: 12 rolls.

Cooks' note:
Rolls can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept in sealed plastic bags or a large airtight container at room temperature. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven 10 minutes.

One Year Ago Today: Old-World Christmas Cookie Collection

Two Years Ago Today: Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Three Years Ago Today: Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail