Crescent Rolls - Gina Dale

3/4 cup very hot tap Water
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Potato Flakes
3/4 cup warm Water
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Yeast
1/3 cup Instant Milk Powder
1/4 cup Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Egg
3 1/2 cups Flour, divided
Butter Flavored Shortening
1/2 cups Butter, divided

In a bowl, combine very hot tap water with potato flakes, set aside.

In a kitchen aid mixer mix warm water and sugar.  Sprinkle yeast on top of water, DO NOT STIR. Let yeast stand and grow for 10 minutes.

Add milk powder, oil, salt, egg, 1 1/2 cups flour and mashed potatoes to yeast mixture. Beat mixture for 10 minutes. Add 3/4 cup more flour and beat 5 minutes. Do this 2 more times (3/4 cup flour beat 5 minutes). If dough is still sticky to the LIGHT touch add a little more flour and beat some more. I
tend to have three small bowls with 3/4 cup flour so I don’t forget what number I am on. Remove hook from mixer and rub a little shortening over the surface of the dough.

Cover bowl with a towel and let rise till double its size.  I like to put mine in the oven with a freshly pot of boiling water to help it rise.  Close door to oven.  Leave in there about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Once it has risen shape dough into a ball and drop into flour bin. Roll in flour and then place on a lightly floured surface to roll out. Roll dough out to a 16 inch diameter or till dough is less than 1/4 inch thick equally.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in microwave for about 30 seconds.  Brush rolled out dough with melted butter.  With a pizza cutter cut the dough in half lengthwise then widthwise.  This will give you 4 big slices.  Cut again between each cut section to give you 8 slices.  Cut again between each slice to give you 16 triangle slices.  Try to keep them all about the same size.

Starting from the outside of the circle roll each piece towards the point.  Place point end down on an airbake cookie sheet.  When all crescents have been rolled and placed on the sheet.  Melt 1/4 cup butter in microwave again and brush rolls with the melted butter.

Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  I reboil the pot of water and put them back in the oven for this rising also.

Bake at 400 for 11-12 minutes.

Once cooled completely store in zip lock bags if you do not eat them all in one sitting

Note:  This makes 16 rolls.  I have two stand mixers so I either make two batches of these rolls or make one batch crescent rolls and one batch cinnamon rolls because it is the same dough recipe!