Danish Yeast Rolls

2 pkgs instant dry yeast

½ cup warm water

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1 cup cold butter cut into pieces

1 cup milk

4 egg yolks

2 Tbs butter, melted

¼ cup sugar

½ cup flaked coconut

Oven temp 350°

Night before: Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 - 115°); let stand 5 minutes. In large mixer bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and butter. With pastry blender, combine until the consistency of cornmeal. By hand, gradually stir in milk, egg yolks and yeast to make a soft dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Next day: Punch down dough. Divide into 2 pats. Refrigerate half of dough until ready to use. On lightly floured pastry cloth or marble surface, roll each half to a 14 x 9 inch rectangle. Brush with half of melted butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar and ¼ cup of coconut over dough. Starting with longer side, roll up tightly. Pinch edge to seal. Cut into 14 slices. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze or ice with buttercream icing. Serve warm

Powdered Sugar Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbs milk

½ tsp vanilla

Notes: Actually, I most often use buttercream icing leftover from icing cookies on Christmas Eve. I refrigerate it until morning and shortly before the first batch of Danish comes out of the oven, I warm the icing in the microwave to soften it for spreading.

Pat