Great Grandma's Cinnamon Rolls

Makes: ~ 4 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups milk, lukewarm (traditionally scalded then cooled to lukewarm, these days that process is not necessary but you can do it if you want)
• 2 packages yeast
• ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ cup sugar, ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, butter for spreading, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ~6 cups flour, 6 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed

 In a container large enough to allow for rising, dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water.  Add ½ teaspoon sugar. Allow to rise.

Meanwhile, in a very large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup butter, ½ cup sugar, and salt.  Add lukewarm milk, followed by the risen yeast and eggs.

Add flour gradually while stirring.  Start from around 4 cups and continue adding until the dough is soft and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Plop it on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Cover the dough with a towel and set it in a warm area away from drafts and let rise until doubled.

Meanwhile, mix the filling - cinnamon, brown sugar, ¾ cup sugar, and 6 tablespoons of flour - in a small bowl.  Use a sifter or strainer to attain a fine texture.

After the dough has risen, take it in sections and roll out each section to a thickness of about ½ inch (~1 cm).  Spread the surface with butter and filling and pat it well onto the dough.  Carefully roll the dough tightly into a log, tuck in the ends and pinch the edges together.  Cut into 1-inch (~2cm) slices.  Place the slices in a greased pan, cover with a towel, and let rise again until doubled.

Bake at 350'F (~180'C) 25-35 minutes.  Let cool and frost (or don't) as desired.  (Cream cheese, buttercream, glaze, plain butter, etc all taste great on them!)