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1
Boil together the 2 c water, 3/4 c sugar, the tablespoon of salt, 2T butter, and 1T shortening over medium high heat.
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2
Cool to lukewarm
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3
proof the 2 pkgs yeast in the 1/2 c warm water (dissolve yeast in water, let rise 5 to 10 minutes)
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4
lightly beat the 3 eggs, and stir into sugar/water mixture
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5
Stir in the yeast mixture
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6
Add flour in 1/2 to 2/3 cup intervals.
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7
Stir well between each addition to an even consistency.
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8
After about 5 cups, you can pour the mixture out onto the remaining flour and knead it in.
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9
You may need more or less flour, depending on humidity, flour used, etc.
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10
Knead dough for about 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
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11
It's important to do this quickly and lightly.
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12
Too hard and you get a tough dough.
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13
The original recipe didn't call for kneading at all.
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14
But in my opinion, it improves the texture enough to make it worth while!
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15
Put dough into a greased bowl, turning to cover all sides
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16
At this point you can leave dough to rise on the counter, or you can let it rise in the fridge, to be shaped and baked as needed.
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17
Let rise until doubled in bulk.
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18
(This doesn't need the 2 risings that many bread recipes call for.)
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19
Shape dough as desired (this is great for rolls, pigs in a blanket, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls, butter horns...not so great for loaves.)
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20
Place on buttered pan.
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21
Let rise until doubled in bulk (unless making pizza or pigs in a blanket), bake at 450 until done, 10-15minutes for most of the items I listed.
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22
The appearance and flavor is largely improved by a quick brush with butter once removed from oven.
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23
Good to know: dough will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
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24
But the longer it's in there, the less it will rise.
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25
I usually make dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls first, using the stored dough for pizza, pigs in a blanket, pizza pockets, etc.
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26
The dough becomes much easier to work with if you let it come to room temperature before working with it.
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27
From start to first rising is about an hour.
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28
This makes enough to have some every night for 4 days, plus a breakfast of cinnamon rolls for 3 hungry people!
