A Magic Act Worth Performing
My mom made these rolls growing up. She popped open that signature can of Pillsbury crescent rolls. ffffffOP. Then she rolled a marshmallow in butter and spices and wrapped it in the semi-triangular dough. The disappearing act is that they begin with butter and spiced marshmallow in the middle and end with a gooey-oooey shellacked center. Ta-da!
My mom didn’t have a name for these treats. I wasn’t raised in a religious home save the time my dad forced me to go to catechism classes in the 8th grade. I didn’t realize that the Christians called these Resurrection Rolls or Empty Tomb Rolls until later. My Harley-riding Haight Ashbury frequenting parents made stuff and ate it without suffering symbolism.
I did some research and realized they didn’t originate with church potlucks. They were first made for The Pillsbury Bake Off back in 1969. Edna (Holmgren) Walker coined them Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs and won a $25k prize for her effort. She was onto something because these rolls are still made, year after year, 54 years later.
Here is my chance to convince you to make something easy, well, a semi-pain-in-the-apple (unless you’re a bread maker who thinks making bread is fun and worth the effort.) (Raises hand proudly.) I decided to see what would happen if I used an enriched yeasted dough instead. It turns out I’m not mad at myself for trying. They took a few attempts (no sacrifice on my part), but I’m trading in the can. And if you must, I’ve included the easy version in the recipe notes.
Disappearing Act Rolls
DifficultyMedium
ServingsMakes 15
Prep Time2 hours5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time2 hours30 minutes
Tear apart buns with a gooey and buttery marshmallow spiced center.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 C. (256 g.) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 t. Instant Dry Yeast
- 1/2 t. Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 C. Whole Milk
- 3 T. (42 g.) Butter
- 2 T. (25 g.) White Sugar
- 1 t. Vanilla
- 1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
For Assembly
- 15 Large Marshmallows
- 8 T. (112 g.) Butter
- 1/3 C. (67 g.) White Sugar
- 2 1/2 t. Cinnamon
- 1/4 t. Cardamom
- 1/4 t. Ginger
Instructions
For the Dough
- 1
Grease a medium bowl. Set aside.
- 2
In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
- 3
Combine the whole milk, butter, and sugar in a small pot. Warm over low until the butter is just melted and the temperature is 105-110° F. Add the vanilla.
- 4
With the mixer running on low with the dough attachment, add the milk mixture and the beaten egg. Mix for one minute until combined. Turn the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, scraping down the bowl halfway through. This should take around 8 minutes. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl at this stage. Resist adding flour.
- 5
Transfer the dough to the greased bowl. Form it into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Start the Assembly
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- 2
Meanwhile, prepare for assembly. Melt the butter in a small pan over low. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and spices. Divide the sugar mixture in half for sprinkling later.
- 3
Butter a 9-inch round baking pan with some of the melted butter.
- 4
Punch down the dough, and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide it into 15 pieces (about 32.5 g. per portion), shaping each into a smooth ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- 5
Roll a piece of dough into a flat disk around 3-4 inches in diameter. Roll a marshmallow in the butter. Then, coat it on all sides in the sugar and spices. Place the marshmallow in the center and pull the edges of the dough to the center, completely covering the marshmallow. Turn it over, smooth side up, and roll it into a ball. Start with one in the center of the pan. Surround it with five rolls for a flower pattern. Then add the rest of the rolls, evenly spaced, for the final outer row.
- 6
Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes.
- 7
Use a basting brush like a magic wand, and butter the rolls to high heaven. More is more in this situation. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and spice mix.
Bake the Rolls
- 1
Bake the rolls until golden brown, around 22-25 minutes, or until the edge of the rolls reads 190° F.
- 2
These are best served warm, so the gooey-ooeyness of the marshmallows is still molten. Caution: The rolls you are about to enjoy are HOT!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Medium Bowl
- 9 Inch Cake Pan
Notes
If using store-bought Pillsbury Dough, you will need 2 cans. Increase the heat to 375° F. You’ll need less butter in the assembly, perhaps 4-5 T. Proceed with the assembly. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Keywords:Baking, Easter, Bread, Rolls, Sweet
