Printer FriendlyHomeHOAGIE BUNS 2 ½ cups hot milk 2 teaspoons salt ¼ cup white sugar ½ cup vegetable shortening 2 teaspoons yeast 4 eggs 6 cups white flour In a large pan, combine milk, salt, sugar and shortening. Heat just until shortening is melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Add yeast and eggs, then using a large sturdy spoon, stir to dampen the yeast. Wait 10 minutes to allow yeast to soften then stir again. Clumps of yeast will not dissolve once you add the flour so be sure the yeast has thoroughly dissolved. Add flour all at once and continue stirring until well blended. The dough will be too soft and too sticky to knead. Cover and set pan in a warm area. When the dough has doubled in bulk, stir it down and allow it to double again. Scrape dough out of the pan using a rubber spatula onto a clean flat surface sprinkled heavily with flour. Pat a little flour on the top and push dough down gently with your hands until it is about ½ inch thick. The dough will be too sticky to use a rolling pin. Cut with a hollow tuna can or bottle ring for hamburger buns. For hoagie buns, slice off the desired amount of dough and dust the strip with a small amount of flour. Gently roll strip, adding as little flour as possible, shaping it into a rope-like loaf about 2 ½ inches by 10 inches. Place the buns or loaves two or three inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake 8 minutes at 400 F or until golden. Don't over cook or they will be dry. Cool before slicing open. Note: For variety, once you have shaped the dough into rolls or buns and before it has a chance to raise, you can use a pastry brush to dampen it with a little beaten egg then sprinkle poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cheese, garlic salt or herbs over the top. |
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