Chocolate Breakfast Rolls

As I type, I’m munching on a plate of brussels sprouts and a cheese quesadilla with a hefty helping of guacamole. Cricket, who adores cheese, meows steadily beneath my feet.

My dinner is far from gourmet, and I imagine many of your dinners were too.

There are countless times I wish I lived next door to Brian. He’d whip me up something spectacular while we gossiped about our neighbors and bragged on those we loved.

Or maybe, Joanne, who would entertain me with her endless storehouse of medical knowledge while turning a plate of quinoa into something worth drooling over. 

So then again, maybe many of your dinners WERE gourmet. Without doubt, I’m friends with many talented chefs.

If you’re looking for something sweet or doughy, I can offer you the world.

Wedding cake? You got it.

Cinnamon chip muffins? Done.

A quick primer on pie dough the week before Thanksgiving? I live for those tutorials.

But if I’m wanting a creative twist on an autumn soup, I turn to my friend who purees farm-fresh vegetables as if she was twirling her hair. If I need a perfectly cooked omelet, I ask my husband to get cracking those eggs. And if I want to enjoy the best Thanksgiving meal possible, I don’t buy a turkey. Instead, I drive to Houston, where my aunt and grandmother wait (of course, I come with pies in hand).

 This is the beauty of living in community. We’re supposed to rely on each other. Each of us doing the thing we love and then sharing our gifts with others.

Now if only someone could figure out how to transport food through the internet…I would be more than happy to send you a dozen of these rolls (as long as you sent me your own delicious concoction). 

1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, butter, eggs, salt and 3 cups of the flour; with either a large spoon or the paddle attachment on your mixer, stir until smooth. Add in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Stir in your chocolate chips.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (or keep in the bowl of your stand mixer) and knead for 5-10 minutes until your dough is smooth and elastic (the dough should be slightly sticky, but add more flour, if unable to form into a round ball).

2. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until almost doubled in size.

3. Prepare two, 8-inch cake pans, by lightly greasing with melted butter. Punch dough down. Break off small, roll-size pieces of dough and place into prepared pans. There should be about 1/2 space between each roll to allow room for rising.

4. Cover pans lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an additional 45 minutes to an hour. Near the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle melted chocolate over top.

7. Serve with a tall glass of milk!

Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores