Caramel Nut Rolls or Caramel Breakfast Rolls

These are not your ordinary cinnamon rolls, though they appear to be a close kitchen cousin. The gooey brown syrup topping mixed with the scent of fresh break baking in the oven, brings back youthful memories of home. Of course my ancestral bakers would never think of using prepared yeast dough. Or would they?

Serve with butter (really! More butter) and plenty of napkins.

Other close kitchen cousins:  Butterscotch Rolls, Sticky buns and Monkey Cake. Some versions use dry pudding mixes.

Caramel Nut Breakfast Rolls (1970s)

• 1 loaf frozen bread dough
• Defrost bread dough according to package directions.

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted.
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Caramel Topping:

• 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light colored corn syrup
• Combine the above ingredients in saucepan and heat until combined.
• 2/3 cups chopped pecans

Roll the thawed dough onto a lightly floured surface and into 14 x 9 inch rectangle. Brush 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the surface. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Starting at one long side, roll the dough in jellyroll style, forming a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Arrange rolls in prepared 9 or 10 inch baking dish, spacing evenly. Brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Invert pan onto plate. Cool 5 minutes. Enjoy. 

Butter and Shortening Tips: 1003 Household Hints and Work Savers to Help You Beat the High Cost of Living, 1948

One pound butter plus two cups evaporated milk equal two pounds of butter believe it or not. Bring the butter to room temperature and beat to cream—your egg-beater will do fine. Add two cups of evaporated milk, a little at a time Keep on beating until all the milk is absorbed. Chill to a solid and you’ve twice as much butter.

One way to conserve butter is to use bacon drippings on top of casseroles, instead of butter. Same goes for frying potatoes.

If the shortening you use comes in a cardboard container, you can have every last bit of it by spreading the container flat and scraping up the rest with a knife.

Get your shortening money’s worth by using every bit in the container. When you’ve come to the hard-to-get-at last of it, pour boiling water into the can and the shortening will rise to the top. When chilled you can skim off the solid fat, wrap in waxed paper and keep till wanted.

Biscuit Caramel Rolls (1970s)

One recipe I came across called for 2 cans of premade biscuit dough instead of bread dough. Melt 3/4 to 1 stick of butter and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Add 1 cup brown sugar and mix. Sprinkle 2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts over topping. Place the biscuits over nuts (option: cut biscuit into two pieces). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Invert rolls onto a plate or cookie sheet. Cool 5 minutes.

One More Helpful Hint: Make short work of pin-feathers by plucking them from fowl with an ordinary strawberry huller or a large pair of tweezers.