Butterscotch Crescent Rolls

I would look forward to these sweet rolls every Christmas morning as a child. A family friend would deliver them warm to our house wrapped in foil! This year for Christmas that same family friend shared the recipe with me and I was able to 'deliver' them to my parents house, and a few other people who happened to be on our way. The sweet rolls got such rave reviews that I believe I'm expected to make them again next year and for many years to come. 

The rolls may seem like a lot of work (and they are) but they are worth every second of your time. Once you have completed baking and frosting the rolls you can wrapped them in foil and freeze them. Wrapping them in foil will allow for convenient thawing and warming of the rolls in the oven on a future date. 

The following ingredients and directions will make 36 crescent rolls.

Ingredients for the dough:

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 – 3 oz pkg. butterscotch pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
• 1 – 12 oz. can evaporate milk
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs unbeaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 cups flour

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
2. Prepare pudding mix with the evaporated milk. Stir often. When cooked, stir in butter and cool to lukewarm, about 20-30 minutes. 
3. Blend eggs and salt into pudding mixture, then add yeast and mix well. 
4. Stir in flour gradually to form a stiff dough. Knead on board until smooth and no longer sticky. This may take up to 20 minutes. (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook for this making it less laborious). Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1-1/3 cup flaked coconut
• 1-1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 to 1 cup chopped pecans
• 4 Tbsp. flour

Directions:

1. Combine filling ingredients in small bowl and mix well until blended.
2. Punch down dough and divide into thirds. Roll out each part to a 15" circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges and place a rounded teaspoonful of brown sugar mixture on each wedge. 
3. Roll up, starting with wide end and rolling to a point. Moisten fingers and seal the point to the main part of the roll. Curve ends to form crescent. Place point side down on greased baking sheets. 
4. Cover with towel and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes until light brown. Remove rolls to a wire rack to cool. Frost while warm.

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 Tbsp. evaporated milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar - sifted

Directions:

1. Combine brown sugar, water and butter the top of a double boiler and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 
2. Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar with wire whisk. Set the pan over the bottom of the double boiler with simmering water. 
3. Don’t let the glaze get too thick. Add more evaporated milk if necessary to reach desired spreading consistency. 
4. Frost rolls. Note: the frosting is very hot and can burn your fingers. Use great caution! Place frosted rolls on wire racks to cool and dry.
5. When you serve the rolls they should be served warm... they taste best that way! :-)