Refrigerator Bread Dough

Directions

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