From The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors (reformatted)
Makes about 24 knot rolls [that's what the recipe says; you might end up with
more]
Dough
1 cup milk
1/2 pound butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground mahleb [I use almond extract]
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup orange juice
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup warm water (about 105 degrees F)
1 package quick-rising yeast
4 cups all-puropse flour [you might need more]
Egg Wash
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Garnish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds [you might need more]
Directions
Place the warm water in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer,
such as KithenAid. Add the yeast. Stir to dissolve.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter, sugar, mahleb, salt, baking powder,
and orange juice. Heat and stir to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar and
salt. Cool to tepid, barely warm, 105 degrees. Stir in the beaten eggs. Add
to the yeast mixture.
Add 2 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture. Beat 8 to 10 minutes or until
a soft sponge is formed and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of
the bowl. This can also be done by hand with a wooden spoon.
Using the dough hook on your electric machine or by hand add the remaining 2
cups of flour and knead to make a smooth dough. Knead for about 10 minutes by
machine or 20 minutes by hand. [You might need more flour to make a good dough.]
Place on the counter under a large stainless-steel bowl. Allow to double in
bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and form rolls.
Pinch off a piece of dough the size of a golf ball. Roll into a snake 11 inches
long. Tie into a knot and then bring up the ends through the center of the knot.
(See the below illustration.) Continue with the rest of the dough until you
have 24 knots. Place the knots 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Allow
to double in bulk (45 minutes to 1 hour). Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with
the sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 or 30 minutes or until golden
brown.
