DIrections

• Time allotment
• I allow myself 3 hours from start to finish to make these rolls. If dinner is at 6:00 pm, I start the process at 3:00 pm. Works perfect every time.
• Making the dough
• Attach paddle to mixer. In mixer bowl combine 2 cups of flour and dry yeast. Turn mixer on for a few seconds to combine.
• In a saucepan stir together milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat on medium just until warm.
  
  When the butter is half melted, I remove from heat.
• When butter is completely melted, add to flour mixture.
• Add warm milk mixture to the flour mixture, and mix for a few seconds until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and beat another 3 minutes on medium-high. The dough will look gloppy.
• Remove the paddle, and attach the dough hook.
• Dump in 2 additional cups of flour (reserve the 1/2 cup of flour), and knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes. If using a Kitchen-Aid mixer, use the 2 setting (it has the most umph for kneading dough).
  
  The dough will look mucky, but trust me, it will incorporate. Just let the mixer run.
• A minute or so before the time is up for kneading, check the dough. If the dough still looks sticky add a little flour and let the mixer knead into the dough. If the dough continues to look sticky continue to add flour, a little at a time. Do not add more than the remaining 1/2 cup.
• Remove dough from mixing bowl, and shape into a ball. Place dough ball into a well buttered (or greased) glass bowl, turn once so all sides are buttered/greased.
• RISING THE DOUGH
• Cover dough with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about an hour).
  
  To create a warm place, place bowl of dough in a cold oven and set a pan of hot-water underneath the bowl of dough, and close the oven door. This will create a warm draft-free environment.
• When dough has doubled in size, remove from the warm space and place bowl of dough onto kitchen counter. Remove kitchen towel cover.
• Now the fun part, punch down the dough, deflating the big ball of dough (yes, this is my fist punched down into the ball of dough)
• Remove deflated ball of dough from the bowl, and divide into two balls. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the two balls of dough rest for 10 minutes.
  
  This is very important for the dough to relax in order to easily shape into rolls.
• SHAPING INTO KNOT-ROLLS
• Set one ball dough aside, working on a lightly floured or non-stick surface roll the other ball dough into a log about 14″ long.
• Cut the 14″ log into 12 sections.
• Take one of the 12 pieces, and roll into a 14″ snake.
• Tie a loose knot, leaving 2 long ends.
• Tuck top-end under the knot and bottom-end into top center of the knot.
• Repeat making knots, placing rolls 2″-3″ apart on a baking sheet covered with a silpat-mat or parchment paper. I use two baking sheets, 12 rolls per sheet.
• Cover shaped rolls with a kitchen towel, and rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes).
• Bake in a 375 f degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. After removing hot rolls from oven, brush tops with butter.
  
  I have an uneven oven, so my rolls bake browner on the right side.