I have a deep affection and longing for these buttery beauties.
I make them but once a year, and that’s to serve for Thanksgiving. Each year my return guests inquire about them in advance. They wanna make sure I’ll have them. In fact, it’s probably the reason they come for Thanksgiving… yep, they’re using me.
I should warn you, there’s a lot of butter in these guys. Completely ignoring that fact would be the right think to do. But I will pass along one of my better factoids, just in case they prove to be too much for your great uncle Waldo or one of your other dinner guests with a faulty ticker: Did you know that the proper rhythm for administering CPR, [no irony her] is the exact rhythm as The BeeGees “Stayin’ Alive”. Seriously. That tidbit has stuck with me and given me the confidence I need to serve up such butter laden dishes. Give these rolls a try, they’ll change your life.
Makes about 1 dozen- adapted from Martha Stewart
11 tab butter softened, plus 5 tab melted, plus extra for bowl
1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1 T sugar
2 T warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tab flour plus extra for surface and rolling pin
2 tsp salt
4 pounds sweet onions such a vidalla or walla walla
sliced with mandoline or as thinly as possible
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Generously butter a 9″ cake pan using 1 T softened butter. Butter a large bowl; set aside. In small bowl, stir together yeast, sugar, and water and let stand until foamy,
about 5 minutes. Stir until dissolved and then stir in buttermilk and egg.
Mix 2 3/4 cups flour and 1 1/2 tsp salt in bowl. Pour in buttermilk mixture and mix with electric mixer to combine. Add 6 T softened butter; mix on med-high speed until a soft dough forms, about 10 minutes.
Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with remaining 2 T flour and knead until smooth- about 5 minutes. Transfer to the buttered bowl, cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Melt remaining 4 T of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook stirring often until soft, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring until dark gold brown and deeply caramelized- about 30 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and 1/2 teas salt. Let cool.
Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 17 x 10 inch rectangle and brush with 3 T melted butter. Spread onions evenly over dough. Starting on one long side, roll dough all the way down into a log. Press seam to seal. Cut into about 12 slices, approx 1 1/4 inch thick each. Arrange slices, cut side up, in buttered pan and brush with remaining 2 T melted butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 50 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 and bake rolls until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Immediately invert and unmold rolls onto a wire rack. Serve warm.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my goodness, these look wonderful! I love anything involving caramelized onions. I’ll have to think about doing a wheatless version.
I learned to do CPR to Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust!” These rolls look awesome! Anything with carmelized onion is my friend.
I am gluten intolerant but go glutenous for these babies!! They are THAT good!!!!!!
A drizzle of Gorgonzola cream sauce would not be a bad addition. I’m making these little pouches of love on Christmas! Thanks for the recipe!
Mmm, I never met a Gorgonzola I didn’t like!!
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