Fan Tan Rolls

Sunday I made another round of Foccacia Bread (sadly forgetting to take pictures of them). After that I decided to try my hand at making rolls. I picked Fan Tan Rolls. My Great Uncle had these at his house when we visited him at the beginning of June. He served them with home-made raspberry jam. I wish I had more of that home made jam...

This is how they turned out! Don't they look good?

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/3 cup table sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
6 1/2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
butter, melted (for brushing on dough)

Directions:
combine water sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Add salt and 2 cups of flour. Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer then add eggs and shortening. Beat for another minute and then work in remaining flour (4 1/2 cups). Cover and let rest in bowl for 20 minutes. This makes the dough easier to handle.

Shaping:
1. Divide dough in half and roll each into 9 inch square. Brush with melted butter; cut into six
strips.
2. Stack strips on top of one another. Cut into 1 inch widths. Place in greased muffin pans, cut
side up.
3. Cover and let rise in warm place for 40-45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Brush with melted butter for last five minutes of baking.


What I would do differently Next time: I'm not sure I would actually put six strips together in a muffin pan...maybe four instead. This one, as you can see, exploded! Still yummy but way over proofed. Probably was too hot in the house and didn't need the full rise time.

Pineapple Upside Down Muffins

Recently I took out a box from our spare bedroom that contained my grandmother's recipes. I was searching for good bread recipes. I had just made a fantastic Foccacia bread and I will make it again (and take pictures). Anyway, I know my grandma had many breads, rolls, and muffin recipes. As I flipped through one of her home-made books.


I came across a recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Muffins. They sounded so good that on my grocery list went Crushed pineapples.

I had everything else at home...

They were so good! When they came out of the oven I flip them them over onto a cookie sheet. This is the point where I would change what I did...I just flipped them over, next time I would put the cookie sheet or cooling rack right on top of the muffins and flip them so nothing spilt as much as this first time. Here's how they turned out:


I am going to make these again. It's a nice dessert that doesn't have chocolate in it. One thing I did different than the recipe was added 2 - 3 teaspoons of cinnamon in with the dough.

It's a nice way to make personal signed cakes for a dinner! Try the recipe and I know you'll love it!